If you want to enjoy the perfect piece of meat you have to be patient with it. Once it has left the pan or grill you would be tempted to slice it up and eat it right there and then. However, if you wait just a little longer you can make it even better. Just as there is a method to cooking your meat joint and steak, there is science behind resting them.
Patience is key. If you were to cut straight into a joint once you had finished cooking it those juices you had worked so hard to keep would spill out. For large meat joints such as Boned And Rolled Lamb Shoulder, Pork Belly as well as Whole Chicken you want to cover them loosely with foil to ensure they remain warm yet do not lose their moisture.
Ideally, you want the juices to remain in your steak and there are two tricks to keep in mind. One is to rest your steak for however long you cooked it. The other thing you need to consider is the thickness and you should allow your steak to rest for around five minutes for every inch of thickness. The ideal thickness is around one and a half inches hence you should rest it for around seven minutes.
You should also look out for the temperature of your steak. The purpose behind resting your steak is to allow it to cool to between 120°F/49°C and 125°F/52°C. At this temperature, the cells in your steak will have relaxed and kept their juices intact. One of the best ways of resting your steak is to place it on a chopping board and cover it with some foil. With that five to seven minutes you could quickly prepare a sauce to go with your perfect steak, a quick salad or even a beverage to go with it.
