The Common Carving Mistake For Big, Show-Stopping Roasts

When it comes to serving up deliciousness around the holidays or during dinner parties, larger cuts of meat are typically on the menu. Whether you fancy pork and cook up a shoulder or crown roast, or prefer beef in the form of prime rib, chuck, or eye of round roast, having such a large protein on display typically steals the spotlight away from the sides.

With such a massive amount of meat come the procedural steps — like salting, brining, marinating, or rubbing with seasonings far in advance, letting it come to room temperature before cooking, and resting it before slicing. However, while many assume that a good rule of thumb when it comes to resting your meat is a 10-minute grace period, this actually only applies to individual cuts. It's simply not enough time when working with such a large cut.

When you're working with a roast that weighs several pounds, only allowing for 10 minutes of resting will cause all those delicious juices to flood out. This will not only cause you to lose flavor and moisture within your meat, but it can also make a real mess. Instead, opt for at least half an hour.

30 minutes is an ideal amount of time to let your larger cuts of meat rest before carving into them because this allows all the juices that migrate to the middle of the roast during cooking to evenly distribute throughout the entire piece. Furthermore, because you've allowed your roast to cool off slightly, you won't risk burning yourself trying to slice it while it's piping hot.

Many would worry that waiting half an hour will lead to your roast getting cold. However, because the cut is large enough in size, it actually retains heat for much longer than you'd think. If you notice it's not as hot as you'd like upon serving, you can serve your meat alongside a pan sauce in a gravy boat, allowing guests to add as much as they'd like. The heat from the sauce will reheat your meat in no time, while also adding another layer of flavor.