On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 301

succulent there because less thoroughly cooked Finally, cooking time depends on how the meat’s surface is treated Naked or basted meat evaporates moisture from its surface, which cools the meat and slows cooking, but a layer of fat or a film of oil forms a barrier to such evaporation and can cut cooking times by a fifth With so many variables affecting cooking time, it’s clear that no formula or recipe can predict it infallibly It’s up to the cook to monitor the cooking and decide when it should stop Judging Doneness The best instruments for monitoring the doneness of meat remain the cook’s eye and finger Measuring internal temperature with a thermometer works well for roasts but not for smaller cuts (Standard kitchen thermometers register temperature along an inch span of their thick metal shaft, not just at the tip Dial thermometers also 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 ... 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. .. 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... 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