Lion Diet Chef

Kitchen words

dry brine

Salting meat hours ahead, uncovered in the fridge. Salt draws moisture out, dissolves in it, and is reabsorbed; the dry surface browns better. source

wet brine

Soaking meat in salted water so it takes up salt and water. Not used for steak here. source

reverse sear

Cook low and slow to just below your target, then sear hard at the end. source

pull temp

The reading where a stage ends and the meat comes off that heat. Not always the serving temp. source

carryover cooking

Meat keeps cooking after it leaves the heat as stored heat moves inward; bigger roasts and hotter ovens carry over more. source

rest

Letting meat sit before slicing so juices cool and thicken and less runs out. Not needed after a reverse sear. source

Maillard reaction / sear

Heat-driven reactions between proteins and sugars that make browning, aroma and savory flavor. source

fat cap

The fat layer on one side of a roast; roasted facing up. source

against the grain

Slicing across the muscle fibers so they are short and the meat is less stringy. source

roast vs braise

Roast = dry oven heat, uncovered. Braise = covered, moist cooking in a little liquid, usually for tough cuts. source

fond

Browned bits left in the pan after searing; add liquid and scrape to make a sauce (deglaze). source

two-zone fire

One side of the grill hot (direct), the other with no fire under it (indirect). source

instant-read thermometer

A probe thermometer that reads in seconds; use it to check pull temps. source

leave-in probe

A probe left in the meat during the cook, with an alarm at the target. source

spatchcock

Removing the backbone and flattening a bird so it cooks faster and more evenly. source

USDA safe minimum

Government minimum internal temps: whole beef/pork/lamb 145F + 3 min rest; ground meat 160F; poultry 165F. source

More terms and a full prep-to-plate path are being written and sourced.