require frequent recalibration to maintain
their accuracy.) The simplest way to be sure is
to cut into the meat and check its color (the
loss of fluid is local and minor).
The influence of cooking temperature on the
evenness of cooking. Left: In meat cooked
through over high heat, the outer layer gets
overcooked while the center reaches the
desired temperature. Right: In meat cooked
through over low heat, the outer layers get
less overcooked, and the meat is more evenly
done.
Most professional cooks still evaluate
meats by their “feel” and by the way their
juices flow:
Bleu meat, cooked at the surface but just
warmed within, remains relatively
unchanged — soft to the touch, like the
muscle between thumb and forefinger