Patting meat dry
Beginner Meat and fish
Patting meat dry is blotting the surface of meat or fish with paper towels before cooking.
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?
1Take the meat out of the package and lay it on paper towels.
2Press more towels firmly on top and sides until they come away mostly dry.
3Season right before cooking, or salt ahead and pat dry again.
4Throw away the towels and wash your hands after touching raw meat.
Why does it work?
A wet surface has to boil off water before it can get above 212°F, so it steams and turns gray. A dry surface reaches browning temperatures fast, giving a crisp, flavorful crust.
What are the common mistakes?
- Skipping it — the meat steams instead of browning.
- Rinsing raw chicken first — splashes bacteria around the sink and adds water.
Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.
More meat and fish
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- BastingSpooning hot fat or juices over food as it cooks.Intermediate
- BriningSalting meat ahead of time, in salty water (wet brine) or rubbed on (dry brine).Intermediate
- SpatchcockingCutting out the backbone and flattening a chicken or turkey (butterflying, for meat, means slicing it open like a book).Intermediate
- Rendering fatCooking fatty meat (bacon, duck skin, chicken skin) gently so the fat melts out.Beginner
- TrussingTying a bird or roast with kitchen string into a compact shape.Intermediate