How to tell when a steak is done & How to Cook Meat – THE BOOK

How to Cook Meat – THE BOOK

(Seen first on CoolMaterial.com)

When it comes to men and cooking, the bar is set pretty low.  The very least we can do is brush up on our grilling techniques so we don’t screw up the steaks.  Here’s a somewhat well known method for telling when a steak has been cooked to the desired level of doneness.

– Touch your thumb and index finger on your right hand together.
– With the index finger on your left hand, touch that ball of muscle underneath your thumb on your right.
– See how that feels?  Not really all that firm with some wiggle?  That’s how a steak will feel to the touch when it’s rare.

If you touch your middle finger to your thumb and then poke that same muscle, that’s how medium-rare feels.  Ring finger is medium, and then your pinkie touching your thumb gives you the almost rock hard firmness of a well done steak. Take a nibble of your hand at that point. Your steak will probably taste the same.

Now that you know a decent trick on how to get one of the basics right, consider picking up a guide to all things animal-protein related.  Making a meal of plain chicken breasts for your friends or significant other is about as exciting as a pair of pleated khakis.  There’s more out there.  Don’t limit yourself.  “How to Cook Meat” will help you learn the artistry of preparing meat.  Don’t believe me?  Imagine making this for some of your favorite people:

“Particularly attractive recipes include Sage-Rubbed Roasted Loin of Beef with Shallot-Bourbon Sauce.”

I think you’d all enjoy that more than another round of ground-chuck burgers.