


This allows time for the juices to redistribute. You can insert the probe into the meat’s thickest point to determine the best time to remove it from the grill.īecause the cooking process does not stop when meat is removed from the heat, we recommend taking the meat off a bit early and letting it rest for a few minutes. To get the most accurate reading of the internal temperature, we suggest using an instant-read meat thermometer. Thus, well-done meat has more potential carcinogens. Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) can form when meat cooks at high temperatures. To prevent burning, you should cook meat slowly at a low temperature and move it to different parts of the grill. It should reach a temperature of 170 F and cook for about 10-12 minutes per side. Well-doneĪ well-done steak has no pink in the middle and is solid to the touch. Medium-well steaks are drier and less flavorful than those cooked for less time. A 1-inch thick steak should cook for about seven minutes on one side and five minutes on the second side. Medium-wellĬooked to between 155 and 164 F., a medium-well steak is browned most of the way through. While it is a bit less juicy and tender than a medium-rare steak, many Americans prefer this level of doneness for steak. MediumĪ medium steak is mostly brown with a hint of pinkness and cooked between 135 and 155 F. Preferred by steak lovers, this is the ideal choice for most steaks. A medium-rare steak has a soft, tender, and juicy middle and firm outside. At this temperature, the fats will begin to melt. Pink on the inside with a hint of red, a medium-rare steak should be cooked to 130-135 F. Myoglobin is a protein found in the muscle fibers of meat. In fact, these are the juices from the meat consisting of myoglobin and water. Some people are nervous about eating rare or medium-rare meat because the red liquid looks like blood. Rare doneness is better for lean cuts because the fats are not yet melted at this temperature.

It is moist and soft to the touch, and the edges are lightly charred. RareĬooked to 120-130 F., a rare steak has a very red center with a pinkish-red color around it. The internal temperature should read 115 F. To grill a blue-rare steak, sear both sides quickly on a very hot barbecue. It is seared on the outside, but the inside is mostly raw. Blue-rareĪ blue-rare steak is a dark, almost purple color and barely warm. Reaching the target temperature depends on perfecting your timing and controlling the heat of your grill. Measuring doneness by cooking time, color, or firmness will be less accurate. Internal temperature is the determining factor. The six levels of doneness for steak are blue-rare, rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, and well-done. While medium-rare is juicier and more flavorful, some people like meat more fully cooked and find medium more appetizing. Both are delicious, safe, and nutritious ways to grill beef. The answer to medium vs medium-rare depends on the cut of meat and personal preference. For a medium-well steak, cook your meat until the thermometer reads 150 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit, or 65 to 69 degrees Celsius.9 The bottom line Medium vs medium rare: which is best? Medium-well steaks will have a slightly pink center but mostly brown interior and a dark brown exterior. Steaks grilled to a medium degree of doneness have an internal temperature of 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit, or 60 to 63 degrees Celsius. Medium steak temperatureĪ medium steak is a crowd-pleaser and is pink all the way through the middle with a dark brown outside and a firm feel. The outside of the steak will be a nice shade of brown with grill marks. To achieve this, cook the steak until it has an internal temperature of 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit, or 55 to 57 degrees Celsius. Medium-rare steaks are warmed all the way through with a mostly pink center and a hint of red in the very middle. Medium-rare steaks are seen as the best way to cook most cuts, and it's the level of doneness you'll find at steakhouses. Rare steaks will measure out to have a temperature of 120 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit, or 49 to 51 degrees Celsius. Rare steak temperatureĪ rare steak will have a cool bright red center and a light brown char on all sides. You only have to bring it to a maximum internal temperature of 115 degrees Fahrenheit, or 46 degrees Celsius. A bleu steak or extra-rare steak will have a lightly seared outside and raw, cold, very red interior.
