Proof Resting Doesn't Keep Meat Juicy

Everyone knows you have to rest your steaks. I used to believe that, too. That’s the thing about science: it doesn’t matter what you believe, if you experiment diligently and follow the data, the truth will come out.
Watch this video and you'll also learn how to manage carryover proactively. You’ll never have to suffer through another sad, overcooked steak for fear of losing the juices.
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INQUIRIES [e-mail]

[@nikitaelizarov7444]

As I started watching I was like 'wait, that's not what you wrote in your book.' And then you owned your mistake - that's a heartwarming display of integrity.

[@idoncae]

people this guy is just trying to sell you some shit ass thermometer

[@Lisa-ny5ke]

He wrote modernist cuisine - he's a very influential chef and very recognize in his field ​@@idoncae

[@Enhancedlies]

and seeing this comment, i am now gonna go and buy the book. This is the kinda guy you need to support!

[@nayhem]

@@Enhancedlies I don't know, maybe we're meant to cancel this guy because of his side hustle on this video we chose to watch? Spread the h8 or something? This room's a little hard to read.

[@matukonyc]

​@@idoncaeLiterally 90% of all KZbinrs are selling something, and usually more than one thing. It accounts for his efforts, but doesn't in itself render his opinions useless or baseless.

[@JKenjiLopezAlt]

Chris - maybe I missed it but did you show how much weight the meat lost compared to it’s starting raw weight as opposed to its post-cooking weight?

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

It is in the summary card around 6:53. Both steaks lose about 11 to 12% of their raw weight during the cooking. Then another 6% after slicing. All steaks started between 4C and 5C, and were flipped every 30 seconds, pan stabilized at 350F, oil brushed on each surface for the first few flips to keep thermal contact as constant as possible. Changing flips, or pan temp, or steak thickness, or starting temp will shift these numbers around a bit because the overcooked section becomes thicker or thinner.

[@monstermushmush]

the legend

[@bcp5296d]

Maybe we will see a crossover/collab video one day? A ateak cookoff? Think of the clicks!

[@giantpunda2911]

I've been waiting for this comment. Now I'd like to know if Kenji will look to give this a shot as well to add another data point to this issue.

[@paulhuang2030]

You guys are goats ❤

[@kuro2797]

The reason I've rested steak wasn't for the juiciness, it's for the carry-over cooking to cook the centre more gently - rather than aggressively cooking it to the correct internal temp and then having to eat it straight away (with an even larger grey band).

[@KamKing19]

I always aim for 115 and rest for 5-10 and it hits the perfect doneness.

[@kennethferland5579]

Exactly, it reducies the overcooking of the outside and the improved moutfeel from having less overcooked outer meat is what people call 'Juiciness', it was always about the mouthfeel of the meat not it's literally moisture content.

[@zanaros2606]

I've been resting my meat my entire life and I seldom get overcooked steaks...so I'm not sure how it's supposedly a complicated problem, that can only be solved with a complicated thermometer and also not resting your meat 😂. I mean, just cook it 10 degrees less than your desired range, then let the resting finish the cooking. It's not true that it's extremely difficult to cook medium rare, with the resting method.

[@DavidKotschessa]

Yeah this video to me doesn't seem like an argument for not resting, but for not overcooling before resting.

[@user-wq9mw2xz3j]

or you just cook it at slower speeds

[@Precyze]

The fact that you admitted you were wrong in the book you wrote is refreshing. There aren’t many people who would openly admit their mistake, much less one that was published in writing. Thanks for sharing this mind blowing information and I cannot wait for the update to the CPT, I’ve purchased one and I’ve been using it a ton. It’s going to make the CPT much more powerful!! Also thanks for pushing it out through an update and not locking the feature exclusively to a new model 😁

[@riuphane]

I started watching you because of Kenji and this is exactly why he recommends you and why I was so interested. This is brilliant and perfect. Now the question is how does sous vide connect with all this, because conventional wisdom says it removes all these issues...

[@S3lvah]

Yeah if you have no temp gradient in the food, and it's already been in that temp for long enough that all the chemistry that's gonna happen at that temp has happened, then there won't be any carryover cooking.

[@oncewasblind4292]

Sous vide equally distributes heat throughout the meat as it cooks. In the same way that flipping the steak 30 times instead of 1 offers a better heat distribution. You'd have to be specific by what you mean with "all these issues", but I assume you mean the concern of carryover cooking. Based on this video, sous vide would actually be more at risk of that than the other methods because you have additional retained heat, on top of needing to cook it a second time now to produce a crust.

[@riuphane]

@@oncewasblind4292 how would you be more at risk? The issue is carryover cooking, which only happens when the outside is a higher temp than the center, which is one of the things sous vide eliminates (mostly) and the reason it's considered a "fool proof" cooking method. But resting a sous vide steak is another thing I hear suggested a lot, partly to let it dry, but also presumably for the temperature to drop before giving it a final crust, and again what are the concerns with carryover cooking and/or resting and how do they differ?

[@oyuyuy]

Sous vide and resting are used for the exact same reason - to reduce temperature the gradient and leave a perfect edge to edge inside with a thin crust. Both methods are perfectly sound and that's why they're used by ANY serious chef. Chris is not a serious chef, he's a thermometer salesman.

[@stradius]

@@oyuyuy Did you even watch the video?

[@asrah55]

How can one man make videos so bold... So brave! Love the scientific approach. Keep em coming!

[@tektkite7255]

the scientific approach is great until you have idiots doing pseudo science with low sample rates. only idiots rested steaks in the first place

[@emmgeevideo]

Brave?

[@MobiusCoin]

@@emmgeevideo You don't even know. Cooking KZbin is dogmatic and ruthless. Violations of orthodoxy will be dealt with swiftly and viciously.

[@lowdownone]

@@emmgeevideo Agreed…it’s not that serious or “brave “

[@colinbrash]

His “scientific approach” is somehow severely lacking in real world applicability. I’ve cooked a lot of steaks and the ones I didn’t rest have never been as good as the ones I’ve rested.

