We thawed steaks from the deep freeze and while breaking in my new Thermapen Mk4 they read 170F but when I went to take the temp reading they oozed red. I sliced two open and this is how they looked. I know they're fine to eat but why would they still be that red at well done temps? Cuts are CAB chuck tenderloin steak and CAB top sirloin petite steak
Equipment
Primo Oval xl
Slow n Sear (two)
Drip n Griddle
22" Weber Kettle
26" Weber Kettle one touch
Blackstone 36†Pro Series
Sous vide machine
Kitchen Aid
Meat grinder
sausage stuffer
5 Crock Pots Akootrimonts
Two chimneys (was 3 but rivets finally popped, down to 1)
cast iron pans,
Dutch ovens
Signals 4 probe, thermapens, chef alarms, Dots, thermapop and maverick T-732, RTC-600, pro needle and various pocket instareads. The help and preferences
1 extra fridge and a deep chest freezer in the garage
KBB
FOGO
A 9 year old princess foster child
Patience and old patio furniture
"Baby Girl" The cat
Something doesn't seem right. 150 degrees is about as warm as most people can stand to hold their hand on for more than a few seconds. Did the inside feel hot to the touch?
I don't doubt that you got a good hot exterior, based on how that sear looks. But you are holding it with fingers on the exterior, not interior. I just don't believe the inside of that meat got anywhere near 170. That is a picture perfect medium rare, in my book! The question in my mind is how did you finish them to well done, since that is what you were apparently going for?
I wanted medium rare and these hit the spot! What happened was my wife was cooking dinner and thought it was odd her thermometer read them at 165 and saw a lot of red coming out. She called me and asked if I wanted to check with my mk4 to see if her thermometer was finally toast. When I did I got closer to 170.
I put the probe lengthwise through the middle on a different cut also (pics 1 and 2) and all of the steaks were coming out like this. I'm fine with how they turned out and the kids devoured them, I've just never seen it happen at a high temp. I did a heat test on the mk4 and it passed.
That doesn’t look right to me. One thing to remember if you are new to the thermapen is that the sensor is in the very tip - like the last 1/8 of an inch. This is not like other thermometers younmay have used, which average the temp of the entire probe tip. I suspect you pushed it past the center of the meat and were measuring the more cooked band at the bottom of the steak. Either insert from the edge, where you know you are in the middle of the steak, or insert and slowly pull back up and look for the lowest reading.
After I poked it from the top I realized what I did and came in through the side (pics one and 2) length wiese and had the same results. Tried it with another thermometer also and results were pretty close. That's why I'm scratching my head.
I did a boiling water test and nailed it. My wife cut the others open and they were all the same way. She measured with her thermometer going in lengthwise and was only a few degrees off. I could barely hold with my fingers the meat was so hot.
Coincidentally, or accidentally, you have cooked the PERFECT steak! That looks marvelous! As noted, the Thermapen is extremely sensitive. Once you finally punch through one side, you are dang near reading the bottom side. I like the side probe method on steaks so I know what the middle is doing. The pull out method is great also. As always too, give the ole Thermapen an good test in boiling water. No matter who you are. Know your tools.
Thermoworks has very good steps for checking your thermometer calibration using an ice bath. That will get you 32F/0C checked at least. Boiling water temp will depend slightly in your altitude.
Also meat turns red/pink only when cut and exposed to oxygen. Maybe a really juicy steak could still turn pink at 170, once cut and exposed to oxygen. Most are too dried out to have any myoglobin left by that temp.
In any case, when heat is applied to red meat, myoglobin begins to transform. At 140 degrees Fahrenheit — the temperature at which red meat it considered "rare" — myoglobin remains relatively intact with little to no change in color. As the internal temperature of the meat rises above 140 degrees, however, myoglobin loses its stability and forms a new molecule called hemichrome. Hemichrome is the compound that gives medium-cooked red meat its slightly browned color.
We’re not done yet. Internal temperatures continue to climb until the meat has reached a blistering 170 degrees Fahrenheit, the point at which it’s considered "well-done." By this time, the myoglobin has been completely altered and has lost all of its red color.
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i would say probe placement as well. remember, it's the very tip of the thermopen that takes the temp. if you poke it in and go too far you were likely reading the spot closest to the grill which would be pretty hot
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