{"id":6728,"date":"2022-10-20T15:23:42","date_gmt":"2022-10-20T15:23:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/?p=6728"},"modified":"2023-04-25T11:18:11","modified_gmt":"2023-04-25T11:18:11","slug":"how-long-to-leave-steaks-out-before-cooking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/how-long-to-leave-steaks-out-before-cooking\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long to Leave Steaks Out Before Cooking? A Home Cook’s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Here’s the deal – leaving your steak out before cooking isn’t worth it. I know, this is controversial, as everyone says that this helps steaks brown and cook evenly. But this is just a myth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I used to believe this myth until a friend challenged me to a cookoff. I was surprised when we compared steaks. The one that was fresh out of the fridge tasted identical to the one sitting out (and they had the same level of browning).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve taken a closer look at this old wife’s tale below, as well as alternatives to this method.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"how<\/figure>\n\n\n

How Long to Leave Steaks Out Before Cooking?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Steaks<\/a> are big chunks of protein, so the inside is colder than the outside. With this in mind, it isn’t surprising that most people think that leaving them out at room temperature allows them to cook better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, leaving a steak out for an hour or two barely raises its internal temperature. You’ll have to leave your steak out for several hours if you want to make a difference, which is unsafe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, there’s a misconception that a cold steak won’t brown that well. This isn’t true either. Cooking a steak immediately from the refrigerator has no impact on the Maillard reaction<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve touched on the reaction in the section below, but it’s basically the browning stage that meat goes through when exposed to high heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, why does everyone think that leaving steak to reach room temperature changes anything? Well, it’s a tip that professional chefs have been propagating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look at this Bobby Flay article<\/a> on how to get a perfectly cooked steak. It mentions leaving your meat at room temperature as a top tip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You don’t have to take my word for this – Max the Meat Guy (home cook YouTuber) posted a video on how a steak cooks the same way even if it’s cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be wondering whether the above is true regardless of whether you’re using a grill or skillet, or if you’re cooking other meats, like fish and chicken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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