The Baking Tool That Helps You Check Fish For Doneness

Unless you're eating a dish like sushi, poke, or sashimi that has been prepared in strict accordance with food safety guidelines, eating undercooked or raw fish is a culinary faux pas. Not only does accidentally undercooked fish have a less-than-appealing taste and texture, but it can also be dangerous. Confirming that your fish is done cooking can be tricky, but a cake tester can help you determine its readiness.

Although it's one of the more unexpected kitchen hacks, it's handy nonetheless. A cake tester is a thin metal rod that is inserted into cakes and other baked goods to check for uncooked dough or batter. To use one to test the doneness of your fish, which should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit, insert the baking tool into the center of your fish and keep it there for just a couple of seconds. Remove the cake tester and touch it to the area just underneath your lips or the back of your hand to gauge the temperature. If it's piping hot, your fish is likely overcooked. If it's warm, your fish is just right. And, of course, if it's cold or room temperature, your fish needs a little more time to cook.

Although a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to test for readiness, not every casual cook has one on hand. Luckily, there are many techniques to test fish for doneness, but how do they compare to the convenience of the cake tester method?

You can perform a fork test by gently inserting a fork into the thickest part of the fish and twisting to check if the flesh flakes easily, but this can give the meat a shredded appearance that disrupts the clean, smooth aesthetic of a fish fillet. A cake tester, on the other hand, is minimally invasive and won't compromise the visual quality of your dish.

You can also use your tactile senses to analyze the firmness of fish. When cooked, fish flesh firms up, and a touch test gauges how much resistance the fish provides. It's a quick way to assess doneness, but it requires experience to differentiate between the nuances of undercooked, perfectly cooked, and overcooked fish. Using a cake tester doesn't call for the same seasoned chef knowledge — it's either too hot or just right.

Another option is to simply look at the fish to determine doneness. You can combine visual cues with a cake tester to check the readiness of your fish. If the fish has an opaque color (or light pink in the case of salmon), moist texture, and glossy finish, it might be ready. If you recognize these signs, bust out your handy cake tester to know for sure.