The Benefits

• When you pull a roast out of the oven, it continues to cook for a few minutes because of the residual heat in the meat. As the meat is cooking, the juices inside become thin and active. Once the meat cools down slightly, the juices redistribute throughout the meat and become slightly thicker. Slicing a roast directly out of the oven may cause a slight loss of juice and moisture. You may also notice that some areas of the roast are spongy, while others are chewy. Allowing the roast to rest helps improve both the texture and taste of the roast and makes slicing it easier. Tenting the roast with foil may help prevent heat loss.

The Drawbacks

• Although resting a roast before slicing it is always a good idea, tenting it with foil has some potential drawbacks. A foil tent traps moisture, allowing it to condense on the meat. This condensation softens the crisp golden-brown crust on the roast beef. This won't be an issue for roasts braised in the oven or cooked in a slow cooker, because they won't have a golden crust to begin with. If you worked hard to roast the beef to crispy perfection, though, you may be disappointed.

Rest That Roast

• In most cases, you can save your foil and skip the step of tenting a roast. Once the roast has reached an internal temperature of 125 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on your personal preferences, remove it from the oven and place it in a draft-free spot in the kitchen. Let it rest uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. During this time, the temperature will rise another 5 degrees. For a softer crust or if you're concerned about keeping the roast warm, tent it loosely with a sheet of foil as it rests.

Savvy Solutions

• Perhaps you prefer tenting a roast as it rests, but you want a golden crust too. You can have both if you're willing to spend a few extra minutes. After the roast has rested, pop it in an oven set at 500 F for 5 minutes. This quick blast of heat will crisp up the skin without altering the texture or taste of the rested meat. Slice the roast immediately and then it will be ready to serve.