Doneness is a rating of how fully meat is cooked, based on its colour, juiciness and internal temperature. You most commonly use those grades for beef, for instance for steaks and roasts, they also work for other meats. Basically, it simply says how well the meat is cooked
In United States, Canada and many European lands you recognise six levels of doneness. Those are: blue, rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well done. The corresponding internal temperatures are 115, 125, 135, 145, 150 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to Tell If Meat Is Done
Rare steak has red centre, maybe with a bit of blood. Medium rare meat has dark pink around red centre; it stays soft to preserve precious juices. Medium steak has warm pink centre and a bit firmer texture.
If the steak is medium well, its centre is mostly brown and firm. To decide which level to choose, you consider the kind of meat and own prefrences.
The USDA says to cook steaks and roasts until 145 degrees Fahrenheit (medium level), then leave them rest for at least three minutes. Ground beef should reach at least 160 degrees, which is “well done”. Chickens and turkey birds also require 160 degrees, because they can carry salmonella bacteria, that do not die at lower temperature.
The most precise and simple way to check doneness is use meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature. Because each bit of meat has different size, trust only in the time per pound could easily lead to too much or too little cook. The internal temperature is the most important part, regardless of the method.
Thermometers ensure same results whether grilling, roasting or pan-searing. A cake tester or thin metal pin also can help estimate the doneness in a pinch.
Other way is press the meat with your fingertips. Even so, every person has different fingers, and factors as muscle tone or thickness can give different results. You need years of experience to determine the doneness only by feeling.
The temperature continues to rise about five to fifteen degrees after you remove the meat from the oven. Big bits you should remove around ten degrees before the target, and smaller bits around five degrees before. It is very important to leave the meat rest after the cook.
If you cut the meat too quickly, the juices will flow out and leave the protein dry. Fish should be opaque outside and inside, and shrimp should be pink outside with opaque interior.