Tenderness and Juiciness

Cooking meats at the correct temperature for the right amount of time will maximize their tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Although heat makes meat more palatable, exposing it to high temperatures for too long will toughen, shrink, and harden meat because it shortens muscle fibers, denatures proteins, and causes it to dehydrate. Even with proper cooking, it is not unusual for a 4-ounce piece of meat to be cooked to 3 ounces. Read more »