Let Meat Rest — the Juices Really Do Redistribute
Unlike the searing myth, resting meat is genuinely useful: as meat cooks, muscle fibers tighten and push juices toward the center. Resting for 5-15 minutes off heat lets that pressure relax and the juices redistribute more evenly, so less runs out onto the cutting board when you slice it. Bigger cuts need longer rests; a steak needs far less than a whole roast chicken.
Sources & methodology: These tips draw on established food-science references —
Harold McGee's food-science writing, America's Test Kitchen /
Cook's Illustrated testing, Serious Eats'
technique reporting, USDA food safety guidance,
and peer-reviewed food-safety research (including UC Davis
cutting-board studies) — not reworded recipe-blog consensus.