# How do I rest steaks when the oven isn't available? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2013, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622 "2013-07-04T10:12:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2013, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/41 "2013-07-05T18:47:04Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I do well to get steaks from the backyard grill to the dining table warm. Whenever it’s cold, snowy, or rainy out when I’m grillin’, on the last trip out to get the meat, I’ll bring a pan or pot and lid out to put it all\* in. I can just let the meat rest in it. \*veggie stuff, too, if I’m cooking that. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/42 "2013-07-06T00:48:45Z")
> [@Caricci](#): > > I have never heated up a plate. Once or twice I’ve accidentally had some still warm from the dishwasher. If you mean a plate with the food on it, that’s what the microwave is for. Cold plates can suck the heat out of hot foods with alarming efficiency. It’s 90F here now, so heating plates isn’t that big of a deal, but come winter, a warm plate can mean the difference between the last bite being still pleasantly warm or cold and blah. I have a small second oven on my range that I use for storage, but when needed I will use as either a second oven or plate warmer. And thanks to **Munch** for posting true myth-busting so I don’t have to go looking for it. Personally, I like my steaks/chicken breast/chops near freezing so that they can stay longer over the high heat necessary to brown. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/43 "2013-07-06T01:06:03Z")
I still don’t get the whole “resting steaks in a warmer/oven” or whatever. I cook a mean steak and if you time your table settings, sides and whatnot, letting them rest on the plate you brought them in on is perfectly sufficient. I actually prefer to eat my steak just slightly warm and not piping hot. Maybe it’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/44 "2013-07-06T07:38:08Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I actually only read the left side. Now glancing through the right side, it seems like they’re saying when there is a difference in the amount of juice, it’s not realistically detectable in the actual eating. But you’re right the right side seems to bear out the myth in a sense. But the left side says that the juice you see or don’t see has little to nothing to do with what we consider juicy. I have no idea what’s correct, because I don’t see the appeal of pink (or worse, red) juices in the first place. Even if they aren’t blood, they still have that metalic taste. Brown that juice and the steak, and then poor the juice on the steak before serving. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/45 "2013-07-06T07:52:10Z")
For large pieces of meat (i.e. a whole chicken or bigger), it will stay hot for nearly an hour if covered with foil. For everything else, I have an electric warming tray - it’s a ceramic slab with handles on either end that plugs into the mains and gets hot in a couple of minutes - and stays hot for an hour or more - it’s meant to keep serving dishes hot during a meal, but if I just plug it in for a minute, it heats to the perfect level to keep meat warm for resting. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/46 "2013-07-06T10:20:12Z")
> [@kferr](#): > > 1. Steak at room temperature > 2. Get the grill pan smoking hot > 3. Oil the meat, not the pan > 4. Resting time should be about the same as cooking time. ☹ I don’t do any of those things. I think I need a really good - not cookbook - a really good ‘how to cook for morons’ book. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/47 "2013-07-06T12:50:19Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > But the left side says that the juice you see or don’t see has little to nothing to do with what we consider juicy. > > I have no idea what’s correct, because I don’t see the appeal of pink (or worse, red) juices in the first place. Even if they aren’t blood, they still have that metalic taste. Brown that juice and the steak, and then poor the juice on the steak before serving. I think a blind taste test with controls is the only thing that can really work here. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/48 "2013-07-06T13:00:19Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Do American and Scottish ovens not have separate warmer drawers? I thought those were standard issue. I think my grandmothers had them, and I’m pretty sure my mother’s oven did when I was little, but none of my ovens in 40 years has had one. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/49 "2013-07-06T15:08:49Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Have you seen an oven with a drawer underneath it where people store their baking sheets and shallow pans? That’s a warming drawer, which no one uses for that purpose. Every oven I’ve ever seen has one. Isn’t the drawer at the bottom the broiler? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/50 "2013-07-06T15:48:36Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Isn’t the drawer at the bottom the broiler? On some ovens. I haven’t seen that in a couple decades, though. In my experience, that bottom drawer is usually just a place to store lids and pans and stuff. (I don’t know if more recent ovens tend not to have separate broiler drawers or if I just happen to only be around ovens.) Is that really supposed to be a warmer drawer? I don’t remember it ever actually getting warm at all in there, as I’ve pulled out lids and pans while the oven was on. I’ll pay attention more next time. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/51 "2013-07-06T16:58:37Z")
Our oven has a warming drawer. The broiler element is in the oven proper. The warming drawer is very handy for things like letting bread dough rise in a kitchen where curious kitties make that impractical almost everywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/52 "2013-07-06T17:22:11Z")
A storage drawer is not a warming drawer. A warming drawer has it’s own heat source so you can warm foods even if the oven isn’t on. The storage drawer in my range does not get warm. There is plenty of insulation between it and the oven. warming drawers are an upgrade item in the US. They don’t usually come on the standard, mid-price or entry level range. I just let our steaks rest on a wooden cutting board or plate while I get the rest of the meal ready. Five minutes is plenty. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/53 "2013-07-06T18:28:36Z")
IME, electric ovens have a broiler element inside the main oven and a storage drawer on the bottom. Gas ovens, since the heat source is on the bottom, use the the bottom drawer as the broiler, as that’s the way to have the flame above the food. Warming drawers are an upgrade and not all that common. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/54 "2013-07-06T19:35:14Z")
[I did a little price search for that feature…](http://www.nextag.com/oven-with-warming-drawer/compare-html#!) Interesting. Posters commenting about their ovens having this feature, what was the price point? (simple curiosity, not an argument) ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/55 "2013-07-06T22:37:45Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > [I did a little price search for that feature…](http://www.nextag.com/oven-with-warming-drawer/compare-html#!) > > Interesting. > > Posters commenting about their ovens having this feature, what was the price point? (simple curiosity, not an argument) No idea - it was in our condo when we bought it. I’d never had one before, having always lived in rentals with cheap-ass appliances. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/56 "2013-07-07T13:36:35Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > [I did a little price search for that feature…](http://www.nextag.com/oven-with-warming-drawer/compare-html#!) > > Interesting. > > Posters commenting about their ovens having this feature, what was the price point? (simple curiosity, not an argument) I’d have to dig up my receipts to see what I really paid, but before the contractor discount, my oven (Samsumg FE710DRS) is currently listed at about $1300. But it’s stainless steel, flat top range, with a removable heat barrier to allow it to work like a double oven (with a single door). Both halves are convection. I can’t guess how much they changed for the warming drawer part. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/57 "2013-07-07T15:06:43Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I still don’t get the whole “resting steaks in a warmer/oven” or whatever. I cook a mean steak and if you time your table settings, sides and whatnot, letting them rest on the plate you brought them in on is perfectly sufficient. I actually prefer to eat my steak just slightly warm and not piping hot. Maybe it’s just me. If the food is ‘piping hot’ at the start of dinner, it’s still pleasantly warm at the end (unless one inhales everything in a single gulp). If food is pleasantly warm at the start of dinner, it’s distressingly cool at the end. I prefer to start hot, finish warm, and take my time. YMMV My gas oven has heating elements at the top (broiling), at the bottom (everything else), and in the small second oven (I presume at the bottom because it doesn’t brown like a broiler). The second oven is on the bottom, and has independent temperature controls, so I know it doesn’t share a heating element with the main oven. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622/58 "2013-07-07T19:53:12Z")
I’ve noticed some dishwashers have a “Plate Warmer” setting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-rest-steaks-when-the-oven-isnt-available/662622.md?page=2)