What is the purpose of rest periods for cooked meats?

The purpose of rest periods for cooked meats is to redistribute juices for flavor. When meat is cooked, the heat causes the muscle fibers to contract, which pushes juices towards the center of the meat. Allowing the meat to rest after cooking gives these juices time to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more flavorful and moist final product. If the meat is sliced immediately after cooking, the juices are likely to run out, leading to a drier texture and a loss of flavor. Resting not only enhances the eating experience but also contributes to the overall quality of the dish served.

Cooling the meat is not the primary reason for resting, as it might actually lead to loss of heat rather than optimizing flavor and texture. Maintaining heat is also not the main objective, since the focus is on flavor and texture improvement rather than simply keeping the meat warm. While resting can indeed make slicing easier, it is a secondary benefit that results from the proper redistribution of juices rather than the main purpose of the rest period.