[@gregkrazanski]

this is like the new "why i season my cutting board and not my steaks". love it

[@turkeyman631]

Ehhh it’s a bit different because this is saving you time. Adams seasoning method is just another way to do it.

[@tristanc3873]

This isn't just spazzy weirdness like Adam, but is actually giving you good advice and telling you to save the time and effort of resting as a whole. Telling you to do less work.

[@petersengupta]

ok adam.

[@forte210392]

I'd say it's wildly different. One was made out to get views and has been proven to be inferior, the other has science backing it

[@Lengsel7]

That cutting board thing was as stupid as resting.

[@emeryboehnke4259]

The great minds of Reddit did NOT like this one lol

[@MRMIKE276]

And suddenly, the sound of a thousand screaming neckbeards could be heard on the horizon.

[@oh0stv]

This is the youtube content, i started watching youtube for, 15 years ago.

[@junkrider132]

willy wonka, is it you???

[@christophejergales7852]

​@@junkrider132More like Christopher Walken with those extra commas.

[@junkrider132]

@@christophejergales7852 im 90% sure its Woodrow Wilson. Maybe William Wiggle. Could be Woody Woodpecker. Im going deep into the rabbit hole soon

[@miguelceja88]

Grateful for this content and youtube. Genius video ❤

[@mechanicalmonk2020]

You were 4 15 years ago

[@arthurcurry4335]

The cross section was exceptional as per usual, awesome visual. The vids awesome as well

[@bradleycyr]

it's low-key become one of my favorite parts of the video. flawless execution of practical effects is always so great.

[@Nimtrix]

It's ridiculously well done (the visual, not the steak)

[@steaming_mangos]

How does he even do that?

[@dinar4331]

​@@steaming_mangos cuts a pan in half lol

[@adritr]

Dear Chris, your videos makes me feel like the first chefsteps, when I subscribed. Now those times are gone. Thanks God you are still here with this amazing and educational content.

[@haines96]

This is great. I love debunking mythical explanations while at the same time reaffirming priven wisdom. So often we see good habits from years of experience but the attempt to explain it can become more speculative and get in the way of real insight. So, carry-over cooking is real, and you just have to monitor and manage it, to stop cooking when the temp is achieved...this is great, simple, intuitive, and it matches the real-world experience of so many cooks. Over the years I have been amazed at how many cooking techniques are about how to stop the cooking process! It is everywhere, and has been a game changer for me to know that. Keep it up and kudos to you for your Kenji shout-out. There is clearly a lot of respect in both directions.

[@gabelstapler19]

Not only is Chris calling out all the old conventions, but also admitting to his own contributions to the mythos. Thanks for being willing do the hard work! Stay curious!

[@justthebrttrk]

Just cook with a hotter pan and none of this testing matters

[@davidpowers9178]

And you didn't understand the video. No matter if you rest it or not your going to lose nearly the same amount of juice unless you refrigerate it first. So unless you like cold steaks it's pointless.

[@justthebrttrk]

@@davidpowers9178 no one said anything about juice in this thread. He didn't cook the traditional steak properly. So all of these experiments are irrelevant.

[@MobiusCoin]

@@justthebrttrk Right, I did find it odd that if you are trying to disprove an old adage, why not cook it in the traditional way. That would make the test more accurate. But I suspect his results are still correct despite his unorthodox technique. But I haven't done the necessary experiments so who knows.

[@davidpowers9178]

@@justthebrttrk yes you did. You implied it when you said none of the tests matter.

[@gretchman]

I can’t tell you how many steaks I’ve ruined (or let’s say… made-less-exciting-to-eat) by being absolutely meticulous about pulling at the correct temp and then proceeding to wait until they hit medium well to slice. 😓 Thanks as always.

[@gugion]

Medium well? Lol.

[@randomuser5443]

You undershoot it

[@teachingwithipad]

u didn’t use a thermometer and discover how ridiculous carry over cooking is?

[@Smiththebat]

I’ve never rested a steak and it’s been bad.

[@katofuntato466]

@@gugion🤣

[@fakename4556]

I binged through a bunch of your videos after coming across your channel today since I enjoy hearing about science-backed cooking experiments. Definitely happy to see your shoutout to Meathead as he's been my go to for smoking / grilling advice for the last 6 years or so - haven't rested since reading his article on it!

[@marcpujda4657]

Chris, fabulous demo. I’ve once again gained knowledge from your food science quest! Big hat 🎩 tip for your mea culpa. You are a good man.

[@Fer0city18]

Every single time Chris drops a new video, I learn something valuable that improves my own cooking. As always the quality of the testing, the editing and the whole experience is exceptional. Thank you for your hard work and effort.

[@banksta3]

I take it with a grain of salt, because in a couple of years it'll change.

[@frantametelka-rj6rf]

Have u tried to eat and compare rested and unrested meat? I dont need a youtube video or a ***** thermometer to know, that rested meat has better texture and taste. Just my fingers, mouth and experience. To not rest your steak definitely dont improve your cooking, my friend.

[@brandonjohnson191]

I love that you mentioned Meathead, his article is a decade or more old and so many people still swear by resting.

[@rnparimore09]

These videos are so informative, great job with all the visual explanations

[@mattsanchez4893]

I'm so glad I found your channel, it's really changed the way I think about cooking in many ways. Reminds me a bit of the old Alton Brown show that way.

[@4tCa4mzUPqRZZo]

So I bought this thermometer a while ago. And I noticed that the carry over temperature is a lot more dramatic then the 5-10 degrees we were told. For me. Cooking a steak on a pan, the carry over can easily be closer to 20-25f.

[@kenankurtz9910]

Definitely can be, but a lot of the total carryover will depend on the thickness and fat composition of the cut- Chris’ method in the video still works if you slice at, or just before, your desired final temperature so more heat quickly escapes.

