MASTER THE ART OF COOKING MEAT: THE TOUCH METHOD

‍

Cooking is an art form that involves all our senses, including the sense of touch. Knowing how to check the level of doneness at any given moment is an invaluable asset when it comes to mastering your cooking. It ensures that every piece of meat is perfectly prepared, tender and delicious.

‍

‍

The importance of properly cooking meat

‍

Indeed, to perfectly cook a piece of meat according to one's taste can be a real challenge. It requires the ability to know the current state of doneness of a piece of meat (blue, rare, medium or well done) without having to cut through it. To achieve this, there's no secret, you'll need to master the following technique.

‍

‍

The touch method

‍

One of the advantages of our sense of touch is its sensitivity to subtle changes in texture. Did you know that by using your fingers and by applying a gentle pressure to the meat you are cooking, you can assess its degree of doneness with surprising accuracy?

‍

‍

Raw

Raw meat is soft and offers very little resistance. When you press gently on the meat, it deforms with no resistance, just like the base of your thumb when you apply pressure with the index finger of your other hand.

‍

‍

Rare

For a rare doneness, meat must be tender yet slightly resistant to pressure. When you press gently on the meat, it deforms without great resistance, similar to the base of your thumb when you touch your thumb and forefinger together.

‍

‍

Medium

Medium cooked meat is firmer to the touch. When you press it down, you'll feel a slight resistance, similar to what you will feel at the base of your thumb when it is touching your middle finger.

‍

‍

Medium-well

When meat is medium-well done, it becomes firm to the touch and significantly resists pressure, just like the base of your thumb when you touch your ring finger.

‍

‍

Well done

Well done meat is tough and resists strong pressure, in the same way that the base of your thumb resists pressure when you're touching your little finger.

‍

‍

Tips from East Angus Grocery

‍

The best way to master this technique is to practice it regularly. The cuts of meat and cooking methods can vary, so experience will help you perfect your skills. Here are a few additional tips to help you:

‍

• Make sure your hands are clean before touching the meat.

• Use the same hand to assess cooking throughout the process.

• Remember that meat continues to cook for a few minutes after being removed from the heat source.

‍

‍

Bon appétit!

‍

‍