Labor Day Trick – How to check your steaks with no thermometer!
It’s here, the last hurrah of summer, Labor Day weekend. The weekend we as Americans celebrate the hard efforts of working citizens. What better way then to give us a day off right? Just like with every other holiday we celebrated this summer, Labor Day takes us out to the grill or barbecue.
If steaks or burgers are on your meal plan for this weekend, I have a great tip for you. My Dad was always the master of the grill when I was growing up. He always knew exactly when to take off the meat for the perfect temperature, no matter the order. As I grew older I started to ask him, “How do you know? Is it magic?” He replied, “It’s all in your hand.”
Here’s my secret trick to getting your steaks the perfect serving temperature with NO thermometer!
- First, prepare your steaks as directed in your recipe, or whatever comes to your mind!
TIP: Do NOT send your meat loving husband to the store to pick up the steaks. You will get a hefty grocery bill, and 2″ thick steaks!
- Second heat up your grill to medium high heat.
I like mine right around 450 degrees
- Next place your steaks onto the grill and sear each side for approximately one to two minutes.
Placed and seared
- Then keep your meat on the second side for another 5 minutes. Then flip.
Take care not to burn yourself. These flare ups you see are because I need to clean my grill, not for extra fancy pictures.
- Now here’s the trick! Close the grill, and while the other side is cooking take out your hand and let’s do a little practice.
This is your thumb pad. I’m sure it has some fancy name, but I’m a simple girl. The thumb pad is where you will “feel” to test your steaks.
- Place your thumb to your finger as shown below, then with your opposite pointer finger press against your thumb pad and that’s how the steak should feel for that temperature.
It’s as easy as that.
- Now open your grill and put it to the test. Using CLEAN hands take your opposite pointer finger and press onto the steak. Then using the hand trick above, press the finger you tested the steak onto your thumb pad and you can see where your steak is at in the cooking process.
We’re medium rare folks around here.
- And then take out your fancy steak knives that you only use once in a blue moon, and cut into it to see how well you did.
Perfection.
Brilliant!