Whether you’re cooking steak or ordering it, it’s helpful to understand how different temperatures affect the meat’s taste and texture. Often referred to as its “doneness” level, steaks can be prepared rare, medium rare, medium, medium well, or well done. Before you next visit a steakhouse, take a moment to go over these points.

How Is Steak Prepared to the Right Doneness?

Steak preparation is based on a preferred temperature doneness level. It is safe to consume steak at a variety of temperatures, and diners often make their decision based on the texture of the meat that they prefer most. Steak that’s cooked rare to medium rare is seared on the outside with a gently heated interior, yielding meat that’s juicy and tender. Usually, thinner types of steak, like flank and skirt, are best suited at these temperatures.

Fat-rich steaks, like a marbled strip steak or ribeye, are far more naturally moist. This means even if they’re cooked at a medium or medium well doneness level, they’ll remain relatively tender instead of becoming tough. Some people, however, prefer more doneness, so a cook will leave a steak on the grill a bit longer to reach well done temperatures. This means the meat is cooked through, making it firmer and drier.

How Does the Temperature Affect the Meat?

If you request rare meat at a steakhouse, it will appear bright red in the center, with edges that are dark and cooked. It will feel cool to just barely warm in the middle, with an extremely soft texture. Rare meat is cooked between 120 to 125 degrees. Medium rare meat is prepared between 130 and 135 degrees and features more of a reddish-pink, buttery center with cooked sides. Steak that’s cooked medium is prepared at 140 to 145 degrees, feels hot in the center, and shows off a pinkish color.

At temperatures between 150 and 155 with a very faint pink color, the meat is cooked medium well. It feels significantly firmer and is very hot throughout the meat. While a touch of moisture may be present, steak cooked at this temperature is generally on the drier side. Well done meat is cooked between 160 and 165 degrees. Instead of pink, it’s purely brown from one side to the other, with a very hot center. It is firm to the touch and feels dry, so many people use steak sauce to add moisture.

If you’re craving delicious steak prepared your way, visit Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar in Bon Secour, AL. The steakhouse and seafood restaurant offers a menu packed with mouthwatering dishes, from ribeye to crab and sashimi. Visit the website to browse the menu, or call (251) 949-5086 to speak with a staff member.