Gordon Ramsay's Foolproof Method For Determining The Doneness Of Your Steak

Whether it's inconsistencies in thickness, how hot your pan is, what oil you choose, or even what salt you season your meat with, it can be almost impossible to tell (without a great deal of experience) how done your steak really is. There are also rules, like the rule of threes, that work great for some steaks, but not so well for others. Luckily for despairing home chefs, Gordon Ramsay is once again coming to your rescue with a tip that determines the doneness of your steak quickly and easily.

Simply start off your steak as you normally would (bring it up to room temperature first!) Then, once you've got that requisite color and you suspect your steak is nearing completion, you can give it a gentle prod with your finger. The amount of resistance you're met with should give you a good idea as to how done your steak is. How? Well, it's as easy as poking at your own hand. According to Ramsay, the base of your palm opposite your thumb has the same amount of resistance as a rare steak (via YouTube). For medium, move down to the top of your wrist, and for a well done steak's approximate texture, poke the point where your wrist joins your forearm. It's as effective as it is simple, and a foolproof way for gauging the doneness of your steak in a pinch!

When it comes to the right way to tell if your meat is cooked, the debate often comes down to two schools of thought. The scientists among us would opt for a probe thermometer — after all, it is the only way to accurately know exactly what temperature your meat is at any one time. Everything else, with the best will in the world, is educated guesswork. With a thermometer, you can pull your steak at the exact moment it reaches the temperature you need (135 degrees Fahrenheit for medium/medium rare). 

Pulling it at this precise moment will allow it to come up to its final temperature as it rests (the most crucial step of cooking any steak, according to Anthony Bourdain). The problem with using a thermometer, though, is that it pokes a hole in your steak which juices can leak out of — juices you'd prefer to stay inside the meat.

If you insist on doing things the old fashioned way, there's another palm-prodding tip that gives you a little more precision than Ramsay's method. Put the tip of your thumb to the tip of your index finger and press down on the fleshy part of your palm just below your thumb with your other hand. This will give you a good reference point for the texture of rare steak. Then, with each finger comes a new degree of doneness. It's that easy, and with enough practice, you won't even need the reference!