What is carryover cooking?
Carryover cooking is when food keeps cooking from stored heat after you take it off the burner or out of the oven, raising its temperature several more degrees.
Why it works
The outside of a roast or steak is much hotter than its center, so when you remove it from the heat, that stored heat keeps moving inward. Large roasts can rise 10 to 15°F (6 to 8°C) while resting, and steaks about 5°F (3°C). If you wait until the thermometer hits your target, the final result will be overcooked.
How to do it
Common mistakes
- Waiting to take meat off until it hits the target, which overshoots it.
- Forgetting that bigger roasts rise more than thin steaks.
- Leaving eggs or fish in a hot pan, which keeps cooking them.
Questions about carryover cooking
How much does meat cook after it leaves the heat?
A steak rises about 5°F (3°C), and a large roast can rise 10 to 15°F (6 to 8°C). Size and heat level change the number.
Does carryover cooking apply to vegetables and eggs?
Yes. Scrambled eggs, pasta, and vegetables all keep cooking in a hot pan, so remove them just before they are done.
How do I stop carryover cooking?
Move food off the hot pan right away, or chill it in ice water as with blanched vegetables.
Ribeye
Egg
Chicken Breast
