How important is it for meat to be at room temp before egging?

exactly.  as do i (which is why i spent so much time trying to explain it).

my point was that it is a myth that leaving it on the counter will get it to room temp (these days), but that the idea is based in reality.  people DID leave meat out for a long while.  not so since we have fridges and freezers.

the "leave it out til room temp" was actually the practice.  but not in today's world where the idea is unimaginable, and people are impatient and germophobic too boot.

so we achieve the even temp in other ways. all of which are frankly easier and better,

Lit said:

show previous quotes

GrateEggspectations said:

As others have stated, I think it depends on the thickness of the meat you are cooking. For steaks, I let them come to room temp to ensure a proper sear (a few friends who are professional chefs have recommend this to me). For larger cuts (e.g., brisket, butt, etc,), I like them cold such that they develop good smoke.like most things BBQ, I don't think there is a "right" way, but this is what has worked for me.

This is not true at all leave a steak out on the counter for an hour and check your internal temp it hardly moves only the outside gets warmer which is the opposite of what you are trying to achieve. 

Lit: "...outside gets warmer..." - hence my comment about thickness being the biggest factor (i.e., thinner steak will get warmer internal temp than a thicker one during the same period, as it has more meat on the surface area in proportion to its overall size). I have not claimed that this is the best way nor the "right" way; only that this is the way that has worked best for me.

Gotta love posts that start "this is not true at all" (especially in a response to a post about a method utilized, as opposed to a statement about a method purported to be that which is "correct").

Glad some of us on this forum have all the answers.

Seems like there is a bit of clarification needed. A thick roast, or a big carcass turkey are way different than a slab of ribs, or a pork tenderloin. There's a couple of hours of safe time for thin stuff. Possibly enough to get all of it to 74-ish. The thicker pieces won't warm fast enough in air. Water baths even temp a lot faster than air, better approach.

If an evenly heated roast is desired, then the whole of the mass should start at the same temp. If searing something smaller, an even temp is also a good thing, but probably not as important as cooking a turkey breast, and having the outside well done, and the inside less then medium.

Pro with servsafe certification here.  

If the health inspector walks in and sees steaks sitting out between 41F and 132F, you're getting fined.  There's no way in hell professionals let steaks sit out that long before firing.  If you don't sell them, it's not like you can just re-refrigerate them and call it a day.  In the food biz, $$$ talks.  That means those expensive dry aged steaks (which are half rotten anyway) don't sit out for more than 60 minutes, and there's no way they're reaching 74F in that time.

Steak is mostly water.  Water is an insulator.  Sit a glass of ice water at 35F on your counter for 3 hours and it'll still be tepid.  

Leaving your steak out is stupid.  Having an even temperature throughout is not.  But those aren't the same thing.  What's even the point?  At 75F, a steak is closer to 35F than 135F .  Your room temperature steak is closer to frozen than to cooked.  So why not start from cold where you're sure there's no pathogen growth and you've got an consistent temp throughout via the refrigerator?

Stan

Everything above is heretical, especially the spew from @Darby_Crenshaw.  If your meat has not reached room temperature on a counter the meal is lost.  Servsafe approved.

Focker said:

Throwing down a Servsafe Cert, is as meaningful, or better yet, as meaningless...
as throwing down a KCBS Cert.  

Just sayin Pro. 

I'm a KCBS certified judge...

DMW said:

show previous quotes

Focker said:

Throwing down a Servsafe Cert, is as meaningful, or better yet, as meaningless...
as throwing down a KCBS Cert.  

Just sayin Pro. 

I'm a KCBS certified judge...

I certified you as a KCBS certified judge...

Room temp stuff is the same as vacuuming your ashes, a total myth. 

gmac said:

show previous quotes

northGAcock said:

.....not to forget mentioning a counter surfing dog. 

This A$$hole took 1/2 a roast of the counter last night. Surprised he's still alive but ultimately it's the kids fault for leaving it out...

What is the breed. Cool fellow

Focker said:

Throwing down a Servsafe Cert, is as meaningful, or better yet, as meaningless...
as throwing down a KCBS Cert.  

Just sayin Pro. 

Ha. Way to miss the forest on account of a tree. 

Just sayin Amateur.