If this phenomenon regularly happens to you, it might just be that you are missing one simple cooking hint: Your meat and chicken must always be at room temperature before you start cooking them. If not, the inside will be too cold and won’t cook in synch with the outside, which has more access to the heat.

How long can you keep your meat or chicken on the counter? At least a couple hours. (Unless of course you live in some tropical diseased  third world country, then ask your local doctor.) But otherwise, don’t worry. People have been eating meat for millennia before refrigeration was even invented. The meat and chicken you are buying from your grocery store is stored at such cold temperatures the majority of time it will be on your counter, it will be as if it were still in the fridge. Let it come to room temp. You must give it it’s time.

Does this apply to fish? Well, not really. I always just take fish right out the fridge and cook it and it’s usually just fine. Fish is more delicate and cooks more easily. But if you have a really thick piece of fish, you might want to let sit out for 10-20  minutes and then cook it.

Have more cooking questions? Just email us at info@mealandaspiel.com and put #AskElana in the subject line.

TAGS: #askelana, #igotitfro, Ask Elana, Burnt on the outside, cooking tips, I got it from elana, raw on the inside

: