It’s just one of those catch-22s.

We want hot meat.

We want pink meat.

We want both those things on Shabbat.

And we are sincerely wondering- are we asking too much? Are we trying to accomplish the impossible? Do we need to sacrifice temperature or doneness? Must we pick a favorite child?

We are as confused as you are. And so, we have called in the big guns to finally solve the debate. How in the world do we keep our roasts medium rare on Shabbat, when the meat was cooked the day before?

We spoke to Shia Shwartz of Kehila Butcher, master of his trade and expert on all things meat.

And then our bubble burst.

Shia was not extremely optimistic about the endeavor.

“To be honest, I don’t know if it is even possible,” he admits. He says that the best idea he has would be to balance the meat on top of a pan on top of the cholent. Personally, he just takes out his roast before he goes to shul and eats it cold to room temperature. You can also prepare a dish like this London Broil Carpaccio, which is meant to be eaten at room temperature.

So, do you have to sacrifice warmth to get the temperature you desire? Maybe a little. Is that terrible? In my humble opinion, if your soup was hot and your sides are steaming, room temperature roast is not offensive in the slightest. If anything, the lack of heat might highlight the perfect color of the roast’s interior. 

But we’re always looking for new strategies. Have a successful way of heating your meat and eating it, too? Leave a comment below! If someone comes up with a good idea, Shia the butcher ends off, “I’m always here to listen.”