App Review: Omaha Steaks Steak Time

Here's the situation: You have several folks over for steaks on the grill. Each one of them likes a different cut and doneness. How do you make sure all the steaks are ready at the same time? Sure, you know to start the steaks sentenced to being well done before the medium and rare steaks, but how do you time it so they all are done together?

Enter Omaha Steak's free Android app Steak Time.

Steak Time is basically a multi-timer application that allows you to create separate custom timers for each steak you are cooking. The timers tell you when to put the steak on the grill, when to flip them, and when they are all done. This is what makes Steak Time so helpful. Each steak is staggered based on total cooking time so all of them are done at the same time.

And Steak Time plays a jaunty tune to let you know when the steaks are ready.

More on how to use Steak Time when you grill, and its other features after the jump.

To get started, you create the timers. You give each timer a name then select the thickness and desired doneness.

Thickness ranges from 1/2 inch to 2 inches in quarter inch increments.

Doneness is your standard Rare to Well done.

Once you have the timers created, you just start them and Steak Time takes it from there.

The screenshots above show the timer summary, which lists each timer from the longest to the shortest. So you know what order the steaks will go on.

Once you've started, the active timer list shows each timer counting down. It notifies you when to add each steak and when to flip them. The flip time is based on Omaha Steaks' recommended 60-40 rule. Cook the steak for 60% of the time on the first side, then flip and finish on the other side for the last 40%.

Finally, that jaunty tune plays when the steaks are all done.

Overall, the timer functions are very good. But I do wish the timers would show the time to add the steaks as well as the flip time instead of just as tic marks on the timer bars. It would be helpful to know just how long there is before the next flip.

In addition to the timer, Steak Time has a good selection of recipes, from filet mignons, to rib eyes, to burgers. A nice feature with each recipe is the button to add all the ingredients to your grocery list. You can then send that list to an email address or any other app you have set up (such as Evernote).

The app also has a Steak 101 section, featuring helpful tips for cooking steaks, such as the 60-40 rule. It also has a variety of how-to videos, but I haven't spent any time looking at them.

And of course, the button that takes you to OmahaSteaks.com is right in the center of the bottom navigation row.