Cooking meats at 300°F (150°C) or higher—or large cuts like roasts—requires a resting period for two main reasons:
First, the residual heat will continue cooking the meat even after it’s removed from the oven.
Cooking meats at 300°F (150°C) or higher—or large cuts like roasts—requires a resting period for two main reasons:
First, the residual heat will continue cooking the meat even after it’s removed from the oven.
For example, if a rib eye is cooked at 350°F (180°C) and pulled out when the thermometer reads 125°F (52°C), it will gradually reach about 135°F (57°C) after resting for 10 minutes as the outer, hotter layers continue to transfer heat
inward. Second, allowing the meat to rest gives the juices a chance to redistribute. As the fibers at the edges cool and relax, they reabsorb the central juices.
If the meat is cut immediately, those valuable juices are likely to spill out, reducing the overall flavor and tenderness.