Resting your meat?

[rabbithunter]

I see alot of people write about resting their meat. Wrapping in foil/towels and setting in the microwave/cooler. Can anyone explain why this is to be done. I cant wait to get this smoking process to the point where I at least feel comfortable. Thank Bob

Soon to be a MES owner!

 

[smokebuzz]

Resting the meat in foil and a towel in a cooler will let it reabsorb any juices and get happy.

NOW, go to roll call and introduce yourself, tell us about your self and i can say

IT'S ANOTHER HAWKEYE!!!!

 

[cowgirl]

The temperature of the meat will continue to rise. Also the juices equalize/redistribute in the meat, making it very moist and tender. IMO

 

[cowgirl]

Ooops Buzz beat me to it! :)

 

[waysideranch]

Welcome Bob.

 

[travcoman45]

Yup, rest small stuff about 30 minutes, butts an briskets an such for at least an hour. Biggest problem be wakin em back up!

 

[walking dude]

ahhh.......i can't resist this..........this topic looks like it belongs in the "Watch What you Say" thread.......lolol..........

 

[dradclif]

I always recommend letting the meat rest, for two reasons. First, from my understanding, when fat reaches a specific temp... maybe 110 ~ 120? I forget exactly, but it turns to collagen, and becomes what we know to be fine juices, this gets distributed throughout the meat. If you cut up the meat without letting it rest, those juices don't have a chance to get back where they belong, assisting in the flavor, tenderness and juiciness of the meat. Those juices end up running out onto the plate when you cut the meat, instead of in the meat where they belong

The second reason I let the meat rest is because of doneness. I can't stand over cooked foods. Regardless of what you do, the radiant heat already in the meat will continue to raise the temperature, and cook the meat. If you take it off exactly when it's medium rare, for example, by the time you get around to cutting it up and serving it, it will be medium, or medium well. I always take meat off just a little before it's where I want it, and let it cook on it's own the rest of the way while it's resting. Thick pork lions, for example will rise almost 20 degrees or so, if I remember correctly. Resting is one of the reasons my meats come out sooooo tender and juicy.

I actually wrap the meat in foil, and then place the foil in the multi-layered paper bag that I buy my charcoal in. The foil help keeps the meat hot, and the multi-layers of the thick paper bag help hold in the moisture... so it doesn't lose either. I can put several individually wrapped racks of baby back ribs in the bag, and can tell you that the longer they're in there, the better they are. Usually the last rack out is the best.... (I always let my guests eat first).. LOL!! I put whole chickens, tri-tips, brisket, pork butt, ribs, and just about everything else in the bags.. they're certainly big enough, and when I take food that I've just taken out of the smoker to somewhere else, I leave them in the foil and bag until ready to serve where ever I am... the ribs, chicken, etc. will stay hot for more than an hour like this.

 

[straatshootr]

and if you goof and your turkey is a little overcooked..do you still let it rest? i only let mine rest less than 30 min, more like 15.  i've read things that say 30 to 60 minutes, some say 15 minutes.  but the meat still cooks when it's like that, so i didn't want to keep overdoing this.  but that means the juices would run anyway when you cut it, if you dont rest it, right?...i only tore off the legs and wings so far.  some juice around the legs ran out.

 

[roller]

Well if you have a good temp probe you will never have to worry about over cooking it. I always let my smoked meat rest for at least 1 to 2 hours just makes it better..imo