Steak/meat thermometer

SkeeterUK

SkeeterUK

SkeeterUK

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Hi all.

Always had a bit of trouble with steaks getting them to have slight redness in middle while lookin nice and cooked on the outside. So was thinking of a meat/steak thermometer.

Had a look on amazon and theres some for a fiver. Are they worth it you reckon or is it not worth it untill a certain price point. I dont want to spend more than a few quid on one tbh.

I mean would this be reasonable to try?

Kitchen Craft Meat Thermometer, Stainless Steel for about 3.99? Is this more for large meats like legs of lamb or roasts or would it be suitable for rump and sirloin steaks etc?
 
Pointless IMO, there's hundreds of techniques for cooking steaks where you don't need as thermometer.

If you want colouring but cooking to long on the inside then you're not hot enough.

I have a basic tefal red dot pan, olive oil, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper all over the steak, use a quality piece of meat from whatever cut you like about a thumb thick.

I use the ten minute rule

Heat the pan flat out
Set you extractor to full
Open some windows
Slap the steak in the pan
2 minutes
turn
2 minutes
6 minutes wrapped in silver foil wrapped in tea towels

3
3
4
for medium

4
4
2
for well done
 
Pointless or not i want one, i know how to cook steaks generally well enough but im after somit for more precision. While i appreciate your post i dont really want any guides as i know em. I just want advice on which thermometer to get for a fiver or less ideally that would be good for medium to medium well done steaks.
 
You can't get a decent steak one for a fiver most probes are 6" long, do you know where the best place to stick the probe/ how far down? the range of temperature will be quite a lot from the outside to the inside for a thermometer designed for a joint of meat you'll get such a wild variation of temperature from on of those cheap ones, I'd think you'd need digital at least.
 
maccapacca said:
Pointless IMO, there's hundreds of techniques for cooking steaks where you don't need as thermometer.
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The only thing that's pointless is you giving someone advise how to cook a steak based on a combination of your experience, your equipment and your individual taste.

All of which mean precisely nothing when it comes to someone else as replicating that is nigh-on impossible.

The only true measure of 'doneness' when it comes to cooking any protein is the internal temperature. And the only way to reliably and accurately measure that is with an instant-read digital temperature probe.

SkeeterUK said:
I mean would this be reasonable to try?
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As you surmise, these are more suited to leaving in a large joint of meat whilst cooking in an oven, for example.

You need something like this.

It's no Thermapen, but it's a decent, reliable digital probe which is accurate enough for your needs and won't break the bank in the process.
 
The Digiflex Avax one's are pretty good for the price.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do at all, but the one thing I will say is doing things like poking needles in the meat and cutting it while cooking to check redness will toughen the steak up terribly.

You need to keep the moisture locked in the fibres. Cutting it just releases it all.

Also, let the steak warm up to room temperature before cooking. Otherwise, all the heat energy is spent just warming the steak on the inside and the outside gets cindered before you achieve the redness you want.

Again, i'm not trying to tell you what to do, just a couple of pointers that may improve your steak cooking. If you do use a probe, try to use it when you think the steak has cooked and does not need turning anymore, and use it in the same place. Don't keep digging new holes. This may keep the juices in a little better. Flip the steak and they will just run out.
 
Cheers i will have a think about that digi one, i wasnt sure of digi ones as the lcd on them might be total crap and have corrupted displays after awhile while the analogue ones wouldnt.

Yeah i know about the steak 30 mins or so out of fridge first, dont poke or cut etc of if needs are must then do it at the end.

Its mainly to perfect timing and how hot the pan is etc really also after ive used it ill share it around the family so they can try it if they want to. Each pan and cooker is different well the ones i usually see at mine or mums or sisters generally can be sometimes. So thought id try to hone the times better for my specific cooker and pans. Like i said i generally dont need to but i do want to try to get a medium maybe that is done properly so a thermometer could help catch that time with my equipment better.
 
robfosters said:
I'm not trying to tell you what to do at all, but the one thing I will say is doing things like poking needles in the meat and cutting it while cooking to check redness will toughen the steak up terribly.
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Good job you're not telling him what to do as what you would be telling him is a load of old twaddle.

robfosters said:
You need to keep the moisture locked in the fibres. Cutting it just releases it all.
Click to expand...
No. Nothing like this happens. Utter rubbish.

robfosters said:
Also, let the steak warm up to room temperature before cooking. Otherwise, all the heat energy is spent just warming the steak on the inside and the outside gets cindered before you achieve the redness you want.
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There is very little reason to want to bring a steal up to room temperature as the effort far outweighs the result.

Even getting the core temperature of a thin-cut steak takes multiple hours and the difference between one straight from the fridge and one that's been sat out for hours is barely noticeable.

The cooking method is far, far more important than the starting point for the internal temperate of the meat.

Next you'll be telling us that steak needs gentle treatment and shouldn't be poked and prodded in case your precious juices just run out like some sort of gunshot victim being turned over on gurney in the ER!

robfosters said:
Again, i'm not trying to tell you what to do, just a couple of pointers that may improve your steak cooking. If you do use a probe, try to use it when you think the steak has cooked and does not need turning anymore, and use it in the same place. Don't keep digging new holes. This may keep the juices in a little better. Flip the steak and they will just run out.
Click to expand...
Ah...
 
If you want plenty of juicy steak in rads then you need a thick cut of steak, I always go for. Steak around 1-1.5" thick, you can then really char the outside putting ona tasty bark but have the inside left anywhere from cold and raw to medium rare.
 
glitch said:
Good job you're not telling him what to do as what you would be telling him is a load of old twaddle.

No. Nothing like this happens. Utter rubbish.

There is very little reason to want to bring a steal up to room temperature as the effort far outweighs the result.

Even getting the core temperature of a thin-cut steak takes multiple hours and the difference between one straight from the fridge and one that's been sat out for hours is barely noticeable.

The cooking method is far, far more important than the starting point for the internal temperate of the meat.

Next you'll be telling us that steak needs gentle treatment and shouldn't be poked and prodded in case your precious juices just run out like some sort of gunshot victim being turned over on gurney in the ER!

Ah...
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If you've got something to say, say it in a reasonable way. Your sardonic manner does not help your cause. I'm sick of this forum lately. People just seem to be getting ruder and ruder.
 
robfosters said:
If you've got something to say, say it in a reasonable way. Your sardonic manner does not help your cause. I'm sick of this forum lately. People just seem to be getting ruder and ruder.
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I'm terribly sorry if my rebuttal of your somewhat fanciful claims have offended your delicate sensibilities.

I for one would only be too delighted to hear you explain your in-depth knowledge of the methodology of steak cooking, as it would appear there is a lot that we have yet to learn.

The floor, as they say, is yours.
 
arknor said:
just get a £5 one from ebay they work fine...

tested mine on boiling water and it was spot on
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A £5 eBay thermometer ain't a thermapen

A superfast thermapen is great for getting steak just right - but remember the core temp will rise a bit after cooking. Any other probe thermometer is going to take too long to give a decent reading
 
Yeah Thermapen's are awesome, your cheapo ones will take an age to get up to temperature, insta-temp for the win :p
 
Seconded on the thermapen, quick and accurate.

A cheapo thermometer might do joints (ie you leave it in while roasting) but won't be accurate to the degree.

Don't even bother with cheap digitals, massive waste of time.
 
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