Just a quick tip for you…I know that a lot of people (um, like me!) have troubles figuring out when their meat is done, or in the case of steak, the exact “doneness” of their meat. People usually cut into their meat to check its doneness, but you don’t want to do that because all of the juices will flow out of your meat, leaving it dry (read this post for more ways to prevent this).

So, how do you know if your chicken is done, or if your ribeye is the perfect medium-well? Poke it! I first learned this concept from watching Barefoot Contessa. She said that the perfect way to check if your chicken is cooked, is to push on it a bit with your finger, and if it resists, it is finished. I know this sounds too easy, but I tried it, and I’ve used it many times since, and it really works! Just cook your chicken according to your recipe, and a few minutes before the recipe says it’s done, poke it softly with your finger, and if it resists or kind of springs back, you’re good to go. If it still feels kind of squishy, give it a couple more minutes and check again.

As far as steak goes, it’s a little more tricky because you’re not just checking IF it’s done, but HOW done it is…I used to want my meat almost burnt (I’ve since begun to appreciate a more juicy medium steak), and then there’s my dad who says, “as long as it’s not mooing anymore it’s cooked enough for me!” So, how do you tell if your steak is done to your liking? Use your own hand as a gauge. According to Men’s Health, you just press the steak in the center with your finger, and “then use your thumb, fingers, and the varying firmness of the base of your thumb as your guide.

So, you press the steak in the center with your finger, and then press your thumb to one of your fingers and feel the meaty part of your hand:

INDEX FINGER: RARE Internal temp: 125F
Soft and squishy, like a pink sponge

MIDDLE FINGER: MEDIUM RARE Internal temp: 145F
Firm but yielding, like a Nerf football

RING FINGER: MEDIUM Internal temp: 160F
Barely yielding, like a racquetball

PINKY FINGER: WELL Internal temp: 170F
Hard yet springy, like a tennis ball

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Do any of you make this mistake when cooking or grilling meat? You spend the time to pick out the perfect cut, marinade or season it perfectly, check it often to make sure you’re not over cooking it, and then slice into it to check it it’s done. Or maybe you’re a “smarter griller,” so you use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of the meat, and then once you take it off the grill you immediately slice it into the perfect serving sizes for your guests. What is wrong with this scenario?? Well, have you ever stopped to take a look at what is happening to your meat when you slice into it to check it’s doneness or carve it immediately? The juices from your perfectly cooked meat are running all over the place! And if the juices are sitting on your plate or cutting board, then they are not still in the meat, where they should be. If there is no juice left in your meat to keep it moist, then you end up with dry, tough meat.

So, to save us all from the dry meat syndrome, here is all you have to do…just let your meat rest for 10-15 minutes after grilling (or baking or roasting) before cutting it. Yes, it really is that simple!

Why is this so important? Well, it’s just a simple chemistry lesson. When you are cooking meat, the juices inside are heated so high that they start to move around quickly (almost like boiling inside the meat). After the meat is removed from the heat, the juices are still going crazy in there and they need a while to calm back down. If you cut the meat right away, the juices are still moving around so quickly, they will rush to the new opening and spill out. If you give the meat time to rest (like I said about 10 minutes, depending on the size of it), then the juices will have a chance to “calm down”, redistribute themselves throughout the meat, and stay exactly where they should when you cut the meat: in each individual bite.

If you don’t believe me, just ask the same people that taught me this concept: the food network chefs. Just watch any of their shows when they cook meat…they will ALWAYS tell you to “let the meat rest to let the juices redistribute.”

Lastly, if you need a surefire way to know how done your steak is, run to target and spend $10 on one of those instant read thermometers! I’ve never used one myself, but I’ve heard great things about them! Also, you can try this trick to check the doneness. But, as I said, if you make sure to let your meat rest for about 10 minutes after cooking it before cutting or carving it, your meat will always end up more tender and juicy!

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