[@soulfuzz368]

Cooking temperature makes a big difference. I cook steaks on a ripping on charcoal grill really fast. My carryover is 5-8 degrees consistently. When I slow roast something in the oven for a long time the carryover is always more.

[@johnwoodard8717]

I've noticed this even just using instant reads, pulling it at 125 then temping 145 right before I slice it up (I generally serve steak sliced rather than in chunks). And it's definitely way, way worse if you wrap it in foil.

[@justthebrttrk]

Just cook at a higher temperature. Your crust will be better and the carryover will be more in line with the 10 degree wisdom he's trying to disprove here.

[@xipalips]

Try Chris' salmon recipe. 30 degrees of carry over, easily!

[@Tentacl]

Surprisingly good video, subbed! I have a doubt tough: If the rested meat lost weight due to evaporation, wouldn't that be just water, now the "juices", meaning it kept more of the flavor compared to the other that lost those juices in liquid form?

[@martinkey399]

What appears to be missing on this subjject is the fact that "juices" is used as an all inclusive term to describe what is actually a combination of myoglobin and liquified fat. The " water" juice may leak out in both the rested and non rested steak, but resting gives the fully rendered fat time to cool into a viscous state that ,while not hard fat is still not liquified to the point of leaking out. He is correct that meat " juice" ( water, myoglobin, lean flavor components) has to reach fridge temps to gel,, interstitial fat does not need to be that cool to reach a state where it will stay in the meat- Also, using a filet ( leanest cut) for this contributes to the illusion that no more is coming out of the non rested steak. Try cutting open a perfectly smoked brisket without resting- you will end up with a puddle of fat and beef jerky!! LOL! good intentions , but all the worlds great chef are speaking from having done uncountable reps , to my mind ,that eperience ,, wghile not always scientifically correct by description , is more reliable than any eperiment with lurking variables un considered.

[@toriless]

@@martinkey399 when resting on a rack both drip, that is how you can tell it is cooked since they separate, raw meat leaks pink liquid but cooked meat it clear with separate red myoglobin drip

[@Es0ter1ca]

Chris, your platform has been SUCH an invaluable resource, I bought your thermometer at a time when I can’t really afford to. I put that sucker on credit because you’ve absolutely changed the game for me. I really look forward to the day my business starts getting off the ground, cause I’m gonna grab your books next. Thank you for your hard work and sharing your knowledge with the community.

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

Thanks for being a customer. Glad you’re finding these videos valuable.

[@Mark-ks9jj]

As usual a brilliant and highly informative video. I’ve never rested meat as noticed this phenomenon years back. Better the juices on the cutting board than the plate. Sous vide then torching overcomes the heat gradient dramatically so doesn’t suffer as much. Being the same temp throughout any juices that were going to exit the fibres are already in the bag - ready to be transformed into a delicious gravy.

[@yasd23a]

The graphics and editing is amazing. Always learning something new from this channel.

[@tardeliesmagic]

Agree!

[@DaveRoberts308]

Nicely done. Can't wait for the update to the thermometer code later this year. Thanks for digging into this, also. I've been trying to understand carry-over cooking myself and this was helpful to understand it. I was already seeing more than 10 deg F carry-over and had started to dial back my take-off-heat temp to try to zero-in on my desired temp. You were able to control a lot more variables than I was. Nicely done. Your videos are always a pleasure and definitely one of the main reasons I purchased your product.

[@user-ci8dc2tx9f]

Great episode, I've argued this forever amongst friends... especially those that rest their meats on racks and not a solid surface!! This video is gonna be shared😊

[@m-artiiii]

Visual learning is the best, great job with that in these videos. I've had the combustion inc thermometer for a few months now and haven't managed to overcook a steak since. Didn't have a 100% success rate with my thermapen since I sometimes screw up inserting the probe in the dead center and could get a false reading, and I sometimes take the reading a bit too late (especially with thinner steaks). This thermometer thankfully solves these isssues i've always had with instant read ones. Looking forward to that carryover cooking update later in the summer!

[@toriless]

In my experience Thermapen make good laser thermometer but bad meat probes

[@edtkw]

I sous vide my steaks a day before, and put them back in the fridge. The next day when i want to eat them, I cold sear it up to 110 and let it rest to 120. That way I know that its plenty moist without any spurting, but cooked to the right doneness. It's troublesome but it works well for me.

[@noobbear1119]

Amazing. I do exactly the same thing and wondered if anyone else was on board!

[@nancybyrd2221]

I presear then sv; a quick post sear, slice and eat! Works quite well.

[@vinquinn]

Sous vide takes forever. I can not always predict what I want to eat in a few hours, let alone the day before. Better just use the reverse sear method if you have time. I think I learned a lot from this video.

[@nancybyrd2221]

@@vinquinnThat's the beauty of sv...it's very flexible to fit anyone's schedule.

[@edntz]

I wonder how many micro plastics enter the steak from boiling it in plastic bags. Not to mention the hormone altering chemicals leaching into the meat.

[@anthonyisensee]

This is EXACTLY the problem I've been having with my steaks as of late, even with your predictive thermometer to guide me. I was getting 20-30 degrees of carryover cooking and figured I needed to wait it out for resting purposes. I can't wait to apply this new knowledge and knock my next steak out of the park! Btw, will be picking up a second thermometer at the next Black Friday sale. They are INSANELY helpful.

[@Alanvazquezzzz]

Same, I was shocked that I was getting 25 degrees carryover. Now I will be able to sear for longer but not overcook it while serving. Blessed

[@violetviolet888]

@anthonyisensee, why not reverse sear? You reduce your risk of over cooking via carryover.

[@ghostfox3560]

This was a nice change in the way I think of cooking. Thanks for taking the time and explaining the fine details.

[@Daniel-Brous]

Absolute legend. Loving your videos, Chris!

