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Carryover cooking

Intermediate Kitchen basics

Food keeps cooking from its own heat after you take it off the stove or out of the oven.

By Cory, founder of Pantry to Pan · Published October 20, 2026 · Updated October 22, 2026

Written with AI help from the sources listed, and published by Cory. Sources: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures, USDA on the danger zone (40-140°F). Spot a mistake? Tell us and we'll fix it.

How do you do it?

1. Pull large roasts about 5 to 10°F below your target; steaks and chops about 3 to 5°F below.
2. Rest the meat loosely tented with foil: about 5 minutes for steaks, 15 to 20 for big roasts.
3. Check the temperature again after resting before slicing.
4. Remember safety minimums apply to the final temperature after resting.

Why does it work?

The outside of the food is hotter than the center, and that heat keeps moving inward after cooking stops. Bigger, thicker pieces cooked at higher heat rise the most.

What are the common mistakes?

• Cooking to the exact target in the pan — it overshoots and ends up overcooked.
• Pulling poultry far below 165°F and hoping — it may not reach a safe temperature.

Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.

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