Yom Haatzmaut first aid! How to tell when your steak is done & cooked to perfection.
If you have been nominated to manage the Yom Haatzmaut traditional barbecue, there are a few tricks to keep up your sleeve. Use them and everyone will think that you are an expert chef. Aside from counting empty beer bottles, the most important task of the day is to ensure your family’s steaks are grilled to perfection. Here is the secret, a tried and tested way to test for doneness:
Put your thumb and one of your other fingers (as indicated in the image) together lightly; poke the ball of your palm with your other hand. The feel, or resistance, indicates how firm your beef steak should be for the desired doneness.
Once you have cooked your steaks on both sides and think they are ready, follow the instructions below. If the firmness of the steak is the same on the ball of your palm…it is time to take the steak off to rest.
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- Rare steaks. Make a circle with your index finger and thumb, and press the ball on the palm side of your thumb. Steaks with the same soft texture will be rare.
- Medium-rare steaks. Make a circle with your middle finger and thumb, and press the ball of your thumb. Steaks with the same soft and springy feel will be medium rare.
- Medium steaks. Make a circle with your ring finger and thumb, and press the ball of your thumb. Steaks with the same springy feel will be medium.
- Well-done steaks. Make a circle with your little finger and thumb, and press the ball of your thumb. Steaks with the same firm feeling will be well done.
Remember, before putting your food on the BBQ, you will need a Naf-Naf – a traditional Israeli barbecue accessory to ensure a perfect fire and flame.
When your starving family is nagging for their food, there is one more Israeli trick – put your thumb and all your other fingers together lightly (cone-shaped), and shake your hand up and down a few times from your wrist. This is the Israeli way of saying “savlanut” or patience. While you reassure them that their steak will be done in a few minutes, you can drink another beer and add the soon-to-be empty bottle to your collection.
