The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

(Nandana) #1

meat tightly, first in foil (plastic wrap is not airtight) and
then a few layers of plastic wrap, and place it in the freezer.
The plastic wrap helps keep the foil tightly against the
surface of the meat, while the foil prevents air from coming
in contact with it.
Let your meat defrost in the refrigerator. This can take as
long as a couple days for larger cuts of meat.


Q: Did I hear that right? Plastic wrap is not airproof?
That’s correct. Air can still travel through plastic wrap,
though quite slowly.


Q: What about reheating?
If you are wise, you will have been slicing the meat to order,
leaving you with a large chunk of leftover roast rather than
many thin slices. The best way to reheat a large chunk of
meat (thicker than 1½ inches) is to treat it like you would a
steak, which after all, it is: warm it in a low oven until it is
about 10 degrees below the desired serving temperature (see
the chart here), then sear it in a hot skillet to crisp and brown
the exterior. For thinner cuts, you can simply sear them in a
skillet straight from the fridge, just like a steak.
Alternatively, the microwave is surprisingly effective. Just
remember this cardinal rule: no matter how you reheat it, do
not let it rise above the initial temperature you cooked it to,
or it will be overcooked.
If you’ve already sliced the whole roast extremely thin,
your best option is sandwiches and salads. Still delicious!


Q: What about those chefs who cook their prime ribs

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