What resting does
As meat cooks, heat drives moisture toward the cooler centre and muscle fibres tighten, squeezing juices. Rest the meat and two things happen: the temperature evens out so the fibres relax and stop clenching, and the juices redistribute rather than flooding out the moment you cut. Slice a steak straight off the fire and you pour its juice onto the board.
How long
| Cut | Rest for |
|---|---|
| Thin steak or chop | 5 minutes |
| Thick steak, reverse-seared | 5 minutes (already even) |
| Whole chicken | 10 to 15 minutes |
| Leg of lamb, large roast | 15 to 20 minutes |
| Pork shoulder, pulled | At least 1 hour |
| Brisket | 2 hours minimum, 4 is better |
The exception: reverse sear
A reverse-seared steak needs far less rest, because bringing it up slowly already evened out the interior. There is no steep temperature gradient to settle, so five minutes is plenty. This is one of the quiet advantages of the method.
How to rest without going cold
Tent loosely with foil rather than wrapping tight, which traps steam and softens any crust. For big cuts, a turned-off oven or a dry cooler holds them hot for hours, which is how restaurants serve brisket that rested since the morning. A well-rested large cut loses almost no heat in the time it takes to rest.
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