Resting meat
Beginner Meat and fish
Resting meat is leaving cooked meat off the heat for a while before cutting.
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?
1Move it to a board or plate and tent loosely with foil.
2Steaks and chops 5–10 minutes; roasts 15–20; a turkey 30–45.
Why does it work?
The meat keeps cooking a few degrees (carryover), and the juices thicken slightly so less runs out when you slice.
What are the common mistakes?
- Cutting straight away — juice floods the board.
- Wrapping tightly — the crust goes soggy.
Still stuck? Watch someone do it on YouTube.
Learn by cooking. In Pantry to Pan, technique words in your recipes' steps link straight
to guides like this one, right when you need them.
Try it free for 14 daysMore meat and fish
- 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
- Patting meat dryBlotting the surface of meat or fish with paper towels before cooking.Beginner