Does leaving the lid on make a difference to whether the meat in a soup softens/cook properly?

I've been coooking soup with a pot lid off and notice the meat is still tough when cooking. It could be the due to the lid or some other factor.

I put a thermometer in the soup water and it seems to be at a good temp for simmering meat(90-95c) and I can see the bubbles appearing every seconds or so. However the meat is still tough.

I put the lid back on and cook then it seems to soften ok. Considering I can see the simmering bubbles and the thermometer shows a simmer can you explain why and if putting the lid on is making a difference?

Thanks

meat simmer lid

Best Answer

The only thing that gets the connective tissue in tough cuts to loosen is heat. With the lid on, you've got more insulation. I'd bet you a shiny nickle that the meat towards the bottom of the pot was a touch more cooked than the meat at the top of the pot— you're losing a lot of heat where all of that liquid is hitting room-temperature air. With my immersion circulators, for example, I can't keep the water bath much above 70c without covering them, but the second I cover it, the temperature shoots right up. So sure, the lid likely made it cook a little more quickly and evenly. That said, allowing your cooking liquid to evaporate and intensify as you stew your meat can be a good thing too.

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Quick Answer about "Does leaving the lid on make a difference to whether the meat in a soup softens/cook properly?"

Cooking with the lid will generate and trap more heat, while a lidless method provides gentler cooking that allows more liquid to evaporate. If you're trying to speed up the process or want to keep every drop of liquid in your pot, cook with the lid on. For a slow simmer or a reduced sauce, go uncovered.

Should I leave the lid on soup?

Leaving the lid off will make liquid evaporate faster, potentially creating a thicker and more flavorful soup. Leaving the lid on reduces the rate of evaporation, and it's good when the soup ingredients are done cooking but the broth isn't quite rich (co-mingled) enough for your liking.

How do you make meat tender in soup?

Not cooking the stew long enough. Chuck meat is your best bet for beef stew, but it's also a pretty tough cut so it needs time to break down and become tender. Rush the cooking process and the beef will be tough and chewy. Follow this tip: For really tender meat, cook the stew low and slow, for approximately two hours.

Does covering meat make it tender?

Be careful not to cover too tightly because it will cause the meat to sweat. This also works well with fish, which will be even more tender.

Do you simmer meat with lid on or off?

Better to Simmer Covered or Uncovered? Because simmering is something that needs some supervision, it's best to keep the lid off of the pot until you're sure that the heat is steady. Adding a lid can intensify the heat and before you know it, you're boiling again!

How To Tenderize ANY Meat!

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