Why is it important to rest meat after cooking?

Name: Air fryer herb pork tenderloin
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: north-american
Ingredients: 600 g pork tenderloin; 3 cloves garlic; 1 tbsp rosemary; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper

Resting meat after cooking keeps it juicy when you slice it. Heat tightens muscle fibers and forces moisture toward the center; resting lets those fibers relax and reabsorb that moisture before it runs out onto the cutting board. Internal temperature also continues rising 2–5°C after you pull the meat, so resting is when the last of the cooking happens.

Air Fryer Beginner 28 min

Air fryer herb pork tenderloin

Pork tenderloin rubbed with herbs and garlic, cooked in the air fryer in 18 minutes to 63°C — tender and juicy with a 5-minute rest.

Steps

01
Pat the pork tenderloin dry with paper towels. Finely chop the garlic and rosemary.
02
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, salt, and black pepper. Rub the herb mixture evenly over the entire pork tenderloin.
03
Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (400°F), then place the pork tenderloin in the basket.
04
Cook for 9 minutes, flip the tenderloin, then continue cooking for another 9 to 12 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 63°C (145°F).
05
Remove the tenderloin from the basket and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Air fryer herb pork tenderloin

Why is it important to rest meat after cooking?

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