When it comes to cooking the perfect steak, the process of resting the meat is often overlooked but is crucial for achieving optimal flavor, tenderness, and juiciness. Here’s a detailed guide on why and how to let your steak rest, both before and after cooking.
Why Rest Steak Before Cooking?
Resting your steak before cooking is primarily about allowing it to reach room temperature. Here are the key reasons:
Even Cooking: A cold steak can lead to uneven cooking because the muscle fibers tense up when exposed to high heat, resulting in a tough steak. Taking the steak out of the refrigerator 30-60 minutes before cooking helps it reach room temperature, ensuring it cooks more evenly[1].
Tenderization and Crust Formation: While the steak is resting, you can rub salt all over the meat. The salt draws out moisture, which then dissolves into a brine that is reabsorbed into the meat. This process breaks down the lean muscle proteins, making the steak more tender and juicy, and also helps in forming a gorgeous crust on the outside[1].
How to Rest Steak Before Cooking
Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least 30-60 minutes before cooking.
Place the steak on a cutting board or plate.
Rub salt all over the steak to enhance tenderness and crust formation.
Let it sit at room temperature until you are ready to cook it.
Why Rest Steak After Cooking?
Resting the steak after cooking is equally important for several reasons:
Redistribution of Juices: When you cook a steak, the heat causes the muscle fibers to constrict, pushing the juices towards the center of the meat. Resting the steak allows these juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat, ensuring that when you cut into it, the juices stay within the meat rather than flowing out[3][5].
Relaxation of Muscle Fibers: As the steak rests, the constricted muscle fibers relax, allowing the juices to spread out and the meat to retain its moisture and flavor[3][5].
How to Rest Steak After Cooking
Once the steak is cooked, remove it from the heat source.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board, warm plate, or serving platter.
Tent the steak with aluminum foil to trap the heat.
Let it rest for the recommended time based on its thickness and size.
Recommended Resting Times
The resting time after cooking varies based on the thickness and size of the steak:
Thinner Cuts: Rest for a minimum of 5-7 minutes[3][5].
Thicker Cuts: Rest for 10-20 minutes or more. A general rule is to rest the steak for:
5 minutes per inch of thickness[5].
10 minutes per pound[5].
Half the time it took to cook for thinner cuts, and the whole time it took to cook for thicker cuts[3][5].
Additional Considerations
Food Safety: Ensure that the cooked steak does not sit out for more than two hours to avoid entering the temperature danger zone (between 40-140 degrees Fahrenheit), where bacteria can grow. If you’re not ready to eat it yet, you can keep it warm in a low oven for about 15-20 minutes[3][5].
Carryover Cooking: The steak will continue to cook slightly after it is removed from the heat due to carryover cooking. This means the internal temperature can rise by up to 13 degrees, but it will not enter the danger zone if cooked to safe temperatures initially[5].
Most Important Facts About Resting Steak
Before Cooking:
Remove from Refrigerator: Take the steak out 30-60 minutes before cooking to let it reach room temperature.
Salt Application: Rub salt over the steak to enhance tenderness and crust formation.
After Cooking:
Resting Time: Rest thinner cuts for 5-7 minutes and thicker cuts for 10-20 minutes or more.
Redistribution of Juices: Resting allows the juices to redistribute, keeping the steak juicy and flavorful.
Food Safety: Do not let cooked steak sit out for more than two hours to avoid bacterial growth.
Carryover Cooking: The steak will continue to cook slightly after removal from heat, but this does not affect food safety if initial cooking temperatures were safe.
By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your steak is cooked to perfection, retaining its moisture, flavor, and tenderness.
