Restaurant cooking tip: Use the Touch Test to make sure meat is cooked properly.

Needs another five minutes

Sometimes in fast-pasted kitchens, we need little cooking hacks to get the job done without too much of our time. One trick that used to be taught in culinary schools is how to test meat for doneness without using a thermometer.

Some chefs believe that using a meat thermometer isn’t the best way to test for doneness because puncturing the fillet will release the juices. We’re going to teach you the Touch Test so that you can cook steak to order quickly and efficiently without stabbing unnecessary holes.

The Touch Test

First, hold out your left hand, palm up. Poke the left side of your hand by the base of the thumb. That’s how you know what raw meat should feel like.

Now, make an OK sign with your hand (touching your forefinger and thumb together) and this should feel a little bit firmer which is comparable to a rare streak.

Touching you middle finger and your thumb will feel like medium rare steak.

Continue this patter with your ring and pinky fingers to determine medium-well and well done.

Overall this trick works very well and can save you a lot of time.

If you’re still confused, take a look at this hack in action.