Steak Cooking Degrees And Cooking Times

The most popular cooking degrees for a steak.

The amount of time a steak is cooked is a personal preference; shorter steak cooking times retain more juice and flavor, whereas longer steak cooking times result in drier, tougher meat but reduce concerns about disease.

Raw - uncooked. Unless used in special dishes, like steak tartare, steak is generally not eaten or ordered at this stage. However, it is becoming more and more popular.

Blue - almost raw inside, but hot outside. Cooked very quickly. Inside is usually cool and not warm and definitely not cooked. The steak will be red on the inside. Cooking time: 1-2 minutes each side. Resting time about 9 minutes.

Rare - red inside with plenty of red juices running freely. The outside is grey-brown. The middle of the steak is warm. Cooking time: 2-3 minutes each side. Resting time is about 8 minutes.

Medium rare - as rare, but with few free-flowing juices and still red the very middle of the steak. The outside is grey-brown. Cooking time: 3-4 minutes each side. Resting time about 7 minutes.

Medium - pink (fading to grey-brown) in the middle with juices. The outside is grey-brown. Cooking time: 4-5 minutes each side. Resting time is about 6 minutes.

Medium well - the meat is grey-brown (or deep pink) throughout, still juicy. Cooking time: 5-6 minutes each side. Resting time is about 5 minutes. Recommended for first time.

Well done - the meat is grey-brown throughout and slightly blackened or charred, but flesh still clear and juicy. Cooking time: 6-7 minutes each side. Resting time is about 4 minutes. Recommended for first time.

Very well done - the meat is beige in the middle, not many juices remaining. Cooking time: 7-8 minutes each side. Resting time is about 3 minutes.

What is resting time? Leaving meat to rest after cooking is very important. When you cook, the heat penetrates from outside and at higher temperatures the juices nearest the surface of meat are forced out. Resting your steak after grilling takes advantage or carryover cooking, allowing cooking to finish and internal juices to settle. The shorter is cooking time, the longer should be resting time. Put your steak on warm plate and cover with foil for resting.