The Meathead Method - The Importance of Thickness
MYTH: Weight determines cooking time.
BUSTED: Doneness is measured by the temperature in the center of the thickest part. Although these two roasts are different lengths and weights, the distance to the center is the same, so they will finish cooking at about the same time.
So if you are using a recipe that tells you to increase cooking time when the roast is heavier, you could be facing disaster. If the roast was only 3 inches long, it will cook faster because the distance to the center is less than 4 inches.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THICKNESS
Repeat after me: Thickness determines cooking time not weight.
This is a vital, foundational, essential core concept, and so many TV chefs and cookbook authors just don’t get it. So when you see a recipe that says to cook a roast at 325°F for X minutes per pound you’re looking at a recipe for disaster. A 10-pound roast that is 4 inches thick and 12 inches long and a 5-pound roast that is 4 inches thick and 6 inches long will take pretty much the same time to cook because, even though one weighs twice as much, the thickness is the same. Thicker foods take longer to cook and therefore the surface dehydrates more. And they are at greater risk of burning. That’s why it’s usually a good idea to cook at a low temperature. That’s why it’s better to cook two 12-pound turkeys than one 24-pounder. The thickest parts, the breasts, on the smaller birds are much thinner and will cook faster and they will be juicier than the big bird (not to mention that younger birds are more tender).
If you are cooking something thick on one end and thin on the other, the thin end will cook faster than the thick end. That’s why it is important to inspect the meat you buy carefully. You want your steaks of even thickness. If the butcher has cut a steak poorly, it will cook poorly. That is why it makes sense to pound boneless chicken breasts flat and why you want to cut vegetables into chunks about the same size. Let’s say you’ve bought some pork chops and when you open the package you discover that one is thinner than the others. Solution: Put the thick one on first and the thin one after a few minutes.
My new book, The Meathead Method, is out May 13. The great Alton Brown said it is “The only book on outdoor cookery you’ll ever need.”
You can pre-order on Amazon at tinyurl.com/meatheadmethod.
If you buy a copy, take a selfie with the book when it arrives, post it on your favorite social media channels, send a link to [email protected] I’ll send you a link where you can download our new eBook on Heavenly Hamburgers.
BUSTED: Doneness is measured by the temperature in the center of the thickest part. Although these two roasts are different lengths and weights, the distance to the center is the same, so they will finish cooking at about the same time.
So if you are using a recipe that tells you to increase cooking time when the roast is heavier, you could be facing disaster. If the roast was only 3 inches long, it will cook faster because the distance to the center is less than 4 inches.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THICKNESS
Repeat after me: Thickness determines cooking time not weight.
This is a vital, foundational, essential core concept, and so many TV chefs and cookbook authors just don’t get it. So when you see a recipe that says to cook a roast at 325°F for X minutes per pound you’re looking at a recipe for disaster. A 10-pound roast that is 4 inches thick and 12 inches long and a 5-pound roast that is 4 inches thick and 6 inches long will take pretty much the same time to cook because, even though one weighs twice as much, the thickness is the same. Thicker foods take longer to cook and therefore the surface dehydrates more. And they are at greater risk of burning. That’s why it’s usually a good idea to cook at a low temperature. That’s why it’s better to cook two 12-pound turkeys than one 24-pounder. The thickest parts, the breasts, on the smaller birds are much thinner and will cook faster and they will be juicier than the big bird (not to mention that younger birds are more tender).
If you are cooking something thick on one end and thin on the other, the thin end will cook faster than the thick end. That’s why it is important to inspect the meat you buy carefully. You want your steaks of even thickness. If the butcher has cut a steak poorly, it will cook poorly. That is why it makes sense to pound boneless chicken breasts flat and why you want to cut vegetables into chunks about the same size. Let’s say you’ve bought some pork chops and when you open the package you discover that one is thinner than the others. Solution: Put the thick one on first and the thin one after a few minutes.
My new book, The Meathead Method, is out May 13. The great Alton Brown said it is “The only book on outdoor cookery you’ll ever need.”
You can pre-order on Amazon at tinyurl.com/meatheadmethod.
If you buy a copy, take a selfie with the book when it arrives, post it on your favorite social media channels, send a link to [email protected] I’ll send you a link where you can download our new eBook on Heavenly Hamburgers.
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