[@juliusmller5971]

You just blew my mind! Very excited for the CPT resting update, and if this update will change your recommendations. Thanks for another great video :)

[@toriless]

Get Baked and rest, ChatGPT thinks you want to Netflix and chill 420 style

[@RobertR3750]

I've had success putting the steak in a cold oven, then setting it to 225F, then taking the meat out when it reaches 115F, then searing it over a blazing hot charcoal chimney. I eat it immediately. Very juicy, and uniformly pink on the inside.

[@valvenator]

I've been using the same method but with an overnight dry brine. You obviously have to get the salt to meat ratio correct to avoid oversalting but it's worth the wait for a great crust. Removing the surface water produces an amazing mallard reaction.

[@kyounokaze]

I'm glad youtube recommended this channel. Numerical temperatures in F and C, time specifications, graphs, science. I don't even know how the cross-section shots at 7:40 are possible, it looks too good for CGI but if it wasn't it would be difficult to keep the open side of the steak looking rare so close to the open flame and no juices are leaking over the edge of the cut pan. After watching many of these videos yesterday I cooked the best steak I ever had at home. Thank you Chris Young.

[@cchat3491]

Great video and content on this subject. I would like to see more about keeping steak warm on the plate after serving. Along with juiciness, warmth is also needed for optimum enjoyment and most of us are eating cold meat about half way thru dinner.

[@michaelsteven8281]

Another gem Chris. Thank you so much. Your videos and work are highly appreciated.

[@Moonlightkiller003]

Good video! However my idea of resting was always, that the temperatures within the steak would even out during resting. The juice argument was always flawed for me as well. I found the same thing with carryover cooking, which is why i prefer thicker steaks and then letting them come up to temperature in the oven or in an indirect zone on my grill. This way i find carryover to be rather predictable (takes some experience though). However i'll definitly try your method next time, and probably use it for thinner steaks! :)

[@oyuyuy]

Yup, that was always the main purpose but it does make it juicier too and his data actually shows just that, "cooking looses" are lower when resting which makes sense since it's cooked for a shorter time. Additionally, the paper towels ruined any chance of testing 'juice reabsorption' anyway. You'd need quite a bit of evidence if you wanted to prove that practically 'every chef since forever' is wrong about resting and this video definitely didn't have that. It was just a thermometer commercial.

[@oyuyuy]

@@stpyramids That's literally exactly what the theory is. "When meat is cooked, the heat causes the proteins in the muscle fibers to contract, which squeezes out moisture. Allowing the meat to rest for a few minutes after cooking allows these muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb some of the expelled moisture."

[@MrGrimdek]

@@oyuyuy Yea, he's literally cutting it and then putting it on paper towels... of course it absorbs the same fkn amount

[@DarthCasus]

I actually love this channel. I learned how to cook steaks years ago but with this channel I've learned what to change to make steaks better.

[@ethanunick83]

Hey Chris the production quality on these vids is amazing! Is there a particular app you enjoy using to create these animations?

[@mrjjman2010]

In the gym and in the kitchen - soooo much bro science that for many years no one bothered to actually test.

[@edntz]

In life everywhere. The Deaf follow the blind.

[@LCaaroe]

And both domains are just infested with (talented) guys spouting their broscience as hard facts with nothing to back it up other than you're stupid for thinking they're wrong.

[@jontanner]

Adam Ragusea does a great video comparing the internet gym and cooking worlds and it’s quite fascinating. You might like that one.

[@steveforden]

It's amazing how many people seem to be genuinely offended by this video

[@eddy67]

Thank you for doing the testing. Very useful video

[@ReubenNinan]

GOD DANG! I adore this channel. I'm also excited to buy your thermometer. I'm not in a flexible financial position but man oh man is Combustion on the goal when I start to invest in my kitchen equipment. Thanks for such an educational video :)

[@robformica5394]

I always assumed resting was to let all the juices out before before plating.

[@davidnika446]

And those juices can be used for great sauces!

[@natedogmarik2554]

Resting has always been about letting carry over cooking peak and then cooling. It’s pretty obvious a cooked steak isn’t going to soak up juices like a sponge. A raw steak is going to have its membranes more permeable to liquids to pass. While cooked, you denature the proteins and cause the membranes to become less permeable.

[@davidnika446]

No more used my steaks as a sponge! They always seemed to makes things messier.

[@KennethDavis]

I liked and subscribed. I really like your science based approach to cooking - you’re a solid dude 💯

[@ElementalHangover]

Very nice video, Thanks. My method lately which I think is foolproof is to simply put the meat in the oven on low temprature, cooking ir until it reaches the prefered temprature. Usualy 53°C for me. After this I let it rest for about 20 minutes. As I have used very low temprature it has only gone up to around 55°C. After this I can cook the sides on either a skillet or grill. I dont't have to worry about the inner temprature of the meat as it has fully set after the rest. So I can really get the crust I want. And I also get to serve it piping hot. And of course this this method would let the meat "contain" it's juices. Altogh I guess this is debatable now.

[@Daniel_Schmaniel]

Now we need some peer review. Not because I don't trust your experimentation, but for a myth is widely circulated by top chefs in the industry as this I really hope we can get as many well done experiments as we can.

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

It would be nice to see some more data from good sources.

[@MrGrimdek]

It is super flawed. You can see him cutting the rested steak and putting it on a paper towel afterwards, effectively absorbing all the juice that would've been inside the steak when you cut it and put it in your mouth

[@atif1538]

​@@MrGrimdek how would it be in ur mouth if it leaked out? paper towels dont suck moisture out of the steak.

[@MrGrimdek]

@@atif1538 imagine you cut a sponge (stay with me) into 10 slices and put it on a paper towel. Would water be absorbed quicker than if it was kept as a whole sponge? I'm stating that cutting the steak and putting it on paper towels absolutely ruins the experiment. You cut the steak and then eat it. You don't cut it, dry it, then eat it.

[@atif1538]

@@MrGrimdek ah so its about the cutting, yea it would be good to see a comparison between non cut steaks.

[@nancybyrd2221]

Another one out of the park Chris! Yer one smart cookie! Cheers!!!

