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Why You Should Let Meat Rest After Cooking

There are many ways you can achieve juicy, tender meat. You can cook it low and slow, you can tenderize it, or you can even use a marinade. But one essential step that shouldn’t be skipped over? Letting it rest for a few minutes after cooking before you cut into it. Read on for how you should properly let your meat rest.

1. Why does cooked meat need to rest?

Cooked meat should be left to rest because its muscle fibres need time to relax and allow the juices to redistribute throughout. If you skip this step and cut into the meat too soon, the juices will spill out and the texture of your meat will be dry.

2. How do I let it rest?

Simply place it on a cutting board on the counter, loosely cover the cooked meat with a piece of aluminum foil to help retain its heat, and walk away.

3. How much time does it require?

In short, the bigger the piece of meat, the longer the resting time. On average, smaller cuts like pork chops or chicken thighs don’t need more than 10 minutes. For bigger cuts and roasts, 20 minutes should be enough.

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