The Hidden Downside Of Letting Meat Rest

You've just purchased the most beautifully marbled steak for a special dinner. Whether you're preparing it perfectly for the hot grill or still deciding on a number of different ways to cook it, one thing is certain: You want a medium rare interior. Fast forward to when the steak is almost done cooking and you take it off the heat to let it rest for a couple minutes with the intention of keeping the interior juicy. But after slicing into it, you see it's far beyond medium rare — almost medium well. What happened?

Conventional wisdom says you did everything right. Most chefs say it's essential to rest after cooking to help the juices stay in the meat. But this isn't actually true, and since the meat continues to cook when it's off the heat, a long rest might overcook the steak.

You should think of resting as another step in the cooking process rather than something that happens after cooking. Theoretically, the steak's temperature should rise approximately 5 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit while resting, but the exact amount is almost impossible to calculate and could be much higher, which then leads to overcooked meat.

Food scientist and chef Chris Young experimented on a series of steaks in a 2024 video and clearly showed that rested meat isn't juicier than un-rested meat. Young explained that steak stays very hot during resting, and water inside the meat can turn to vapor, creating pressure that forces liquid out. "When you slice into the meat, rested or not, you're creating new escape routes for the juices near the cut surface to be forced out," Young said. "Your only choice is whether you want the juices to end up on the cutting board or on the plate."

But there's still a reason to rest the steak, and it has to do with the internal temperature. To do it correctly, you'll want to take your meat off the heat before it's done and then carefully monitor the internal temperature as it rises. This way you can more effectively hit your target doneness.

If you're concerned about keeping your meat juicy, don't worry, there are easy ways to do that. Chef and TV personality Lidia Bastianich recommends to baste your steak during and after cooking, and even keep the juices that escape from it. You should also make sure the cut of meat has nice fat marbling throughout because that will help keep the meat moist as well.