Is there a way to poke and prod the meat to tell if it's done? According to chef Michael Symon [1] of ABC's The Chew, there's only one dependable way to tell if grilled meat is cooked through. "A thermometer is the best way," he affirms. "It's the best investment home cooks can make. There are tricks with using your hands and stuff like that. If you're a very seasoned cook, you instinctively know with timing and stuff what needs to be done, but for grilling outside, a thermometer that you can put in the meat is just dummy-proof."