Basting Time or Wasting Time?

Waves of velvety, golden butter, decadently spooned over a prime cut of meat… Chef level: expert? Or just pointless posing? I tested two steaks from the same muscle, keeping everything identical—except one got a baste two flips before the end of cooking. Was all that butter worth it? Spoiler alert: no. Basting did help the fillet retain a touch more heat after resting, but it didn’t speed up cooking, and it didn’t make the meat any juicier. Sometimes, less really is more.