How to Know When Meat and Poultry Are Done
Don’t Forget Carryover Cooking
The temperature of many proteins will continue to rise once they’re taken off heat and allowed to rest before serving, a phenomenon known as carryover cooking.
This is particularly true for thick roasts cooked at high temperatures, which must be removed from the heat as much as 10 to 15 degrees below the desired doneness temperature.
Cook Some Cuts Longer
Whereas most proteins are best cooked just to an internal temperature at which they’re safe to eat, items such as braised or slow-roasted dark-meat chicken, pork butt, and beef chuck often taste better when they’re cooked longer. That’s because these tough cuts are loaded with collagen, which breaks down into gelatin between 140 and 195 degrees and lubricates the muscle fibers, making them seem more moist and tender. It’s also important to cook these cuts slowly. The longer they spend in that collagen breakdown window, the more tender the meat will be.
Learn More About Carryover Cooking
Pink Poultry and Pork Can Be Safe
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