Because steaks firm up as they cook, one way to test them for doneness is the poke test. By lightly pressing the meat with your forefinger you can get a feel for how done it is and how much longer it needs to cook. A rare steak will be soft; a medium-rare steak, gently yielding; a medium steak, firm; a well-done steak, very firm.

At the restaurant where I apprenticed in France I was taught to press the fleshy part of my relaxed palm, just beside my thumb, and look for the same soft texture in my steaks. It takes some practice.

The poke test is ineffective for burgers. Mince (ground meat) does not firm up in the same way. To check a burger for doneness you can instead try gauging its doneness according to the darkening colours and drying topography of the burger’s exterior as it cooks or, for greater confidence and precision, use a meat thermometer.