As soon as I take a pork butt, a brisket, or any other delicious food off my grill, I immediately want to tear in and start enjoying it, who doesn’t?! Experience, experts, and anybody else who likes to grill knows it’s best to let your meat “rest.”
But, why?!
It smells and looks amazing – I want it now!!
You need to let your meat rest for a variety of reasons:
- It allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat
- This lets the meat not dry out or go cold quickly
- It also let’s the meat’s muscles and fibers soften; making for a more desirable texture
- It allows for carry-over cooking
- When the meat rests, especially for larger cooks (think brisket, pork butt, really any large piece of meat) it continues to increase in temperature by a few degrees
- The carry-over depends on type and size of meat
Next time you smoke, do yourself a favor, and rest your meat once you remove it from the grill.
