This Is Best Way To Tell When Your Steak Is Just Right

Cooking a steak can be tricky business, and it can be hard to tell when your steak reaches the perfect temperature. A meat thermometer is all you need to take out the guessing game, gain confidence, and whip up a perfect steak every time. From a thick filet mignon to a New York strip and from the cast-iron pan to the oven, we've got all the recipes you need.

Whether you like your steak rare, well done, or somewhere in between, taking the temperature of your meat is a fool-proof method for achieving an impressive-looking, great-tasting, steakhouse-level dinner. Start with these general guidelines to apply to any cut of steak. And don't forget the sides!

Tips For Cooking Steak

Here are our top tips for making the perfect steak.

• Let your steak rest on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour before cooking. This allows it to come to room temperature and ensures that the internal temperature reading will be accurate. While you're at it, it's also a good time to season the steak all over with salt and pepper.
• Know your salt. Our editors advise, "Avoid standard table and iodized salts. Anything with a fine grain has a tendency to over season your steak. Instead, sprinkle on medium grain sea salt to compliment your grilled beef."
• Rotate and flip your steak often while grilling to develop a nice crust. If your steak isn't sizzling, the grill is not hot enough.
• Don't cook to the final temp. Thanks to residual heat, your steak will continue to cook even after you pull it off the grill. For this reason, we advise removing your steak from the heat when it's five degrees shy of your desired temperature. It will fully cook to your desired doneness while it rests. Which brings us to the next tip...
• Let it rest. After removing your steak from the heat, let it rest on a platter for 5 minutes to seal in all those juices, then slice it against the grain.

How To Use A Meat Thermometer

Beginners and experts alike rely on this handy gadget to gauge precisely when a cut of meat is done. A meat thermometer will come in handy when cooking steak, lamb, chicken, or that Thanksgiving turkey; the exact temperature reading will ensure that you don't undercook your meat, which is a food safety hazard, or overcook it, which will dry it out.

To get an accurate temperature reading, place the thermometer in the meat while it's still cooking in the pan, oven, or on the grill. Do not take it off the heat before gauging the temperature.

The most important thing to remember is to insert your thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding any bones or fat. You should insert the probe at least a 1/2-inch into the meat. If your cut is thicker than an inch, you will want to go even deeper to reach the center.

How To Measure Cook Times and Temperatures

To gauge exactly when your steak is cooked to your liking, take its internal temperature. These are the temperature benchmarks you're looking for:

• Rare (red): 125°F-130°F ; Estimated Cook Time: 8 minutes
• Medium Rare (pink): 130°F-135°F; Estimated Cook Time: 9 minutes
• Medium (light pink): 135°F-140°F; Estimated Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Medium-Well: 140°F-150°F; Estimated Cook Time: 11 minutes
• Well-Done: 155°F or above; Estimated Cook Time: 12 minutes or more

How To Cook Steak To Desired Doneness

Medium-Rare: The steak will be charred on the outside and just warmed through on the inside with a ruby-red color. Cooking your steak rare really allows the flavor of the meat to shine, but it's not for the faint of heart.

To cook a rare steak, place it on a hot grill for approximately 5 minutes. Flip, rotate, and move to another spot on the grill. Cook an additional 3 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 125ºF (it will continue to cook while resting). Let rest for 3 minutes, slice, and serve.

Medium-rare: A charred exterior and a pink, but not bloody, interior makes this one of the most coveted preparations for various cuts of meat.

To cook a medium-rare steak, place it on a hot grill for approximately 5 minutes. Flip, rotate, and move to another spot on the grill. Cook an additional 4 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 130°F (it will continue to cook while resting). Let rest for 5 minutes, slice and serve.

Medium: Not too pink, but not overcooked, a medium steak is a great middle ground for most people.

To cook a medium steak, place it on a hot grill for approximately 4 minutes. Flip, rotate, and move to another spot on the grill. Cook an additional 4 minutes, then move to another spot on the grill. Cook an additional 2 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 135°F (it will continue to cook while resting). Let rest for 5 minutes, slice and serve.

Medium Well: The U.S. Food and Drug Adminisration (FDA) recommends cooking steak to the temperature of 145ºF, which will result in a medium-well steak. While many experts say it's safe to consume meat that hasn't come all the way up to 145ºF, for those who are elderly or immunocompromised, it's better to err on the safe side.

To cook a medium-well steak, place it on a hot grill for approximately 4 minutes. Flip, rotate, and move to another spot on the grill. Cook an additional 4 minutes, then move to another spot on the grill. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF (it will continue to cook while resting). Let rest for 5 minutes, slice and serve.

Well Done: A well done steak will have only the faintest hint of pink and be nicely charred all around. Cooking your steak only to 155ºF will ensure that it does not dry out.

Place it on a hot grill for approximately 4 minutes. Flip, rotate, and move to another spot on the grill. Cook an additional 4 minutes, then move to another spot on the grill. Cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 150ºF (it will continue to cook while resting). Let rest for 5 minutes, slice and serve.

How To Tell When Steak Is Done Without a Thermometer

Still waiting for your new meat thermometer to arrive in the mail? Don't worry, you can still achieve perfectly-cooked steak without any fancy gadgets. It's not the most accurate, but you can use your own hands to do the "touch test."

To tell if your steak is done, lightly pinch your thumb and pointer fingers together without any pressure; press the part of your hand just below the thumb. If it's the same soft texture as the steak it's rare. For medium rare, lightly press your middle finger and thumb together, and press the same area below the thumb. If it's similarly slightly firm but still cushy, it's medium rare.

Do the same for gauging steak's firmness for medium and well done by pinching together your ring finger and then your pinky, respectively. By the time your pinky and thumb are lightly touching, the ball under your thumb should feel firm, just as a firm steak would be well done.