Whether you’ve grilled or pan-seared a steak, before cutting and serving it, let it rest either a minute for every 100 grams of meat or five minutes for each inch of its thickness.

While there’s no ironclad reasoning behind these calculations, it’s safe to rest a steak for at least five minutes. Some go up to ten, but that doesn’t make much of a difference.

The heat makes a steak’s muscle fibers contract and squeezes out its juices. While cutting a steak promptly post-cooking makes the juices flow out, resting it ensures reabsorption.