Resting steak

[Michi]

I just stumbled across this video. Most interesting. It lines up with my own experience, and I've always wondered about the resting theory. The main problem I've encountered with resting a steak is that, the longer I let it rest, the more likely it is to be overdone, which lines up with Chris's explanation.

 

[dchang21]

chris young co-authored the modernist cuisine series of cookbooks. evident in the styling and creative direction of his yt videos..

 

[azn_knives_4l]

Yeh. Carryover cooking is by far the most practical part of the rest and quite a few people have come to this conclusion independently. Meathead over at Amazing Ribs has a nice write-up. Easily 10f or more increase depending on cooking method and meat. I've repeatedly charted post-sear temperatures with reverse sear and I see a full 25f on 1.5in steaks.

 

[Chopper88]

Nice find, very informative @Michi!
I love this kind of approach to take things to the next level. Facts instead of myths/rumors/traditions/guesses etc.

 

[stringer]

I just stumbled across this video. Most interesting. It lines up with my own experience, and I've always wondered about the resting theory. The main problem I've encountered with resting a steak is that, the longer I let it rest, the more likely it is to be overdone, which lines up with Chris's explanation.

My issue with these modern science cooking personalities is their analysis is way too simplified for what actually happens in a mass production environment but way too overwrought for what happens in a household environment. They are like the 150 petty of cookbooks.

 

[azn_knives_4l]

My issue with these modern science cooking personalities is their analysis is way too simplified for what actually happens in a mass production environment but way too overwrought for what happens in a household environment. They are like the 150 petty of cookbooks.

I admire the salesmanship of it, lol. Like people claiming you need diamonds to sharpen vanadium carbide steel when alox can't abrade chromium carbide either, lmao.

 

[Michi]

My issue with these modern science cooking personalities is their analysis is way too simplified for what actually happens in a mass production environment but way too overwrought for what happens in a household environment. They are like the 150 petty of cookbooks.

OK, I'll buy that. But I'm interested more in getting good steak than the scientific approach in the video. What it boils down to is "don't rest your steak and it'll be better." Nothing too scientific about that statement

 

[stringer]

OK, I'll buy that. But I'm interested more in getting good steak than the scientific approach in the video. What it boils down to is "don't rest your steak and it'll be better." Nothing too scientific about that statement

But it's a massive oversimplification that doesn't take into account the cut of meat, the size of the portion, the number of steaks you are trying to to cook at once, what other stuff is competing for grill/broiler/oven/saute pan space, the timing of sides, etc. I am going to cook a petite filet quite a bit different than a double tomahawk. The petite filet last minute and won't rest at all. The tomahawk might rest for twenty minutes. The amount of rest time for anything in between can vary greatly depending on the context I am cooking it in.

 

[Michi]

The tomahawk might rest for twenty minutes.

To be fair, a tomahawk is closer to a seared roast than a steak, but I take your point.

 

[stringer]

To be fair, a tomahawk is closer to a seared roast than a steak, but I take your point.

A petite filet is just a miniature seared roast.

 

[sumis]

But it's a massive oversimplification that doesn't take into account the cut of meat, the size of the portion, the number of steaks you are trying to to cook at once, what other stuff is competing for grill/broiler/oven/saute pan space, the timing of sides, etc. I am going to cook a petite filet quite a bit different than a double tomahawk. The petite filet last minute and won't rest at all. The tomahawk might rest for twenty minutes. The amount of rest time for anything in between can vary greatly depending on the context I am cooking it in.

to be fair, chris young's got some of those other aspects covered as well in other videos.

the 150 mm petty approach might be exactly right for some of us overwrought home cooks

the point is (apart from chris selling his thermometer) that thinking about these things might change one's approach to the better, while still be relaxed about it. not learning it all can still be learning more, and perhaps even more than enough.

.

 

[MarcelNL]

theoretically it might be possible to write a thermometer analysis program that reads temperature increase in the piece of meat over time (when needed entering weight), you put in a target temp after resting and the program warns you when to stop heating and cut over into resting. Well above my very rusty programming skills but hey...

I was tackled by the ribeye I did last week, it was perfectly ready for reverse searing after 4 hours at 53'C (aiming for medium rare) and post sear it still came out of resting at medium... (it was not bad at all but I probably should have done the sear at reaching 50'C)

 

[stringer]

theoretically it might be possible to write a thermometer analysis program that reads temperature increase in the piece of meat over time (when needed entering weight), you put in a target temp after resting and the program warns you when to stop heating and cut over into resting. Well above my very rusty programming skills but hey...

I was tackled by the ribeye I did last week, it was perfectly ready for reverse searing after 4 hours at 53'C (aiming for medium rare) and post sear it still came out of resting at medium... (it was not bad at all but I probably should have done the sear at reaching 50'C)

At my last hotel job we had stuff like this down to a science. Literally. Giant Rational ovens with all kinds of sensors for heat, humidity, degree of browning, etc. We would sear or grill mark the steaks and cool them in a blast chiller (up to 2000 at a time). Technically some combitherms can do that step too, but not as good as a well trained human IMO. Then we would marinate and season them. Then we would load them on to racks and cook them to just a few degrees shy of medium rare and then blast chill them again (using the computer programs and sensors). Then we would "cold plate" everything but sauce and garnish. Put the plates on special racks that would go back into the oven when we were ready to fire. Then we would blast the plates, remove them from the oven, add sauce and garnish. The plates were covered and loaded into food warmers for transportation. We could put out 2000 perfectly cooked medium rare steaks in about 22 minutes from the time the first plates go into the oven until the last covers are removed at the table. The ovens adjusted the program to how much you put in via the probe thermometer and a bunch of other sensors. So I could fire 1 plate or 200 by just punching (plated steak - start).

 

[bermuda_chub]

They are like the 150 petty of cookbooks.

Why are 150 pettys suddenly under attack from all sides? My feathers are getting ruffled by association.

 

[WildBoar]

Why are 150 pettys suddenly under attack from all sides? My feathers are getting ruffled by association.

Don't be so, uh, petty...

 

[Vertigo]

At my last hotel job we had stuff like this down to a science. Literally. Giant Rational ovens with all kinds of sensors for heat, humidity, degree of browning, etc. We would sear or grill mark the steaks and cool them in a blast chiller (up to 2000 at a time). Technically some combitherms can do that step too, but not as good as a well trained human IMO. Then we would marinate and season them. Then we would load them on to racks and cook them to just a few degrees shy of medium rare and then blast chill them again (using the computer programs and sensors). Then we would "cold plate" everything but sauce and garnish. Put the plates on special racks that would go back into the oven when we were ready to fire. Then we would blast the plates, remove them from the oven, add sauce and garnish. The plates were covered and loaded into food warmers for transportation. We could put out 2000 perfectly cooked medium rare steaks in about 22 minutes from the time the first plates go into the oven until the last covers are removed at the table. The ovens adjusted the program to how much you put in via the probe thermometer and a bunch of other sensors. So I could fire 1 plate or 200 by just punching (plated steak - start).

Off topic, but we got a couple giant Rationals a while back and I swear to God we're *just* begining to learn all the cool **** they can do. Completely changed our catering game.

 

[Michi]

theoretically it might be possible to write a thermometer analysis program that reads temperature increase in the piece of meat over time (when needed entering weight), you put in a target temp after resting and the program warns you when to stop heating and cut over into resting. Well above my very rusty programming skills but hey...

This is pretty much what Chris's fancy thermometer does. There are several temperature sensors, so it can measure not only the core temp, but also the rate at which the heat makes progress into the interior. From that, it predicts when the set target temperature will be reached.

I have no idea how well this works in practice, or how necessary it is to have such a thermometer. For the past 50 years or more, I have managed without.

But then, I never used an instant read thermometer for most of those 50 years, and now I can't see myself cooking without one…

 

[chefwp]

Beware of RSF

Resting Steak Face

 

[aporigine]

Why are 150 pettys suddenly under attack from all sides? My feathers are getting ruffled by association.

