A steak needs to go from the grill, to the plate, to the table as quickly as possible. "Resting" a steak only allows the inside to cook more than it was ordered. That is often why they are overcooked. And the juices go from meat to the plate while it rests. You want the juice in the meat, not on the plate.
Supa is correct. Ask any chef and they will tell you to let it rest. Gallagher's Grill in Covington is one of the best, if not the best, steakhouses on the Northshore. Here are a couple pointers from his Kitchen tips section of his website: LINK I used to work at Del Lago's in the 80's. The meat chef would cook our steak's partially as soon as we ordered them, then finish them when we called for them.
There are as many cooking techniques as there are cooks in this world. To argue which way is best is a heated debate, however, I disagree with 2 of those 'cooking tips' whole heartedly. 1. If you have to puncture your meat to cook the inside so the outside does not burn then you are cooking at too high a temp. 2. Resting meat can cook internally 5-15 degrees. You better have that calculated in your plans, but you won't be sure because the cooking while resting varies from cut to cut. I prefer to cook it to the right temp get it straght to the plate. I have no problems eating around the grill. Great Steakhouses have no problems cooking steak. I would not order a steak at a mediocre joint. It will be overcooked for the reasons above.
If you can point me to one top notch steak chef who advocates not resting meat I would be very surprised. Good chefs know that meat continues to cook after it is removed from heat, and build that into their preparation. Resting meat is a basic culinary technique.
I need to clarify my point about resting the meat. First we cook the steak on the grill to our desired temp. Then we take it off and carryover cooking occurs while it rests. Juices are flowing as the outside and inside temps of the meat are reaching equilibrium. After the equilibrium temp is reached then the steak begins to cooling process and heat is lost to the outside. It is at that point that the juices leave the meat and fill the plate. I don't want to let my guest's steak rest and give it to them with a juice filled plate. So that is my point.
Like most things involving subjective reasoning it is unwise to pronounce something "wrong" or "right" . . . opinions differ. This guy actually tested and compared other testers results and concludes that what is quite correct for roasts doesn't really apply to steaks and burgers. All About Juiciness, And Debunking The Resting Meat Rule: It's Time To Give This Myth A Rest And Stop Crying Over Spilled Juices The bottom line 1) The difference between the amount of juice spilled with resting and without resting is insignificant especially when one considers that juiciness depends on many other factors such as water that remains bound with proteins, melted fat, collagen converted to gelatin, and even saliva.2) Far more important than resting the meat is cooking it to the right temperature. Once you get beyond 140°F, the moisture from water in any meat drops precipitously. The ultimate folly is the diner who orders a medium steak (140°F) and insists that it rest for 20 minutes.
http://www.genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/rest.html So its a tie. Besides, in the real world meat is always consumed somewhere between these two extremes. Its takes (or should take, if you remember to chew each bite 10 times like your mom taught) a half-hour to eat a steak, which means the last bite is fully rested, even if you started slicing the first off on the grill.Finally, not salting meat a half hour before grilling is a crime against nature- it adds flavor and nearly doubles the retained juices. Not resting the meat before slicing is a choice that barely affects the tenderness or juiciness of your meal- feel free to be creative. This is my case. Bring me a hot steak and I'll let it rest on my plate if I prefer or eat it hot and juicy if I prefer. And sop up the plate with a biscuit if I prefer. There is no right or wrong here.
Red, you are absolutely correct that the issue is ambiguous. One thing to keep in consideration is if you are cooking the steak in the backyard or ordering from the Sizzler or Ruth's Chris, there is a tremendous amount of variation in the meat quality and how it is prepared. The best steak houses broil the best cuts and serve them on very hot plates thus allowing the rest period to take place without much fluid loss. Us backyard chefs are usually limited to a grill (with flame ups) and a plate out of the cabinet. What is good for the top quality steak house is not necessarily good for the Char Broil grill. I prefer to cook a steak low and slow on indirect heat and sear it at the end. This debunks one of the strongest grilling myths, that searing seals in juices. It does not and that is an absolute fact among all of the cooking ambiguities.
yes indeed. There are now grill pans that are so convenient to use for indoor grilling so you won't have to get hassled about setting up your grilling equipment. It's so easy and food tastes good too!
Indoor grilling like that is fine in a bind, or if you can't grill outdoors, but nothing beats an outdoor, open flame grilled steak, NOTHING. Especially if you're buying high end quality meats.