[@conradbo1]

Very great and insightful video. Thanks a lot.

[@dumpl3dore]

Amen and Halleluiah!!!! Finally someone with a voice is calling out this resting nonsense. Put it on your plate and dig in. If the juices run out onto your plate that's perfect, mop it up and enjoy.

[@bobdickson188]

100% agree. Resting is a myth and Chris has well and truly busted it.

[@nickmontanaro9638]

I'm sure there's merit to his analysis, but at the same time, I watched a similar test where the chef cooked two steaks from the same cut of beef on exactly the same pan and heat at the same time, took them both off at the same time and placed them on separate cutting boards, then sliced one immediately, waited the requisite amount of time, then sliced the other. After waiting however long, the steak that had been sliced first was sitting in a puddle of red juice while the one that had "rested" had released barely any juice at all. This is all just by visually looking because no measurement was even necessary--the difference was night and day. I've now seen both these demonstrations, so I don't really know what to think. Perhaps the cut of meat matters, perhaps the silly paper towel idea and over-scientification of the whole "experiment" skewed the results (e.g. perhaps the paper towels discourage as much juice from exiting the earlier cut meat?). No idea, but I'll keep letting mine rest for now.

[@TH-mf1hn]

I mean, it’s not too surprising that time elapsed from the moment of slicing directly impacts how much juice has the opportunity to flow out, right? Cutting a steak open and then letting it sit while cut is going to release juice based on time and heat in the meat, so if you just eat the sliced one sooner without waiting for the juice to come out, well, you’ll keep in in!

[@caminochef1132]

He's not being genuine. Of course the steak has to be cooked properly with resting in mind. You don't just over heat the thing and expect resting it to save your poorly cooked steak. 😂 It's pretty clit baity.

[@Birdylockso]

Yes, like you, I have also seen that video, which to me seems more accurate and intuitive than this one. Messing with the paper towel, why? I will do my own experiment from now on.

[@BrianK-zz4fk]

i like more juice on the plate to dip my steak into.

[@wustachemax]

The point of this video is to sell you his thermometer product. Disregard the whole thing and carry on as usual.

[@daynemyers2324]

"This is the beauty of science." Great quote! It takes a highly confident person to acknowledge their belief didn't measure up to testing. Thank you for being a good scientist. Being a good scientist is being a good human, in my own opinion. Thanks again!!

[@frezzingaces]

Very amazing how different the evenness of the cooking is for the regularly flipped vs once flipped is.

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

Yup, I have another video explaining the physics behind that. It was a phenomenon first documents by Harold McGee and some colleagues back in the 90s.

[@mejasiu]

Another excellent video! Following the scientific method and challenging beliefs that have no basis in science! Thank you for sharing your findings!

[@kennethswadley9184]

I've cooked thousands of steaks. From all qualitys and cuts. And carry over cooking has never once ruined a steak. Nor is it all about the myoglobin. It's about the tension of muscle fibers.

[@GenOceanWolf_tWo_TookieTaliban]

THANK YOU . HOLY SH*T THANK YOU! Japanese Chef for over 25 years here...and i was looking for this comment.!!! this guy made up a problem that never "existed" because of his misunderstanding of WHY we rest our steaks and what the "juiciness" really means. ALL about the tension of the fibers.!

[@dexterdrake1734]

what does that even mean? Like how do the muscle fibers get in tension if the meat shrinks when it cooks

[@GregJoshuaW]

@dexterdrake1734 the shrinking IS the tensioning expressed.

[@malice5121]

I love how you don't explain *_ANYTHING_* about what you mean here. What about the tension of muscle fibers? From what I'm gathering, you're saying that you can tell what the temp of the steak is just by watching it cook, which makes sense. But if that's what you're saying, that's something that takes *_YEARS_* of trial and error to get right.

[@malice5121]

@@GenOceanWolf_tWo_TookieTaliban Again, holy shit, please explain what you mean by "the tension of the fibers"? Because both of you are holding back information that seems to be something that has been learned, yet you're not even fucking telling us what it actually is. If you're gonna be vague as shit like this, why even comment? Do you want to feel better about yourself for your "better knowledge" to the people in the comment section?

[@dannyschwarzhoff6003]

Resting the steak on a paper towel seems like a huge flaw in this experiment. One theory of resting is the juice that initially comes out of the steak is soaked back in. It can’t be reabsorbed if it’s inside a super absorbent paper towel!

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

Retested without the paper towel and it makes no difference to the outcome. The paper towel absorb ~2g of juice from the bottom of the steak during the rest, that’s about 10 droplets of juice. And even without the paper towel, that 2g was not reabsorbed.

[@JohnWarner-lu8rq]

@@ChrisYoungCooks Better is to have the protein wrapped in butcher paper or foil. I rest my BBQ brisket, wrapped, overnight at 130 degrees.

[@dwaynesykes694]

@@JohnWarner-lu8rq steaks are not the same as barbecue, and a 10 minute rest cannot be compared to the several hours barbecue meat is rested.

[@JohnWarner-lu8rq]

@@dwaynesykes694 I'm well aware of that.

[@vkiperman]

this was awesome!! Thanks!

[@qifgt]

This channel is too good ! Thanks chris🫡

[@legendarygary2744]

I love that you challenge and fact check elements of cooking that have been accepted for so long that no one else challenges or questions them

[@oyuyuy]

You shouldn't trust a thermometer salesman over centuries of excellent chefs

[@plwadodveeefdv]

​@@oyuyuypeople believed some really dumb stuff even 100 years ago, much less centuries ago, and still believe some really dumb stuff today. within the past few years we have learned from another KZbin creator that the English translation of Le Guide Culinaire incorrectly added hollandaise to the list of mother sauces, after 100+ years. things are lost over time and through human error, and the scientific approach is to absorb that new data, add it to the "data" of centuries of anecdotes, and attempt to get closer to the "truth", if there is such a thing. this is pretty sound data, and the next step is replication. it's obvious you have an issue with the data presented here, and the fact that someone is both presenting data and also a product in the same video. you've left many comments to that effect. however if you want to add to the science, please publish your own experimental results, and refrain from further armchair criticism of someone whose credentials doubtless outstrip your own by magnitudes

[@MrGrimdek]

Except he uses a super flawed method by cutting the steaks and putting them on paper towels. Draws it all out of the cross sections.

