When ordering steak from a restaurant like Rib n Reef, you will have the finished product on your plate and ready to eat. You just have to tell the server the level of doneness you want your beef and they will relay your preference to the chef. Then, you will be served with a perfectly cooked steak done to your desire.
But, if you cook your steaks at home and you are not a steak chef yourself, it is not easy to replicate the process in your kitchen. You can end up with overcooked steaks while you think they are done enough. Also, cooking times vary depending on the cookware and your cooking method. So how exactly will you know when a steak is done? This guide can help you get steaks cooked to your desired temperature:
Using a Thermometer to Get an Accurate Temperature of Steak
This can be done by using a dependable digital meat thermometer. The device can quickly read the temperature, ensuring you are not risking overcooking the meat while you wait for the reading.
Put the probe of the thermometer into steak’s center from the side, ensuring the probe reaches into the coolest part of the cut. If the reading reaches your desired temperature, you will know your beef has even internal temperature and you can safely remove the meat from the grill, pan, and oven.
Using the Hand Method
If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can use your hand to check the level of doneness of your steak. Although it is not as accurate as a thermometer, it is better than nothing. Just press two fingers gently into the surface of the meats’ middle part. Then, feel press the same fingers into the palm of your right hand underneath the thumb while you touch the thumb to every finger. As your thumb touches every finger, the muscle will have different squishiness, giving you an idea of the steak’s doneness. Thumb to the middle finger is medium-rare, thumb to the index finger is rare, thumb to the pinky finger is well-done, and thumb to the ring finger is medium.
It is important to keep in mind that the steak temperature for your desired doneness level is not the same as the internal temperature you want to cook your steaks. The steaks must be removed when they are around 5 degrees Fahrenheit away from your desired temperature because the steaks will continuously cook for a few minutes after you remove them from the grill.
