Cooking meat from the fridge

[antellis]

What's the consensus on cooking red meat cold, ie, directly from the fridge, versus bringing it up to room to room temperature first? Thanks!

 

[Zhizara]

I prefer to use meat directly from the refrigerator. Even with large roasts, I cook them low and slow so inner temperature doesn't seem to matter, but that's just me. I'm sure others will have different perspectives.

Welcome to DC.

 

[justplainbill]

I think most posters here will recommend letting meat warm up. However I prefer to add 2 or 3 minutes per inch to the covered indirect heat phase (~ 275F) of the cooking time.

 

[Selkie]

It depends on the meat. As Zhizara points out, roasts, as long as they are thawed out all of the way through, don't make much difference, but I warm up pre-formed hamburger patties to room temperature. If they are still cold in the center, they take longer to cook through on the grill or the skillet and I seem to get a lot more bloody juice leakage.

Ground beef that is going to get broken up and fried or baked, sliced ham, bacon and pork chops I keep cold until cooking time.

 

[SherryDAmore]

I prefer to let it come to room temperature. I was always told (wive's tale that's true?) that cooking cold meat makes it tough......

 

[BigAL]

When grilling with high heat it is "better"(to each their own) to bring to room temp so as not to char the outside and be raw in the middle, also depends on thickness of meat.

Low and slow, does not matter, imho.
When cooking meat at high temps the fibers contract more and will push out more water/juice so you don't want it on high heat as long.

Best way to find out is to try both ways and see if there is a difference and find which you prefer, but you will have to eat the results......or send them to me.

 

[Snip 13]

I always bring it up to room temperature when it's meat that cooks quickly like steak. The meat gets tough if you don't. Slow cooking meats won't make a difference.

 

[antellis]

Thanks everyone! Seems like it's a matter of testing both methods and picking the one that works best for me