[@chefmdecamp]

It might be that the carry over cooking from the rested steak pushed more juices out of the cells as they became more cooked and would have held onto more if the internal temperature was the same as the quickly-cut steak that had no carry over cooking; so it might be better to compare a rested steak with the same internal temperature gradient against one that wasn't rested. I say this almost as more of a devil's advocate thing, as I've never particularly believed in resting, aside from some some cuts like duck breast where the outside skin sometimes needs to relax or it feels like it'll squeeze out the juices once cut into because of how tight it can get.

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

I'm can't see how you'd get the same internal temperature gradient and have them both reach the same end-point if you pan-roast one with resting and one without.

[@nickkambitis5340]

A knob of butter helps when resting. Like you I realised the carry over is always much greater than chefs say. I also remove my steak at around 105 to rest, then eat at 125-130 with carry over. Of course if I’m using my grill grates outside I generally use a stopwatch! And with my experience I use time. I always get a medium rare juicy steak. Very informative.

[@markwilkins9048]

This is actually a really good scientific video that incorporates some practical every day techniques. I’m not 100% sold on the resting hypothesis, as the different protein structure of different cuts of meat probably plays a factor. But in the big scheme of things, 98% of us are just trying to cook a great steak, and this is great info that probably alleviates stress for most of us home cooks. Thank you.

[@kevinfriedman6766]

Based on this newfound logic of cutting into a steak to stop carry over cooking, why not just remove the steak at the desired temp and cut immediately? If resting doesn't matter, what's the point of targeting ten degrees below and waiting for carry over to occur? Seems like your recommendation is exactly what is commonly recommended.

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

Because it’s a pain to pull a steak out of the pan and immediately start slicing while getting the rest of the meal ready. Having 2 or 3 minutes to get organized is useful in the real world.

[@oyuyuy]

Because cooking it until the core is done will leave the rest of it overcooked. And that's the point of resting, it leaves a larger chunk of the steak perfectly cooked.

[@mrscotchguy]

Which is probably why the resting theory is taught in culinary schools. You gotta have time to plate and the food rests under a heat lamp while the server runs around. ​@ChrisYoungCooks

[@nile7999]

​@@oyuyuy this doesn't apply as much if you use an even steak, and flip every 30 seconds right?

[@oyuyuy]

@@nile7999 No, that will make it spread temperature more evenly. And it's easier to not burn it too. It's a balance between heating it quickly enough to build a crust and evenly enough to cook it through though. That's why sous vide and reverse sear works so well, it removes that balancing act.

[@Jacob-Vivimord]

Love it! Hope to see Kenji respond.

[@UTeewb]

Me too! I think there is a good chance, I recall Kenji has mentioned in a prior video he either knows Chris and/or follows his work.

[@FalconGamingDH]

He most likely isnt going to. Realistically he could watch this video and have some criticism. He isn't going to make a response video for that becasue it would then be a drama thing and X vs X

[@Jacob-Vivimord]

@@FalconGamingDH When I say response, I don't mean dispute. I mean a collaborative building of and dissemination of knowledge.

[@UTeewb]

​@@FalconGamingDH If there is a response it's not going to be the style you may be used to in you tube, and would probably be a sidebar on a normal video. You wouldn't be able to tell it's a response by the title of the video. It's not going to be the old Ethan K vs Adam R takedowns.

[@FalconGamingDH]

@@UTeewb lol I'm not thinking takedown video. Even a light rebuttal or disagreement is probably more than would happen. There's only negatives to going down that route

[@ifrit024]

Awesome video, thank you! I like the hybrid approach of resting & being able nearly stop the additional carry over cooking. One small detail, at ~1:13 you said ~"prove that resting doesn't hold in juices". Scientist virtually never use the word "prove" because the bar is so high to "prove" something. We pretty much only use "prove" for math, not for experimental data. I would suggest using something like "demonstrate" instead of "prove" next time. Can't wait for the next video & the update this summer :)

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

As a published scientist with a background in both biochemistry and mathematics, I understand your point. But KZbin is not a peer-reviewed journal nor an academic conference and people understand the word prove colloquially. Science often gets too pedantic for its own good, which is why so much of society ignores science.

[@shweenz]

Thanks for the breakdown! This will help me control temp much better.

[@Coyyyle]

This is what science is all about; always looking for the truth, even if it contradicts something you once believed. Love your work, Chris!

[@Bordendanny]

I think one point that was missed is how meat tenses up after cooking then relaxes after resting. This is why I have always rested my meat. I think Chris should test this.

[@bobdickson188]

@Bordendanny No, it tenses up during cooking, not after. I suggest YOU test your statement and then decide whether it has any relevance to juiciness.

[@Bordendanny]

@@bobdickson188 You misinterpreted my comment. The theory is that meat is fully tensed after cooking. It does in fact tense during cooking, but that's not my point. If resting does let the meat relax and make it more tender, than resting is valid. Which is the opposite of what the take away is here. I have tested this theory many times with several cuts of meat and to me, it does make a difference. Don't be an ass.

[@andregomesdasilva]

AWESOME to see a video like this, that takes experiments seriously

[@Ohilipp]

Food + Science + Changing opinion based on new insight without being attached to previous own misconceptions +++ Kudos man, kudos!

[@georgsimpson3378]

THIS IS PURE GOLD CONTENT!!! You are truly the global No.1 of scientific cooking nowadays.

[@MrGrimdek]

Completely flawed experiment. Paper towels after cutting makes it exactly the same

[@hugoanderkivi]

​@@MrGrimdekExactly, I don't eat paper towels.

