Knowing When Food Is Done

There are few things more frustrating to the home cook than improper cooking.  You can go by time, temperature or simply by your own senses when judging doneness.  Here are some guidelines and ideas to help you along the way...

Time: Many cooks rely on the times given to them in recipes, not realizing that these times are merely estimates. Actual cooking times will be determined by many different factors such as, the different type of stove top, oven or grill you're using, the exact size or weight of the ingredients, and the starting temperature of the ingredients that you're using. If the recipe is telling you to bake something for 60 minutes, you should actually be setting your timer for 45 or 50 minutes and start checking for doneness at that time.

Temperature: Every home cook should spend $15 or more on a good digital instant-read thermometer. It's the best and most accurate tool for testing the temperature of food. The sensor is located on the tip of the digital models unlike the dial-face thermometers where the sensor is located at least one inch up from the tip. This can cause inaccurate readings on thin cuts of meat or shallow liquids.






Your Five Senses:  Believe it or not your five senses can be some of your best kitchen tools.  When you learn to rely on taste, touch, sight, smell and even sound to know when foods are done, you can consider yourself a seasoned home cook! It takes some practice and a few mishaps, but over time you'll become "in tune" with your food and your senses.

So, How Do I Know When My Food Is Done?????

Fish, Poultry and Meat: The following temperatures (in degrees Fahrenheit) are suggested for optimal flavor and juiciness. 

Fish:  Rare 110; Medium-Rare 120; Medium 140

While you can use an instant-read thermometer for checking the doneness of thicker fish fillets, in most cases you're going to have to rely on your senses. Nick the fish with a knife and look into the center. For instance, white fishes such as cod or snapper should be cooked to medium - the center should be opaque in color but still moist - the outer flesh should be beginning to flake.  Salmon should be cooked to medium-rare. The center should still be a little translucent while the outer flesh will begin to flake and you will see a thick white foam begin to appear on top. Tuna is best cooked to rare. Only the outer layer of the tuna should be opaque while the center is completely translucent.

Poultry: Well done - white meat 160 to 165 and dark meat 175

When checking the doneness of a chicken or turkey, use your digital instant-read thermometer to pierce the thickest part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast. Juices should run clear and not be pink or red. Avoid hitting bones as it will cause an error in the reading. 

If the bird is stuffed, you must check the temperature of the stuffing as well - put your thermometer directly into the center of the cavity and make sure the stuffing has reached a minimum temperature of 165 degrees. The USDA actually recommends cooking poultry to 180 degrees to eliminate any potential of food borne illness.

Beef, Lamb, Veal: Rare 125; Medium- Rare 130; Medium 140; Well-Done 160

With red meat, keep in mind that the temperature will continue to rise while the meat "rests", therefore you should remove it from the heat just before it reaches its optimal temperature for the doneness desired. (This phenomenon does not occur with fish and poultry). It takes some guesswork and trial-and-error to get this right! While "resting" the juices will be redistributing within the meat. Rest steaks, chops and roasts for 5-20 minutes, depending on the size - a steak needs less time to rest than a large roast. The thicker the cut, the more the temperature will rise, so allow for this change. A steak may rise 5 degrees or less while a roast might rise 10-15 degrees in temperature during the rest period. 
 

To get the most accurate reading on a roast, pierce your thermometer in at an angle - push it in deeply and slowly remove it - you are looking for the lowest temperature in the center of the roast. For a steak, which is obviously a thinner cut than a roast, hold the steak with tongs and pierce the thermometer into the side of the meat. Aim for the middle of the steak. This also works well for chops and burgers.

Pork: Medium 145; Well-Done 160

Treat cuts of pork just as you would the beef, lamb or veal as stated above. Ground pork should be cooked to well-done while chops and roasts are safe to eat at medium. (The USDA recommends 160 for any pork products).

So, What About Baked Goods and Other Foods?

 

Cookies: Judging the doneness of cookies is solely based on personal preference. If you enjoy a soft and chewy cookie, your bake time will be less than someone who prefers a cookie with some "bite" and crispness to it. For cookies that are moist and chewy, take them out of the oven when they are slightly underdone - about 2-3 minutes prior to the suggested bake time. For cookies that are more crisp, you'll want to bake them 2-3 minutes past the suggested baking time - remember to watch out for burning. 

 

Brownies: Not many people I know prefer a dry brownie. We all love the chewy, fudgy goodness of perfectly baked brownie. To test the doneness of brownies, simply use a toothpick or a skewer to test - if it comes out clean, they're done! Remember to start checking them with about 5 minutes left in the scheduled 

 

Double-Crust Pies: With pies, doneness is solely based on color. Look for a perfectly browned crust. If your top crust is nicely browned, its most likely that your bottom crust is not doughy. If you use a glass pie plate, you can check the bottom for doneness by simply looking at it.

Pasta: Perfectly done pasta will still have a little "bite" to it - this is where the term "al dente" comes from. To check for doneness, simply remove a piece from your cooking water and bite it in half. Use your senses - does it have a "little bite" or a lot? Is the center still white? If you like your pasta a little more done, cook it to al dente, then add it to the sauce you are using. The pasta will finish cooking in the sauce and absorb some of its flavor - this is how the Italians do it! 

Potatoes:  When baking potatoes, you should be able to easily slide a knife in and back out when they are done. If boiling the potatoes (whole), lift one out of the water with a knife - if it stays on the knife its not done, if it slides back into the water, it is done.  If the potatoes are peeled the pieces should just break apart when pierced with a knife. 

Rice: Everyone says, "rice is easy to make". But fluffy rice is another story! Cook your rice as directed on the package. When its done, remove it from the heat and place a folded kitchen towel between the lid and the pot. Set the pot aside for 10 minutes. The residual heat will continue to steam the rice while the towel absorbs the excess moisture, and whalah...fluffy rice!