Why do you rest your steaks in a cooler?

[Stachel]

Have read references to puting steaks in a cooler to let them rest.

I think I understand the concept of resting the meat (to let the juices redistribute, to let it finish cooking).

But why do some prefer to do this in a cooler instead of covering it with aluminum foil?

Is it to prevent them from getting too cool too quickly?

[cmcadams]

I don't rest steaks that way... I don't know about others, but I only rest big hunks of meat that way.

I've had some big steaks, but not big enough to warrent cooler rest!

[Arlin_MacRae]

No rest for steaks here. Burn. Eat. Yum.

[Kirk]

I let a steak rest as long as it takes me to put some sides on my plate. :-D
Actually, I may tent them with foil for a few minutes before serving but the resting in the cooler bit is really for butts, brisket or similarly large cuts of meat.

[VitaminQ]

Yeah, it's never occured to me to cooler a steak. If I'm on my game, I'll let them rest for a couple of minutes. That's only if I pull them off the grill at exactly the right time- just before they're medium rare. That way, they can come up to med rare while resting, and the juices have time to redistribute a little. Ususally, though, I don't time it right. I always thought the opposite would be true, but grilling is actually harder than smoking.

[ApronGuy]

Have read references to puting steaks in a cooler to let them rest.

I think I understand the concept of resting the meat (to let the juices redistribute, to let it finish cooking).

But why do some prefer to do this in a cooler instead of covering it with aluminum foil?

Is it to prevent them from getting too cool too quickly?

There's no reason to put steaks in a cooler. The meat does need to rest, which you can do just by letting it sit.

A lot of Q-ists here will put whole briskets in a cooler, wrapped in foil. The residual heat and moisture will braise the meat, softening the ligaments, tendons, and fatty tissue thus making it tender.

But steaks just don't need it.

[Sawdustguy]

What I think you have heard is with respect to briskets. It is very common to rest a brisket for a few hours after cooking them low and slow for a good number of hours.

[RichardF]

If I'm coolering food after cooking, it's because the food was done prior to my serving time, and I'm trying to keep it warm and not have to reheat. If I'm serving my food when it's done, then I let it rest after it's come off the heat to let the juices redistribute. Resting is not the same as coolering, but when you cooler, you get the same effect as if your rested. I typically let steaks rest around 5 to 10 minutes and larger cuts of meat 10 to 15 minutes. With larger cuts of meat like prime rib, which you have cooked to med-rare, you need to be careful you don't rest it too long, because of the stored-heat, you can over-cook. If you are planning on resting anything that's temp sensitive, you should take into account continued cooking while resting.

[Stachel]

Thanks everyone! Sawdustguy, I think you are right - it must have been with respect to briskets.

I started wondering this when I made steaks over the weekend.

I think it's very difficult to keep everything at the right temperature till serving, and moreso to choreograph things so they finish at the same time. I served steaks, french fries, and asparagus (they had the very small-diameter kind in the grocery store that's really good). The french fries were too cool IMO, and I think the steaks got a little too cool also.

Edit: RichardF - you sneaked your reply in there before I clicked the button! Your reason was why I thought that some might cooler the meat! (to not have to re-heat)

[jt]

I think it's very difficult to keep everything at the right temperature till serving, and moreso to choreograph things so they finish at the same time. I served steaks, french fries, and asparagus (they had the very small-diameter kind in the grocery store that's really good). The french fries were too cool IMO, and I think the steaks got a little too cool also.
This is the hardest part for me as well. If I'm timing everything right then there better be no one else in the kitchen - I'll run over 'em!

[Wine & Swine]

The resting time of the steak is your window to finish (or in the case of pencil asparagus cook) your sides. In restaurants this is why the ovens (at least one) are set at the max temp (550 or so). Blanch your asparagus in boiling water (depending on how you like them cooked) until just underdone and "shock" in ice water to stop the cooking. Cook the fries 1 minute less than desired doneness. Crank up the oven finish your steak, let it rest. Heat asparagus as desired, (I go in a hot pan with salt&pepper and let the butter just start to brown, or you can just dip in the remaining boiling water, or grill, etc) the key is this should take about 1 minute. Put the fries in the screaming hot oven for a minute or two and serve. The key is to have everything you need ready to go.

[Doorbusters]

I have found it has become easier for me to coordiante everything since I got divorced. I do not stand around and gab, cook it, plate it, eat it. Much easier when one is in control! However, when doing ABT's it is nice to have Wayne do the slicing, and Jeff the stuffing!

