What do you do to test meat?

General Cooking tips

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Stephie
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Everyone in my family prefers their meat cooked a certain way, for instance my husband likes his steak medium rare, whilst i prefer it well-done.

Now i know they recommend checking your meat by using a thermometer, but i have found that this doesn't always work, especially with my husbands steak. It is always cooked more than he'd like even though i have followed the guidelines.

Do you guys have any alternative tips?

I read about doing a palm test here: http://www.westingourmet.co.uk/gourmet- ... re-cooked/ - which looks simple enough, but is there anything else i can do without having to cut into my steak

Thanks
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glallotments
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Sorry we don't test but we like it well done so it's a case of when the juices are clear.
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Chantal
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If it's a steak, it's easiest to cut into it to check.

Remember, you should always rest meat before serving to let it "relax" and whilst "relaxing" if often cooks a bit more, so I go with slightly underdone and 5 minutes (for steak, longer for joints) later it's perfect. :D
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Stephie
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Normally i would cut into the meat too, but when i am serving to guests it makes the meat look 'tampered' with and of a poorer quality so was wondering if this palm test was worth trying :)
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We cut it,,, and then turn it over so the cut is not visible....
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peter
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My dog says "Bite it, if it doesn't burn badly enough to make you spit it out, then swallow it quick. If it stays down for more than two hours, then there was nothing wrong.with it. If you want to know what it was or what it tasted like, then lick your chops until you find a trace of it.". :twisted:
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Frenchys
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My cat test it... no seriously, depend on the meat, beaf can be just heated, but anyway take a knife and look, IMO it's the better way to test.
Come and discover our cuisine, our ideas and test new tastes... live from France on Frenchy's Cuisine
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Tony Hague
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The chef's method is to give it a poke with a finger. Depending on whether it seems squidgy, springy or rock hard you know if it is rare, medium or carbon. Needs experience though.
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Tigger
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We like our steak blue so it doesn't take long but if we have guests who want it more cooked I would use the muscle test of thumb and fingers.
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peter
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My son prefers it to still be able to "moo".

Welcome to KG forum Andria. :D
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alexhepgurn
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Hi,

There are different method for each kind of meat and different kind of cooking.

I read an article here...

http://www.bhg.com/recipes/how-to/food- ... d-is-done/


You could see here all the methods.
Trixie74
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I assume the palm test i comparing the meat 'squishyness' to different parts of the hand. If so yes we do...or did got used to knowing what it feels like now.

Though as others have said resting is very important. We find the best way for a steak is to flash fry on a high heat then pop the pan in the oven on about 220C. (think its 7 mins for medium rare).
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Primrose
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I fully accept that meat needs to be rested, but am one of these people who like to eat their cooked food piping hot, & served on a hot plate. How do you overcome the problem of eating tepid meat or barely warm meat? It completely spoils a meal for me to pay good money for meat & then have to eat it almost cold. .
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I am outclassed here!

Had forgotten that folk who had jobs bought red meat.. lol! Ah well!
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Primrose wrote:I fully accept that meat needs to be rested, but am one of these people who like to eat their cooked food piping hot, & served on a hot plate. How do you overcome the problem of eating tepid meat or barely warm meat? It completely spoils a meal for me to pay good money for meat & then have to eat it almost cold. .

I don't eat meat anymore but remember how the restaurants did it.
Warm meat+hot plate+very hot gravy.
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