Food keeps cooking after you take it off the heat. Plan for it or you will overcook.
The outside of the food is much hotter than the center. That heat keeps moving inward after the pan is gone. A thick piece can gain five degrees at the center.
Japanese cooks rest thick pork slices under foil for five minutes. The center finishes on its own. The juice stays in instead of running out.
Take the food off about five degrees before your target. The rest of the heat will arrive during the resting time.
Thin fish needs one minute. A thick chop needs five. A whole chicken needs fifteen. Thicker means longer.
I used to cook to exactly the right temperature and then wonder why it was dry. I was cooking it twice.
| ❌ Symptom | 🔍 Cause | 💡 Solution |
|---|---|---|
| The meat is dry even at the right temperature | Carryover pushed it past the target | Take it off five degrees early |
| Juice runs out on the board | It was cut too soon | Rest it before slicing |
| The center is still cold | The rest was too short for the thickness | Cover it and wait longer |
