Secrets to Steak Doneness

Personal preference to Steak Doneness

There is always a bit of a dispute about the ‘best’ way to cook steak or the ‘best’ length of time to fry, grill or barbeque your steak for. In actual fact, it is up to your own personal taste. Some people like the reassurance of knowing that their steak is well cooked through, and some like the moisture and juiciness provided by the barely cooked rare meat.

Temperatures

To get your perfect steak, you need to cook it at specific temperatures and for specific times.

Rare – Cook at a very hot temperature for 2 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be between 50 and 55C.

Medium Rare – Cook at a hot temperature for 3 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be between 55 and 57C.

Medium – Cook at a mid-high temperature for 5 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be between 60 and 65C.

Medium Well – Cook at a high temperature for 1 minute on each side then lower the temperature to a medium heat and then cook for a further 5 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be between 68 and 74C.

Well Done – Cook at a medium low temperature for between 10 and 12 minutes on each side – the internal temperature when done should be over 77C.

Resting Time

Resting time after your steak is cooked is vital in helping it retain its juices and its flavours. If a steak isn’t allowed to rest after cooking, when it is cut on your plate, all the juices come spilling out onto your plate and you end up missing out on all its delicious tasting juices. However, if steaks are allowed to rest for up to 10 minutes, the edges have cooled meaning that the meat keeps the juices locked in, and they will be evenly spread out across the cut so that it tastes delicious everywhere.

Food safety is important to consider when testing for steak doneness

Some people worry that not cooking meat the whole way through can give you food poisoning. However, it is really only poultry which needs to be cooked properly all the way through. Steaks and meats such as beef and lamb can be cooked at different levels from blue (barely cooked) to well done. Having your steak cooked ‘blue’ means that is simply seared on each side and this ensures the bacteria on the meat’s surface is killed but the meat inside is left juicy.

To ensure you are staying safe with your steak, you should measure the internal temperature with a food thermometer before completing the cooking process.

Find steak recipes on Recipebridge.