Learn how to cook meat at home for yourself this new year. Keep reading to learn the best meat cooking tips for beginners to get you started.
Are you starting to get a bit more adventurous with your cooking? Want to take on some meat dishes? Here are all the best meat cooking tips for beginners to get you started. Cooking meat on the stove or grill can be intimidating for beginners, but if you follow the right tips and recipes at the start, you’ll have a great cooking foundation.
Remember To Defrost
When it comes to cooking and grilling meat, you almost always want to work with a room-temperature cut. Make sure to prepare your meat by taking it out of the refrigerator or freezer to defrost or rest until it reaches room temperature. This will help ensure the meat cooks through more evenly on all sides. When you’re working with a frozen cut of meat, it’s harder for the inside to cook thoroughly, and you may end up burning the edges to a crisp.
Don’t Skip Seasoning
Seasoning meat is an important part of the cooking process. You don’t have to own every kind of seasoning to add some extra flavor to your meat. Start with a simple salt rub for most cuts of meat—this will help it retain flavor and juice during the cooking process. Once you’ve mastered that, you can select seasonings that pair well with your particular cut of meat. For example, garlic powder or cayenne pair well with hamburgers and steak.
Use a Meat Thermometer
Using a meat thermometer is crucial for new cooks. As a beginner, you won’t be able to eyeball or gauge when meat is done simply by looking at it, so it’s important to always use a meat thermometer to practice safe cooking. Undercooked meat may make you sick, so it’s better to be safe than sorry and use a meat thermometer to make sure your meat is cooked thoroughly.
Let Cooked Meat Rest
If you’re new to cooking meat on your own, you may not be sure why you should let meat rest after cooking. Letting your cut of meat rest enhances the flavor and helps trap juices in. On hot surfaces, the meat will continue to cook and trap in those delicious flavors and juices. Cutting into it immediately wouldn’t give the extra juice a chance to reabsorb into the meat.
Now that you know the best meat cooking tips for beginners, you’re ready to conquer the grill or stove and cook a delicious cut of meat. Cooking meat can be intimidating as a beginner, but following these tips will help you create a safe and delicious meal.
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