All You Need Are Your Hands to Check the Doneness of Meat—No Thermometer Required?

To use the hand test on a piece of steak, compare the feeling of the cooked meat to the flesh on your hand . A rare steak will be soft, like the flesh on an open hand. A well-done steak is firm like the flesh when you press your pinky finger to your thumb.

What is the hand test for cooking meat?

To use the hand test on a piece of steak, compare the feeling of the cooked meat to the flesh on your hand . A rare steak will be soft, like the flesh on an open hand. A well-done steak is firm like the flesh when you press your pinky finger to your thumb.

What tool is used to test the doneness of meat?

A meat thermometer measures cooked meat's internal temperature to ensure it's safe to eat and matches your personal preference and tastes. Safe temperatures vary by cut of meat or food item. Generally, for roasts and chops, the minimal internal cooking temperature should be 145°F.

How to check temperature without a thermometer?

Checking for a fever without a thermometer Touching the forehead. Touching a person's forehead with the back of the hand is a common method of telling whether or not they have a fever. ... Pinching the hand. ... Looking for flushing in the cheeks. ... Checking urine color. ... Looking for other symptoms.

What can I do if I dont have a meat thermometer?

If you don't have a meat thermometer, there are three visual checks that must done. Pierce the thickest part of the meat with a fork or skewer and check that: The juices run clear . It is piping hot all the way through (it should be steaming)

How do you test the temperature of meat?

Safe internal cooking temperatures vary depending on the type of meat but are commonly around 145°F (65°C) for whole meats and 160–165°F (70–75°C) for ground meats . Be sure to choose a meat thermometer that works for you and use it regularly when preparing meat to ensure it's safe to eat.

What is doneness of meat?

Doneness is a gauge of how thoroughly cooked a cut of meat is based on its color, juiciness, and internal temperature . The gradations are most often used in reference to beef (especially steaks and roasts) but are also applicable to other types of meat.

How to tell if a brat is done without a thermometer?

Things You Should Know If you don't have a meat thermometer, check that the sausage is firm and has clear, runny juices . Cut it open and make sure the inside is brown, not pink. Before cooking sausages, boil or poach them first to ensure that they're done. Then, you can grill or fry them.

How do I test for doneness?

The most reliable method is to use a clean, accurate meat thermometer . Insert the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, but not touching fat, gristle, or bone.

How to check chicken without a thermometer?

Poke the Meat This method applies to chicken specifically. For properly cooked chicken, if you cut into it and the juices run clear, then the chicken is fully cooked. If the juices are red or have a pinkish color, your chicken may need to be cooked a bit longer.

All You Need Are Your Hands to Check the Doneness of Meat

In The Kitchen

No meat thermometer? Check the doneness of meat with this handy finger test.

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated April 01, 2024

12 Ratings

Problems With Using a Meat Thermometer

The problem with the meat thermometer approach is that when you poke a hole into the meat with a thermometer, it can let juices escape, juices that you would rather have stayed in the meat. For this reason, most experienced cooks rely on a "finger test" method, especially on steaks. (Whole roasts are better tested with a thermometer.)

How To Check the Doneness of Meat With Your Fingers

My mother has been trying to get me to test meat with my fingertips for years, and for years, being somewhat of a scaredy-cat (Won't it burn my fingers?), I ignored, avoided, and ran away from the idea.

Then, my friend David showed me up. Here's a guy who loves to grill but doesn't know how to boil water. (Really. Cannot boil water. Just ask him. He's proud of the fact.) David taught me how to test for the doneness of meat using this method. These days, half the time I don't even bother with a thermometer.

Now, the point of this story is not to embarrass David (though that would be fun if it were even possible) but to encourage you, if, like me, you've been shying away from trying this approach. This really isn't rocket science.

This is one of those things that gets easier with practice. The next time you cook a steak, even if you are still planning to rely on a meat thermometer, press on the meat here and there while it cooks, and compare the feeling of the meat with the following finger test. With practice, you will become more confident.

All You Need Are Your Hands to Check the Doneness of Meat—No Thermometer Required (4)

Does the Finger Test Work?

Chefs have been using this method for years. If you cook hundreds of steaks a week, it’s easy to get a feel for it.
But it does take a while to get the hang of it. Also, everyone’s palms are different. You need to practice a lot to see how meat cooked to the doneness you like translates to the firmness or softness of your own hand.
So, practice! It’s always a good idea to touch meat as it cooks (and no, you won’t get burned). Repetition and experience are what make this method work.

Best Steaks to Test With Your Fingers

The finger test is for meat you’re cooking with dry heat, like grilling or sauteing. So, it’s best used on cuts you’d cook that way, such as the following:

Meaty Recipes to Try the Finger Test On

Peppercorn Steak
How to Grill the Best Steak
Grilled Marinated Flank Steak
Steak on the Stovetop
Cowboy Steak With Chimichurri Sauce

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

The Finger Test to Check the Doneness of Meat

Method

Open the palm of your hand. Relax the hand. Take the index finger of your other hand and push on the fleshy area between the thumb and the base of the palm. Make sure your hand is relaxed. This is what raw meat feels like. (Check this out the next time you have a raw steak to cook.)

All You Need Are Your Hands to Check the Doneness of Meat—No Thermometer Required (5)

Now gently press the tip of your pinky and your thumb together. Again feel the fleshy area below the thumb. It should feel quite firm. This is what well done meat feels like when you press on it. (Check this out the next time you overcook a piece of meat.)

All You Need Are Your Hands to Check the Doneness of Meat—No Thermometer Required (6)

Press the tip of your ring finger and your thumb together. The flesh beneath the thumb should give a little more. This is what meat cooked to a medium doneness feels like.

All You Need Are Your Hands to Check the Doneness of Meat—No Thermometer Required (7)

Gently press the tip of your middle finger to the tip of your thumb. This is medium-rare.

All You Need Are Your Hands to Check the Doneness of Meat—No Thermometer Required (8)

Press the tip of your index finger to the tip of your thumb. The fleshy area below the thumb should give quite a bit. This is what meat cooked to rare feels like. Open up your palm again and compare raw to rare.

All You Need Are Your Hands to Check the Doneness of Meat—No Thermometer Required (2024)