If you’ve ever stood over the grill thinking “Is this done yet?”—you’re not alone.
Everyone’s been there. You don’t want to pull it too early and ruin it… but leave it too long, and suddenly that perfect cut of meat is dry, tough, and disappointing.
That’s the frustrating part. You can do everything else right—good fire, good seasoning, solid technique—and still miss the mark just by getting the timing wrong.
But once you understand temperature, that all changes.
You stop guessing. You stop second-guessing yourself. And more importantly—you start getting it right, every time.
It’s Not About Cooking Longer—It’s About Knowing When
A lot of people think better results come from cooking longer or being extra careful.
It’s actually the opposite.
Every cut of meat has a point where it’s perfect. Where the texture feels right, the juices stay in, and the flavour comes through properly.
Go past that point, even by a little, and you start losing it.
That’s why temperature matters. It tells you exactly where you are—so you’re not relying on guesswork or timing that might not apply to your fire.
So… What Temperatures Are You Actually Aiming For?
You don’t need to memorise everything. Just get familiar with the key ranges, and it starts to feel natural pretty quickly.
For Steak (Beef)
- Rare: 50–52°C
- Medium Rare: 54–57°C
- Medium: 60–63°C
If you’re cooking over fire, most people aim for medium rare. It’s where you get the best balance—tender, juicy, and full of flavour.
For Chicken
- Done (and safe): 74°C
Chicken’s a bit less forgiving. Undercook it and it’s a problem. Overcook it and it dries out fast.
The sweet spot is pulling it right when it hits temperature—not a minute later.
For Pork
- Juicy and tender: around 63°C
Pork doesn’t need to be cooked to death anymore. A slight blush in the middle is completely fine—and a lot better to eat.
For Burgers
- Fully cooked: 70°C
Because it’s ground meat, this one’s simple—cook it through, but don’t overdo it.
The Biggest Shift: Stop Cooking to Time
“Four minutes each side.”
We’ve all heard it. And sometimes it works.
But most of the time, it doesn’t.
Every fire is different. The thickness of your meat changes everything. Even wind and weather can affect how your grill behaves.
That’s why time alone doesn’t hold up.
Temperature does.
Once you start paying attention to it, things become way more consistent—and a lot less stressful.
Pull It Sooner Than You Think
This is something a lot of people don’t realise at first.
When you take meat off the grill, it keeps cooking.
Even off the heat, the internal temperature continues to rise slightly. That’s called carryover cooking.
So if you wait until it’s exactly where you want it before pulling it off, you’ve already gone a bit too far.
Instead, pull it just before… and let it finish resting.
That’s how you land it right where you want it.
What Happens After the Grill Matters Too
You’ve done everything right up to this point—don’t undo it at the end.
One thing that makes a bigger difference than people expect is how you cut your meat.
If your knife is dull, you’ll feel it straight away. You end up sawing through it, pressing down harder than you need to, and that’s when the juices start running out.
Keeping your blade aligned is what makes those clean cuts possible.
The 10” Honing Steel is built for exactly that. It keeps your edge straight and sharp between uses, so when it comes time to slice into your steak, you’re not fighting the knife—you’re just guiding it through.
It’s one of those small details that quietly makes everything feel better.
Try Not to Cut Into It Too Early
It’s tempting.
You want to check if it’s done, so you slice into it and take a look.
But every time you do that, you’re letting heat and juices escape. It’s a quick way to undo a good cook.
Instead, trust your temperature. Or give it a bit of time and learn how it feels.
The less you interfere, the better your results.
Let It Rest Just for a Few Minutes
This part’s easy to skip, but it’s worth it.
Letting your meat rest allows everything to settle. The juices redistribute, the texture holds, and when you finally cut into it, it stays exactly how it should.
You don’t need long:
- A few minutes for smaller cuts
- A bit longer for larger ones
That’s it.
When It All Starts to Feel Easy
At some point, this stops feeling complicated.
You’ll know roughly where things should be. You’ll trust your timing a bit more. You won’t feel the need to constantly check or second guess.
And that’s when cooking becomes enjoyable again.
You’re not chasing the result—you’re just working with it.
Cook With More Confidence Every Time
Once you understand temperature, everything else becomes easier. You’re not relying on luck anymore—you’re just making small adjustments and getting consistent results.
If you’re ready to take that a step further and build a setup that gives you more control every time you cook, take a look through the Spring Sale and start putting together gear you’ll actually rely on at the fire.