If you don't own one, you should.
I'm often asked how to tell when a steak is done, as if there is a spell or incantation I might recite.
The truest, albeit smart-ass, answer is to take its temperature. It's the secret to knowing when your steak, or anything your cooking, is ready.
What you need to know is that they aren't always calibrated. To calibrate it, fill a cup with ice water and stir it well with your thermometer. It should read 32˚F. If it doesn't, there is a nut/bolt behind the face. Rotate it the appropriate direction until the needle points to 32˚F.
For any thing but steak and lamb, I agree... But you should never under any circumstances cut into or poke a steak until it has had a chance to rest for at LEAST 5 minutes... unless of course you just like you steak as dry as shoe leather.
ReplyDeleteOver man-handling of hot red meat can damage a it while cooking, but if you want a proper temperature reading, you have to measure it while, or directly after, the cooking process.
DeleteOtherwise the meat has time to cool, and your temp is inaccurate.