Ultimate Steak Guide: Mastering Internal Temperatures & Doneness

02 May, 2025

Is there a single, universally "perfect" way to cook a steak? While personal preference plays a significant role, mastering internal temperatures is the key to achieving steak perfection, time and time again.

Cooking a steak can indeed be a tricky undertaking. With a multitude of factors influencing the outcome, from the chosen cooking method to the steak's thickness, achieving that ideal level of doneness can seem like a culinary tightrope walk. The quest for the perfect steak begins with understanding the relationship between internal temperature and the resulting texture and flavor. A well-cooked steak transcends mere sustenance; it is an experience, a testament to culinary skill, and a delight for the senses.

The most popular choice, a medium-rare steak, is cooked to an internal temperature of around 135 degrees Fahrenheit, the fat melts into the meat, creating a butter-like flavor and juiciness.

Here is a breakdown of steak cooking temperatures and doneness levels, based on USDA guidelines and recommendations for safely enjoying your steak:

Doneness	Internal Temperature (F)	Appearance	Characteristics
Rare	120-130	Bright red center with slight char on the outside	The center of the steak will be cool to just warm to the touch.
Medium Rare	130-140	Warm, red center with dark pink edges	Juicy, flavorful, and tender. The fat begins to render, contributing to rich flavor.
Medium	140-150	Warm pink center and a light pink exterior.	The proteins in the meat coagulate, creating a tender and flavorful steak, while still maintaining a hint of juiciness.
Medium Well	150-160	Slightly pink center	Less juicy, the meat starts to become firmer.
Well Done	160+	No pink	Often chewy, lacking in juiciness.

These temperatures ensure that any potential harmful bacteria are killed off, making the steaks safe to consume. Note that the meat will continue to cook a few degrees once it's off the heat.

For the aspiring steak aficionado, the internal temperature is the key to unlocking different levels of doneness. The difference between a succulent medium-rare and an overcooked, tough steak can be a mere few degrees.

The internal temperature for a medium steak ranges from 145F to 150F (63C to 66C), resulting in a steak with a warm pink center and a light pink exterior.

The center of the steak is completely red with cooked edges, or a warm red center with dark pink edges. It is generally known as the holy grail for most when it comes to internal steak temperatures.

A rare steak is still safe to eat as long as its internal temperature is at least 120. Pull the steak off the grill when the internal temperature reads 125F. A medium rare steak spends a bit more time on the grill for a warm, red center with dark pink edges.

The doneness that provides an ideal balance of tenderness, juiciness, and flavor is medium-rare. This is why it's the most popular doneness. Cooking to medium rare allows the fat (marbling in the steak) to render and add buttery, rich flavors to your steak. It is also my preferred doneness for most cuts of steak, especially the fattier ones.

Using a meat thermometer is crucial. If it touches bone, gristle or fat, the temperature can be skewed. Verify degree of doneness by using your kitchen thermometer.

To reach this temperature, remove the steak when it reaches 115 and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. This temperature range allows the proteins in the meat to coagulate, creating a tender and flavorful steak, while still maintaining a hint of juiciness. Medium rare is reached at 130 internal temperature, making the steak's fat to melt and cause a butter and great flavor effect, with a lot of moisture and very juicy texture. So, this doneness level will make your steak very tender, juicy and plumpy.

Remove the steak from the heat when it reaches 135F, with a target temperature of 145F. The final temperature should be 135. Cook for 6 minutes, flip and cook for an additional 6 minutes for medium rare, or until desired temperature is reached. Remove steaks from air fryer, let stand 5 minutes, remove metal skewer and serve.

The source of the meat, handling, and cooking methods are all important and will also depend on the safety of the steak.

In appearance, steaks cooked medium rare will have a warm, red center. Can be chewy depending on the cut.

Once youve achieved the desired temperature, remove the steak from the heat and let it rest for at least 5 minutes.

Omaha steaks test kitchen equipment may vary from yours in the amount of heat produced.

That said, rare steak is still safe to eat as long as its internal temperature is at least 120.

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