{"id":6343,"date":"2022-09-29T16:16:00","date_gmt":"2022-09-29T16:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/?p=6343"},"modified":"2022-11-03T04:27:15","modified_gmt":"2022-11-03T04:27:15","slug":"different-levels-of-cooked-steak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pitmastercentral.com\/different-levels-of-cooked-steak\/","title":{"rendered":"Different Levels of Cooked Steak | A Guide to Steak Doneness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It’s high time we talked about steak doneness. There are a lot of opinions about it, so it’s important to know the facts. When preparing steak, there is an art to hitting the desired degree of doneness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Banking on decades of experience as a pitmaster and a chef who graduated from cooking school, in this article, I’ll show you the different steak temperatures. I’ll also tell you how a steak cooks<\/a>, the best tools for cooking steak, and how to hit the spot like a marksman.<\/p>\n\n\n

\"different<\/figure>\n\n\n

Different Steak Doneness Levels <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The doneness levels indicate how well a piece of meat is done. Apart from the color of the core and the internal temperature, the crust of the meat is also different from one level of doneness to the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degree of Doneness: Side-by-side Comparison <\/h3>\n\n\n

Degree of Doneness<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Cooking Time<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Internal Temperature (°F)<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Condition<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Very Rare
(Blue Steak)<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

1½ minutes of searing on each side <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

115 to 120 degrees<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

The steak is cooked\/seared to a light shade of grey. Inside it's cool, all deep dark red and raw.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Rare
(Bleeding)<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

2 minutes of searing on each side<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

120 to 125 degrees <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

The steak is red in the middle. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Medium Rare<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

3 minutes of searing on each side<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

130 to 135 degrees<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

A hot, red core surrounded by a pink layer. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Medium<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

4 minutes of searing on each side<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

135 to 145 degrees<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

The crust is medium brown, which is great for fatty meats like roast beef.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Well Done<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

5 minutes of searing on each side<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

145 to 150 degrees<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

The steak is cooked until it turns brown inside and out and has an appetizing crust. There is a little hint of pink in the middle. <\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr>

Very Well Done<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

6 minutes of searing on each side<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

150 and above<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td>

Hard to the touch and difficult to chew<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n

As can be seen above, there are up to six doneness levels. However, at home and in most restaurants, we’ve only been told there are four. These include rare steak, medium-rare steak, medium done steak, and well-done steak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But here’s a more in-depth look at the different levels of doneness of steak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blue steak<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Blue steak is the lowest meat doneness, although some will tell you there’s still one before this (around 110 degrees Fahrenheit). I don’t see a point in that. Why not have the meat eaten raw instead?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blue steak, known as Bleu in French cuisine, is almost like uncooked meat. Except the steak is seared on the outside of each side for one and a half minutes. But I think this is a more healthy option for those who like to eat their steaks raw<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The external parts of meat are the most contaminated with bacteria. So, by searing it briefly on the outside, these bacteria die off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll be honest with you. Some microorganisms are dead stubborn that a minute and a half searing will not kill them. So the risk of getting sick eating steak that is rare is high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooked in medium heat, blue steaks are still bloody inside and as good as raw meat. Not everyone likes this doneness. For connoisseurs, meat with this doneness is a real delicacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside, the flesh is raw and deep dark red. The fibers of the meat are unchanged. The meat has a thin, light brown crust on the outside. The meat juice is still coming out. It is tender and can be crushed between the tongue and palate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rare steak <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Rare is a steak with a slightly higher internal temp. This level of doneness is somewhat more cooked than blue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The very middle part of the rare steak is completely red and still almost raw. The meat fibers are only changed at the edge. It also has a warm center temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crust of the steak is already a little darker than the blue cooking level. Since the steak is juicy and tender, it’s easy to bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The blue and rare steaks are almost uncooked. They have close to a raw texture and are not for everyone. It might be too juicy for some people. I still don’t recommend this for food safety reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medium rare steak<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The medium rare steak has a nice pink center. It keeps most of its juice, has a great chew, and is still tender. It’s most people’s favorite (including mine). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The steak has dark red meat juices<\/a> and a red center. This runs onto the plate when the meat is cut. The crust on the surface is usually nicely browned because the steak has been on the grill for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is ideally how you should have your steak cooked. The vital nutrients are not overcooked, and the bacteria and other microorganisms are cooked to death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Medium<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Medium steak<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Those who love their steak medium get it with a pink core throughout. As the meat has been on the grill longer, it will have a darker crust on the surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The medium steak will also have a fine-fibrous structure. Medium steaks are perfectly cooked and wonderfully juicy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The core is minimally raw. The medium steak is nice and tender on the inside and has a firmer bite on the outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medium well<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If a steak is medium well, the core is hardly pink anymore. The steak has a consistently fibrous meat structure. The crust is already very dark due to the longer grilling time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you cook steak medium well, the meat no longer has bloody meat juices. The core is almost well done but still juicy. Since the crust has already worked its way deep into the meat, the meat is already much firmer to the bite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well done steaks<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The highest degree of doneness for a steak is well done. A well-done steak is just tougher and drier. No matter how good a steak is, there will be almost no juice left. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flesh has a completely brown or gray core. The meat juice is brown. You’d find that the back is very dark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the steak has a thick bark, it is firm to the bite. When you prepare it well using good quality meat, the steak will still be juicy on the inside. But no way is the steak any tender. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have no reason to make your steak this way if you like an easy-to-eat steak. However, some do this when they want to keep the meat for a long away from the fridge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related Reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n