A Guide to Cooking Meat: The Right Cut, the Right Sear, the Right Rest

Cooking meat does not have to be intimidating. There are only a few rules, and they all make sense: match the cut to the method, get the pan properly hot and let the meat rest. In this lesson we walk the whole way from the butcher's counter to the plate.

Get to know the cut

How tough a piece of meat is depends on how hard that muscle worked during the animal's life. Lightly used muscles are tender and cook quickly; hard-working ones are rich in connective tissue and love slow cooking.

• Fast cooking (grill, pan): Tenderloin, ribeye, sirloin, lamb chops, lamb leg for kebabs. Cook these too long and they dry out and toughen.
• Slow cooking (stews, braises, pot roasts): Shoulder, neck, shank, brisket, chuck, lamb shoulder and neck. These only soften with long, gentle heat; rush them in a pan and they turn rubbery.
• In between: Diced beef in Turkey usually comes from the leg. For a quick sauté, cut it small and cook it hot; for kavurma or a stew, cover it and cook it long.

Tell your butcher what you are making; suggesting the right cut is their job.

Before cooking: preparation

1. Take the chill off. Pull thick pieces such as steaks out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking. Ice-cold meat burns outside before the centre warms.
2. Pat it very dry with paper towels. A wet surface steams instead of browning. Moisture is the enemy of a good sear.
3. Time your salting. Salt either right before cooking or at least 40 minutes ahead, even overnight, uncovered in the fridge. Anything in between leaves moisture sitting on the surface and makes browning harder.

Searing: that beautiful brown crust

Searing creates a brown, flavourful crust through the Maillard reaction. Contrary to popular belief, it does not "seal in the juices"; we sear for flavour and texture.

• Use a heavy cast-iron or stainless steel pan; non-stick is not made for this heat.
• Heat the pan over medium-high for a few minutes, then add an oil with a high smoke point (sunflower, corn).
• Once the meat is in, leave it alone. When the crust has formed it releases from the pan by itself; if it sticks, it is not ready.
• Do not crowd the pan. Without space between pieces, steam builds up and the meat boils. Cook in batches if needed.

Doneness and internal temperatures

The most reliable tool is a meat thermometer: insert the tip into the thickest part, away from the bone. The values below are targets after resting. Meat keeps rising 2-4 °C off the heat, so pull it a few degrees early.

• Rare: 50-52 °C, deep red centre.
• Medium rare: 54-57 °C, pink-red and juicy.
• Medium: 60-63 °C, pink centre.
• Medium well: 65-68 °C, a faint trace of pink.
• Well done: 70 °C and above, no pink.

Important: these apply to whole cuts of beef and lamb. Minced meat and köfte must always be cooked through to at least 71 °C, because mincing mixes surface bacteria into the meat.

Resting: the reward for patience

Do not slice meat straight off the heat. Move it to a plate or board and tent it loosely with foil. Five to ten minutes is enough for a steak, 15-20 for a large roast. The temperature evens out and less juice runs onto the board when you cut.

When you slice, cut against the grain. Look for the lines running through the meat and hold your knife at a right angle to them. Shorter fibres make every bite feel more tender.

Tough cuts: low and slow

Shoulder, neck and shank are full of collagen, which turns into gelatine over long cooking and gives that fall-apart texture. The method is braising: gentle heat, a little liquid and a closed lid.

1. Pat large chunks dry and brown them on all sides in a heavy pot, in batches.
2. Remove the meat; sauté onion, carrot, garlic and, if you like, tomato paste in the same pot.
3. Return the meat and add hot water or stock to come halfway up.
4. Cover and cook on the lowest heat, or in a 150-160 °C oven, for 2-3 hours.
5. It is ready when the meat yields easily to a fork. If it is still tough, do not panic; tough braised meat is usually undercooked meat.

A pressure cooker cuts the time to about a third, but learn the classic way first so you know what you are aiming for.

Common mistakes

• Putting meat into a cold pan.
• Flipping constantly so a crust never forms.
• Packing the pot when browning diced meat and boiling it in its own juices.
• Slicing the meat immediately.
• Trying to cook a tough cut quickly in a pan.

A thermometer, a good pan and a bit of patience: that is the whole secret. Next time you visit the butcher, you will know exactly what to ask for.