To Tent or Not to Tent

I depends on what the meat is, and when I plan to serve it.

If I am just letting it rest before serving, I don't bother tenting. On the other hand, I've smoked a big roast or a few racks of ribs, and wrapped them in foil and a towel to serve hot two hours later.

CD
 
All meat needs to rest. Molecularly when heat is applied, cell structures open and dispersion happens allowing moisture to escape and travel to the surface and when most moisture has escaped we have what's called a well done piece of meat, for an example. Following that logic, it's imperative that if cooked less than well done we need to allow the meat to rest which ensures that the moisture retreats back into those cell structures and that structure closes and maintains a moist consistency. If you cut into a piece of meat and it bleeds everywhere, it wasn't rested and the result is a dry protein.
 
Last edited:
garlichead said:
All meat needs to rest. Molecularly when heat is applied, cell structures open and dispersion happens allowing moisture to escape and travel to the surface and when most moisture has escaped we have what's called a well done piece of meat, for an example. Following that logic, it's imperative that if cooked less than well done we need to allow the meat to rest which ensures that the moisture retreats back into those cell structures and that structure closes and maintains a moist consistency.
Click to expand...

Yes, but to tent, or not to tent... that is the question? ✍️

CD
 
Yes, but tenting doesn't necessarily mean wrapping. If the meat has a crust of some kind that's crispy, I'll literally tent it by folding a large piece of foil in half, then opening it and just lay it over the top so that steam can escape from each end and won't form condensation.
 
medtran49 said:
Yes, but tenting doesn't necessarily mean wrapping. If the meat has a crust of some kind that's crispy, I'll literally tent it by folding a large piece of foil in half, then opening it and just lay it over the top so that steam can escape from each end and won't form condensation.
Click to expand...
That’s what I do.
 
garlichead said:
All meat needs to rest. Molecularly when heat is applied, cell structures open and dispersion happens allowing moisture to escape and travel to the surface and when most moisture has escaped we have what's called a well done piece of meat, for an example. Following that logic, it's imperative that if cooked less than well done we need to allow the meat to rest which ensures that the moisture retreats back into those cell structures and that structure closes and maintains a moist consistency. If you cut into a piece of meat and it bleeds everywhere, it wasn't rested and the result is a dry protein.
Click to expand...
Right. I know about resting. My question is whether the meat should be tented with foil or not.
medtran49 said:
Yes, but tenting doesn't necessarily mean wrapping. If the meat has a crust of some kind that's crispy, I'll literally tent it by folding a large piece of foil in half, then opening it and just lay it over the top so that steam can escape from each end and won't form condensation.
Click to expand...
That is what I do - a loose foil tent.
George cooks wonderful ribs. They are wet ribs. Those are wrapped in foil.
Most everything else it tented for the resting period.
 
ElizabethB said:
Right. I know about resting. My question is whether the meat should be tented with foil or not.
Click to expand...
Depends. Generally speaking the bigger the piece of protein the more apt it would be to tent or cover. A Turkey, I've covered with foil for up to 2 hours, a steak of the grill I'll rest for maybe 5 minutes depending on the thickness without covering.
 
I’m a crispy whatever lover so I don’t tent.

I usually roast in my big cast pan with a veg/herb trivet & surrounding of veg. I move the joint/bird/meat to a plate & the veg to a sheet pan that goes back in the oven.

I proceed to make gravy from the trivet in the pan, with the sheet tray in the oven, the meat/bird/joint on a plate on the stovetop where it’s keeping warm from the rising heat of the oven and I usually steam greens in the microwave.
 
I've never heard the word "tenting" before in this context.

However, although I rest meat after cooking (up to 10 minutes), I do not cover it. Maybe I should.
 
karadekoolaid said:
Never heard of "tenting" either.
When I read the title, I thought it might be referring to someone who sneaks around campsites.
You know, "loitering within tent":cool::cool:
Click to expand...
81314
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom