Tips To Keep Your Meats Full Of Moisture When Cooking

There’s nothing worse than pulling out some chicken or pork chops from the oven and finding they’ve dried up while cooking. Now you’ve got to somehow try and find a sauce that’s going to add some moisture back into this dried-up meat. 

Instead of having to make the best of a bad situation, knowing how to ensure your meats stay full of moisture and flavor is key. With the right technique and knowledge under your belt, you can create tender pork chops, succulent cuts of meat, and juicy chicken breasts. Here’s everything you need to know when it comes to keeping your meats full of moisture.

Always baste every 30 minutes

If you’re looking to add moisture to the meat while it’s cooking, always be ready to baste it. This should be done every thirty minutes when it comes to the oven, otherwise, the meat is going to dry out quickly. You’ll be left with a moist bottom and a very dry top.

For basting on the stove tops, you’ll want to do this every couple of minutes, depending on what meat you’re cooking and how long it’s being cooked for. Regularly basting your meats in the fat and juice is going to help lock that moisture back in.

Avoid cooking your meats on a dry pan 

When it comes to cooking your meats in a pan, try to avoid them being dry. A dry, hot pan is only going to cause the meat to dry out and in most cases burn. It’s worth adding some water to the bottom of the pan or other types of liquid such as oil or a liquid stock/spray. 

Whatever liquid you think will be appropriate for the meat being cooked is going to help keep that pan moist, which helps to ensure that meat comes out juicy and full of flavor. 

Brown off meats and then bake in the oven

To help with locking in the moisture, avoid cooking anything for too long in a pan. Instead, try to brown off the meat and then bake it in the oven instead. This makes a big difference, especially in meats like chicken.

Use a baking soda and water combination

A good trick for helping to lock in moisture is to use a combination of baking soda and water. Briefly soaking the meat in a solution of this will help to raise the pH on the meat’s surface. This makes the proteins in the meat, more difficult to bond which helps to keep that meat tender and moist.

Check out my favorite smothered pork chops recipe here and consider using the baking soda and water solution to help create tender meat.

Cook at a lower temperature to avoid drying it out

When it comes to food in general, try to keep it at a lower temperature when cooking. This helps stop foods from burning but it also stops the heat of the oven from drying out the meat – no matter how much you are on top of it when it comes to basting.

Keeping your meats full of moisture is important so use these tips to help when cooking.