[@fascinatedbyeverything]

I'm relatively new to cooking (I've only been cooking for a couple years) and I just instinctively did it like Chris does at the end of the video. I thought that everyone takes carryover cooking into account when resting meat and thus would pull at a lower temperature. Perhaps I was wrong to assume everyone does that. I will say the Combustion Thermometer (which I own) makes it easier to do. I one thing I didn't consider doing was using slicing like a temperature brake, so I'll have to try that.

[@curt300s]

Brilliant. Thanks for your contribution. Smart people will put this knowledge to use immediately.

[@CosmicBrain21]

Thank you thank you thank you. This has been something I’ve always known but had no idea why. Everywhere everyone tells you to rest your steaks but I’ve never understood why you want cold steak leaking juices on a cutting board, when I’d rather eat it hot and mop up the juice on the plate. Even if resting did somehow absorb more juices, it’s a worse trade off for a rested steak that’s now cold.

[@Galactic123]

The thing I always hated about resting steaks was eating cold to room-temp beef afterwards. I always just ate my steaks as soon as it came off the grill or pan and never noticed losing much juiciness.

[@JonManProductions]

Cooking KZbin needed more science and fact checking, and this channel is the spear of it and I'm all for it. Gonna keep this in the steak cooking knowledge arsenal alongside Ethan's doc on cooking steak.

[@christian6353]

I love the scientific mind of being able to objectively admit if you were mistaken and update your understanding of things. We shouldn't hold onto our previous understanding of things as if they are our own but want to understand better.

[@ikeelu024]

Interesting concept. I do a good majority of my steaks either sous vide or in the smoker to reverse sear. The lower temps have much less temp rise versus the pan method. it would have been interesting to test this method using various cooking methods just to make sure it holds up with all methods, which i dont doubt it would.

[@Chris_C77]

I'd like to see this experiment done again but without using paper towels, as they may be drawing out more moisture from the steaks than would naturally run out of the meat. If you cut the steak on a plate instead, you'll be able to both see and weigh the amount of juice that runs out from each steak. It's at least conceivable that more juice will run out from the unrested steak if you exclude the paper towels.

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

You get about 1.5grams pulled off the bottom surface during resting by the paper towels, if you run the math that’s not enough to appreciably change the results. Moreover, there’s always a puddle of juice under the steak when it rests on the plain cutting board, juices aren’t getting reabsorbed.

[@nickmontanaro9638]

You are absolutely correct about this. There is no reason I can think of to use paper towels. You are adding an additional element that may skew the outcome. Put the damn things on two wire racks with bowls underneath to catch the juice.

[@nickmontanaro9638]

​@ChrisYoungCooks you're not factoring in how two individual paper towels might be effecting two individual steaks. I have seen this experiment done exactly the way you did it with no paper towels. The rested steak maintained far more juice. It wasn't even close. This needs to be put to rest and sorry to say your test doesn't quite do that. No paper towels!

[@cyriod7712]

Common practice during a restaurant service.. at least where I work in France and in many many places if not most places in the world. Pick it up before it reaches the final cooking preference, let it rest for a minute (we say "laisser tirer" here "let it pull") so it can finish cooking gently and you avoid having too much juices in the plate for dressing

[@bartoszwierzbicki5994]

Sir you are the Greatest! Thank you for your knowledge ❤

[@thaddeusk]

This is one of the reasons I love to sous vide steaks, especially thick ones. I can get the center cooked perfectly, do a very hot, very quick sear, then serve immediately without even worrying about carryover cooking.

[@genericuser456-dm4wi]

I'm not sure about the usage of paper towels to suck out the meat juice. Doesn't this involve capillary forces of the paper? These could overcome the cohesion forces between meat juice molecules, which are said to be higher in a rested steak and thus keeping them from dripping out.

[@badchippo]

I was thinking the same thing. Also, the direction on the grain might be a factor. All the steaks in the video were cut from the tenderloin, so their grain is vertical. Gravity could also be moving the juice down to the bottom where the absorbant paper towels are.

[@neylsonrodrigues7350]

1st off thank you for the education. I love to cook and am currently studying to become an engineer. I love who scientific your experiements truly are. Do you think alternating sharing and resting between flipping would help. I hypothesis that the intermediate resting would allow for better thermal diffusivity into the meat. Thus you would have a more evenly cooked meet if possibly lest juices lost. Love to see you try and build an experiment like that. My graduation gift to myself once I finish and graduation as an engineer is to get one of those combustion predictions thermometer for myself.

[@abusetube1412]

You really did that research on 4:20? That´s literally insane, but i love it!

[@invisiblekid99]

I assume it's been his plan since desiging his thermometer and the predictive ability has been mentioned as a "to come" feature from the start.

[@satanismybrother]

Can’t wait for the beef between kenji and Chris. And by beef I mean I hope they cook some steaks together.

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

He was by my studio the day I was filming this. I showed him my data. I suspect he’ll be retesting himself at some point.

[@normp3273]

I have never rested any meat or protein that I cook. Simply because I am impatient and I can't be bothered to wait to eat. It has been delicious every time.

[@nile7999]

there is delicious and there is michelin delicious. If you're happy with your meat and don't want to improve, why'd you click on a meat perfecting video?

[@normp3273]

@@nile7999 Oh I don't know. Entertainment? 🤦 Also, I'm free to watch whatever the hell I want to watch. Just like you are.

[@eukaryon]

Marvelous testing and implementation of conductive heat transfer.

[@ruinsaneornot]

Love the experiment. Can you try this method on a non-absorbant material (not papers)? The third reviewer may say that the papers were "sucking in" the juices which may have had the major effect. You can simply use a common ceramic plate and measure the juice left on the plate after removing the meat.

[@UTeewb]

Kind of related, my pet peeve about the respected "science" cooks we all love, is naturally they have written a lot about sous vide. But to my knowledge, none have gone over the proper amount of time to cool meat after sous vide before searing. It's make a massive difference in the end result and it is never spoken about.

