Chris Behr is head chef at the American Academy in Rome’s Sustainable Food Project and author of the 2016 cookbook “Carne.” Here, he shares his solutions and top refreshers for chefs’ most common struggles with dry meat.
“The best way to keep meat from drying out is not to overcook it. [Some] people adhere strictly to the USDA guidelines without accounting for carryover cooking. If your bone-in chicken breast hits 165 degrees while it’s still in the oven, it will be above 170 degrees by the time it rests.”
“I prefer the ‘reverse sear’ method for many applications, where the piece of meat is first cooked at a low temp, then seared briefly at a high temp. White meat like chicken or rabbit should be seared quickly and gently, while bigger beef roasts can take a little more fire.”
When it comes to avoiding dry-out, “Boiling, steaming, braising, roasting are all better than, say, an oven roast or a pan sear or a fry. By cooking with moisture, you have a better chance of retaining moisture.”
“A piece of braised meat is way better after an overnight rest in its braising liquid, but protein-packed [items] love to absorb bad flavors and aromas from your fridge. … We often keep picked chicken meat submerged in chicken broth for storage, as it keeps bad smells away and hydrates the meat.”
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