[Wayne]

The outside of any meat that is being cooked will tighten up and squeeze the juices to the center of the meat. This should be pretty obvious if you slice it right after taking it off the heat. Resting meat allows the inside to get a little hotter and the outside to get a little cooler. When this happens the outside meat relaxes and allows the inside of the meat to squeeze some of the juice back to the outside meat. Then the meat is uniformly juicy and tender, and will taste much better than unrested meat. It also will slice much better. This is also true for steaks even though they are usually not sliced before they get to the plate. There are two things that make resturant food better than the usual home cooked food. The first is butter, and the second is resting the meat. Most of us will naturally rest our BBQ, turkeys, and big roasts; but it also works with steak, burgers, and chops. A 10-15 minute is good for most meat, and you can always hit it with a little heat before serving without hurting the flavor. I generally always rest my meat if I can. If nothing else it will rest on my plate while I finish a salad or enjoy some of the other things that make it to my plate. So take your time while you butter your tater and ros'in' ear. Your steak will love you for it.

[Stachel]

This is the hardest part for me as well. If I'm timing everything right then there better be no one else in the kitchen - I'll run over 'em!Exactly! Having help can sometimes help and sometimes not. Makes me grumpy if it's "not" !

the key is this should take about 1 minute. OK I think I understood that. Will try to adapt that at next dinner with company.

There are two things that make resturant food better than the usual home cooked food. The first is butter, and the second is resting the meat. [...] So take your time while you butter your tater and ros'in' ear. Your steak will love you for it.Ah-men! :-)

But but but... there are at least 2 more mysteries to better-than-home restaurant food!

1) ex: I took my pappasita (Dad) out to dinner as a reward for him finally agreeing to get a hearing aid. He had a perfectly prepared New York Strip that had all these incredibly delicious steak-juices in the bottom of the plate with the mashed potatoes. Those meat-juices (not really "gravy" because it wasn't gravy-like in the traditional sense..) couldn't just have come from that steak!

2) Truly crispy-topped salmon
At same place, I have the crispy salmon. Their salmon had literally a top layer of integral crunch to it. (Not on the skin side; on the top). The server insisted this was just from searing it in a very hot pan w/ salt, pepper, oil, then putting it in an oven.

[scottyd]

I do not rest steaks in a cooler. not needed.

[Kevin]

But but but... there are at least 2 more mysteries to better-than-home restaurant food!

1) ex: I took my pappasita (Dad) out to dinner as a reward for him finally agreeing to get a hearing aid. He had a perfectly prepared New York Strip that had all these incredibly delicious steak-juices in the bottom of the plate with the mashed potatoes. Those meat-juices (not really "gravy" because it wasn't gravy-like in the traditional sense..) couldn't just have come from that steak!

2) Truly crispy-topped salmon
At same place, I have the crispy salmon. Their salmon had literally a top layer of integral crunch to it. (Not on the skin side; on the top). The server insisted this was just from searing it in a very hot pan w/ salt, pepper, oil, then putting it in an oven.

1) Au Jus: http://www.hormel.com/kitchen/glossary.asp?id=33913
2) Salamander: http://www.hormel.com/kitchen/glossary.asp?id=34245

The links are from the fine folks at Hormel Foods. The makers of Spam, and invented in Minnesota!

[Wine & Swine]

To answer the "gravy" question as Wayne pointed out the restaurant trick is butter. Most local steakhouses (taking the lead from the old school standard Peter Luger) finish their steaks using either clarified or sometimes whole butter, which blends which the natural juices as well as seasoning to make a sort of "plate" sauce. This idea can be embellished using flavored or compound butters (roasted garlic, scallions, ginger, chilies...). As you eat the steak and the natural juices run, it gets better and better.
Regarding the salmon the other big restaurant trick is high heat you will get a natural crust on the meat of fish in a very hot pan with very hot fat (again clarified butter is prefered). I usually go skin side on salmon (as the crisp skin is delicious) but if you don't want to eat the skin (it can add a bit of a stronger flavor) remove it and sear the flesh only. Place in the hot pan and swirl the oil a bit immediatley with the fish in it and then leave over high heat for a minute or two (do not touch or move) you will be able to see the fish cooking from the side. Flip the fish and place in the oven (450-500) to finish (depending on the thickness and desired doneness time will vary).