Learn how meat keeps cooking after removal from heat and how to adjust for it.
1 Answer
'Carryover cooking' is the phenomenon where meat continues to cook and its internal temperature rises after being removed from the oven, affecting roasted meat by increasing its final doneness during the resting period.
Detailed Explanation:
'Carryover cooking,' also known as residual heat cooking or resting effect, refers to the continued cooking process that occurs in food, particularly large cuts of meat, after it has been removed from a heat source like an oven or grill. When meat is roasted, heat accumulates from the outside inward. Even after the meat is taken out of the oven, the exterior remains hotter than the interior. This stored heat continues to transfer from the hotter outer layers towards the cooler center. As a result, the internal temperature of the meat will continue to rise, typically by 5-10°F (3-6°C), for several minutes after it's removed from the heat. This phenomenon significantly affects the final doneness of roasted meat: if you cook meat to your desired final temperature in the oven, it will be overcooked after resting. Therefore, it's crucial to remove roasted meat from the oven when its internal temperature is a few degrees below the target final temperature, allowing carryover cooking to bring it to perfection during the resting period.
Pro Tip:
Always account for carryover cooking by pulling your roast 5-10°F (3-6°C) below your desired final doneness, especially for larger cuts.