Rare-Medium-Well test

How does a hotline chef judge the doneness of a steak without slicing it? He joins his index finger to his thumb and then presses on the pad of flesh just below the thumb. That’s what a Rare steak feels like. He presses on the steak as it’s grilling to see how much longer he’s got to cook it.

Joining his middle finger and thumb, he can simulate what a Medium steak feels like. The ring finger to thumb connection produces more tightness in the pad under his thumb—this is Well Done. (HTBB, p 354–56)