I’d’a chosen a kiri-cleaver as a more appropriate steel scapegoat. It’s like a non-toku …

 

[MarcelNL]

This is pretty much what Chris's fancy thermometer does. There are several temperature sensors, so it can measure not only the core temp, but also the rate at which the heat makes progress into the interior. From that, it predicts when the set target temperature will be reached.

I have no idea how well this works in practice, or how necessary it is to have such a thermometer. For the past 50 years or more, I have managed without.

But then, I never used an instant read thermometer for most of those 50 years, and now I can't see myself cooking without one…

Thanks for posting, after viewing the clip a lot about the resting processes within the meat has become clearer...only thing I did not hear him discuss is differences in mouthfeel of the rested vs not rested meat. The difference in moisture coming out I've never believed as indeed it either stays on the cutting board or on the plate regardless of resting or not.

 

[Michi]

only thing I did not hear him discuss is differences in mouthfeel of the rested vs not rested meat.

I don't think there is any difference in mouth feel for a given (final) degree of doneness. Obviously, the less rare, the drier the steak. But I don't think it matters if you get to that point with or without resting.

 

[MarcelNL]

the theory I was always led to believe is that the muscle tissue shrinks when heated and while resting it relaxes.
perhaps I should try paralyzing the meat before cooking ;-)

Thinking about it that probably is a myth too, since the shrinkage probably is caused by the crust losing water and shrinking and while resting the crust gets softer and hence the steak 'relaxes'

 

[Michi]

the theory I was always led to believe is that the muscle tissue shrinks when heated and while resting it relaxes.

It doesn’t. Chris discusses that in the video.

 

[DitmasPork]

I just stumbled across this video. Most interesting. It lines up with my own experience, and I've always wondered about the resting theory. The main problem I've encountered with resting a steak is that, the longer I let it rest, the more likely it is to be overdone, which lines up with Chris's explanation.

I’m a big fan of resting steaks—if cooking for a crowd I’ll typically rest my steaks anywhere from 10 minutes to a half hour, never had an issue with steaks becoming over cooked—depending on thickness/heat, I’ll generally pull a steak about 5f+ degrees before desired internal temp, whether cooking on a grill or in a pan, or reverse searing. My long rest is partially outta expedience—I’ll use the resting time for plating up the other 4–8 dishes on the menu for the communal table—slicing/plating steak last. The thermoworks thermometers at hand are a godsend. I have a preference for even doneness throughout, and resting helps achieve this for me.

 

[ian]

My issue with these modern science cooking personalities is their analysis is way too simplified for what actually happens in a mass production environment but way too overwrought for what happens in a household environment. They are like the 150 petty of cookbooks.

I found the vid pretty useful, just because it tells me that resting doesn’t decrease the loss of juices. If you know that, you can still decide to rest or not rest, but if you do rest it won’t be for that bogus reason. (I also found the amount of carryover cooking surprising.)

That said, it’s been multiple years since I cooked a steak.

 

[DitmasPork]

I also like salting my steaks at least a few hours or overnight before cooking.

 

[DitmasPork]

I found the vid pretty useful, just because it tells me that resting doesn’t decrease the loss of juices. If you know that, you can still decide to rest or not rest, but if you do rest it won’t be for that bogus reason. (I also found the amount of carryover cooking surprising.)

That said, it’s been multiple years since I cooked a steak.

Are you vegetarian? Honest question. Wondering why you've not cooked a steak in years.

 

[dchang21]

i personally do not rest steak, but if resting can remove excess myogoblin from watery cuts like picanha, then i would, but it doesn't..

 

[ian]

Are you vegetarian? Honest question. Wondering why you've not cooked a steak in years.

No, but I got out of the habit of eating steak. It’s probably a combination of

1) noone else in my family eats it,
2) some not very well thought out and haphazardly followed environmental concerns,
3) disinterest in the whole approach of big piece of meat as centerpiece.

Re: 3), most of what I cook for myself nowadays is Chinese food.

I still like learning about the science of it though! Perhaps it’ll inspire me to make one soon.

 

[Michi]

I’m a big fan of resting steaks—if cooking for a crowd I’ll typically rest my steaks anywhere from 10 minutes to a half hour

Won't they be mostly cold after half an hour? Or do you keep them warm?