[@MrEcted]

This one is sure to rustle some jimmies, I love it! Great content as always.

[@MrGrimdek]

Imagine cutting your rested steak, then putting it on paper towels, and being surprised that mouth juice is absorbed after that from the cross sections!

[@cdub42]

​@@MrGrimdektroll

[@MrGrimdek]

@@cdub42 not at all. The method is CLEARLY flawed. Once you cut it and redry it the entire experiment is negated.

[@antonioavanzini4024]

Thank you for your video. However, to make the experiment truly complete, I suggest resting the steaks on a wire rack and trying another round where you season the steaks with salt. This will provide a more comprehensive understanding of the factors at play. Additionally, many kitchens season steaks before cooking and rest them on wire racks, which may affect the results. Consider including these variables in another video to thoroughly test your hypothesis.😊

[@nickmontanaro9638]

Of course. The paper towels can absolutely be having some effect here. No reason to use them at all.

[@WavePotter]

Great video! I'm excited to try this out. I usually pull at 100-105 for this very reason, and i'm curious if the shorter resting will lead to burnt fingers. That's why i always preferred resting, because burning my fingers while slicing sucks. But i'll try this anyway!

[@Metal_Auditor]

Wave! I didn’t expect to find you here.

[@internetshaquille]

is disproving one proposed benefit of resting meat enough to call the entire practice "a myth"? 🤨

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

The idea that it keeps meat juicier has to be one of the biggest bits of received wisdom around why we rest meat. So if you’re not going to call it a myth when you have a rigorous set of data disproving it, then I think definition of a myth becomes meaningless. Many folks know and say that “searing seals in the juices” is a myth. But no one is saying that searing is useless. Same here: it’s a myth that it keeps meat juicier, but it’s not useless. Letting something rest while you finish organizing the rest of the meal has value.

[@internetshaquille]

​@@ChrisYoungCooks ​ hmmm idk my answer would be a very simple "no". There are some great crits being posted in the comments but they're getting buried because only the supportive ones are getting hearts. I hope your audience has the media literacy to recognize the "everyone is wrong, and the path to truth is to buy my product" subtext.

[@interestedmeow]

@@internetshaquille it’s like Detroit in here

[@JCParagliding]

​@@internetshaquilleI'm really happy I saw your comment because it's the only critical one I found and I think it's worth it to see. I also own these thermometers so there may be bias here and I want to get that out of the way. (One is broken and I need to open a support case today too). So for me I think this is enough to call it a myth, but I would love to see a video from you to give the other side as I love the content both of you create. I also think that Chris isn't exactly saying you need to buy his thermometers to get great results; this channel IS a vehicle for sales, but I think he strikes the right balance overall, and I do think by the mid point in the video he makes a case for his product by talking about predictive temperatures, by the end he talks about using the same legacy, 'take the steak out of the pan 10 degrees under target' which you can do with any thermometer. The key takeaway for me was - constant flipping is the superior method - resting doesn't make a material difference to the juiciness - resting too long could result in a colder, less enjoyable steak - stop the carry over cooking by slicing I might be biased here as a product owner, or that I'm the kind of person who likes techy things to help my cooking, which is why I wanted to call my potential biases out. I love how you present cooking information that doesn't require people to have expensive things and if you're thinking Chris still missed the mark here, I'd love to see a video why, but I found everything here to be very informative and not unfairly positioning his product or saying people need it.

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

I mean, that’s such a weird criticism to suggest this is all about selling a product: one that i even say is optional and that you can just use a thermometer. I fund my channel by selling a product I make and disclose my bias. I have a long track record of quality work in the culinary world, and I’ve happily admitted numerous times over a 20 year career when experimental evidence changes my mind about a belief. I’m certainly not going to trash my reputation for a quick buck. Moreover, there are other good scientists like Dr. Greg Blonder and Dave Arnold who have reached very similar conclusions. Even Harold McGee tells me he thinks this is probably correct and my results match his suspicions. So far the primary criticism of this research is the paper towel theory. I’ve already re-run the experiment today and the paper towel makes no difference to the result. It isn’t sucking juices out from the bottom of a resting steak that would be transported.

[@thebearded4427]

My guess for why resting is a "thing": Restaurants cook the meat at super high temp to keep the order flow going, meaning you have a very large temp difference inside and outside, which meant that resting allowed the temps to even out before serving to a customer, as well as if it is carried while still cooking (if sliced) you might lose moisture between the kitchen and the table. At some point people started asking "why are you letting my meat just sit there" the chef who knew why, instead of having to explain it all over and over to every single customer and non-cooking manager simply went "Oh its resting. It makes it more delicious". Just like the resting the meat, this is a bro-theory. Do with it what you will On a side note: I would love to see if the result is the same if you barbeque the meat over a real flame. Might be some historical aspects that actually matter which caused this whole debaucle.

[@ChrisYoungCooks]

I think there is some truth in this idea.

[@oyuyuy]

The theoretical 'perfect steak' would have a thin crust and a perfectly even, medium rare inside. That can only be achieved with a quick and hot sear combined with a rest or a sous vide. That's why restaurants do it. It's also quick which is a bonus, particularly for restaurants.

[@nicholasmcnutt945]

@@oyuyuy I suspect the time variable regarding how long it takes to achieve medium rare inside the steak is an important component as well. This aspect does not seem to receive much attention, but at least subjectively, I think there's a difference. Would be interesting to cook a steak extremely quickly and evenly via a (resistance-heated) needle array and compare the results to sous vide.

[@tristanc3873]

As far as cooking over a flame, Escoffier says to serve spit roasted meat ASAP and doesn't mention resting at all. So at least in that time it wasn't considered a common practice for that preparation.

[@jaychung6622]

Great video and love the breakdown and explanations to support your conclusions. But I can’t help wonder, why do you still rest your steak to finish the cooking process if that makes no difference?

[@jaguevarae]

Great video ❤

[@Eihei]

Babe wake up! Chris Young uploaded a new video! ❤🎉