Juicy
Also searched as: not dry, juicier, moist, succulent
In short: Juicy means: as little water as possible has been squeezed out of the fibres during cooking.
Like a sponge you only press gently: it stays full as long as you do not squeeze too hard.
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What Juicy means
Meat is about three quarters water. The hotter it gets inside, the more the fibres contract and squeeze out juice. What stays juicy is meat kept in the right temperature window, salted beforehand, or rich in gelatine and fat.
What happens
The is the biggest lever. Add to that salt, which binds water, and resting, so less runs out when you cut it. In braises, gelatine takes over the role of the juice.
Rules of thumb
- Use a thermometer and take it off early.
- Salt overnight.
- Rest briefly, then cut.
- Never cook lean meat beyond the target temperature.
“Searing hard closes the pores.” Meat has no pores that close. The right core temperature is what keeps it juicy.
In practice
Meat
Reverse searing keeps the inside evenly in the juicy range.
Poultry
Breast is lean and dries out quickly: salt it and cook it precisely to temperature.
Cakes and baking
In cakes, sugar and fat make things moist, because they bind water and slow drying out.