Resting

Resting is a simple yet critically important and often underrated stage of cooking that takes place after the meat is removed from the heat. Its essence is to let a freshly cooked piece (steak, roast, roast poultry) stand for a few minutes before slicing.

During intense heating the muscle fibres contract, “pushing” the juices toward the centre of the piece. If the meat is cut at once, all this precious juice runs out onto the board, and the dish comes out dry. But if the meat is allowed to “rest,” the fibres gradually relax, and the juices redistribute evenly throughout the piece and are partly reabsorbed. As a result, the sliced meat remains juicy, tender, and evenly pink. The rule of “letting the meat rest” is one of the chief secrets of the perfect steak, well known to every experienced cook.