Fine dining establishments often cook their meat to rarer standards than medium priced family restaurants. This guide illustrates what can usually be expected in top restaurants, although judgment is subjective and will vary to some degree. Be sure to see the article You want your steak cooked how? for a more detailed explanation of the guidelines.
Photo credit: jspatchwork
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/23126594@N00/395308700/sizes/o/)
- Fine dining establishments often cook their meat to rarer standards than medium priced family restaurants. This guide illustrates what can usually be expected in top restaurants, although judgment is subjective and will vary to some degree. Be sure to see the article You want your steak cooked how? for a more detailed explanation of the guidelines. Photo credit: jspatchwork (http://www.flickr.com/photos/23126594@N00/395308700/sizes/o/)
- Very Rare, a.k.a. Blood Rare or Blue Rare The only thing rarer than this classification is steak tartare, which is served raw. This meat is seared on the outside and has a cool, deep (sometimes almost bluish) center that is heated to about 100 F. You can detect the slight blue cast to the very rare steak in this photo by Stu Spivack (http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart_spivack/2010528119/sizes/l/).
- Rare A rare steak is lightly cooked resulting in a seared exterior with a warm, deep red center that measures approximately 120 F. Rare and very rare meat will be juicier and softer than meat that is cooked longer. This prime rib illustrates the texture of true rare meat. Photo credit: inuyaki.com http://www.flickr.com/photos/arndog/2838039041/sizes/o/
- This beautiful dish is another example of rare steak. Note the deep color and juicy soft texture of the meat. Photo credit: WordRidden http://www.flickr.com/photos/wordridden/2697629579/sizes/l/
- Medium Rare This is probably the most commonly ordered degree of cooking. Medium rare possesses a well browned exterior with a center that shades from deep pink to red. The warm center will measure approximately 125 F. The texture of the meat is a bit firmer and more cooked in appearance. Photo credit: avlxyz http://www.flickr.com/photos/avlxyz/3208797121/sizes/l/
- Another example of medium rare, this is what passes as rare in many family restaurants. Again, the texture has a slightly firmer texture to the grain and will be warm all the way to the center. Photo credit: SpecialDark http://www.flickr.com/photos/allthingschill/1112779982/sizes/l/
- Medium Many think medium is barely pink, but in reality a 135 F center, the industry standard for medium, will still be a fairly deep pink. This is about the limit that most chefs want to see quality cuts of beef or lamb cooked. Photo credit: rhosoi http://www.flickr.com /photos/rhosoi/64995581/sizes/l/
- Medium Plus This is a less common designation, and sometimes is unfamiliar to waiters. Medium plus is medium plus just a bit more cooking, but not enough to classify as medium well. The warm pink center will measure approximately 140 F. Photo credit: djnordic http://www.flickr.com/photos/djnordic/182562710/sizes/l/
- Medium Well Steak or prime rib cooked to medium well will be firm throughout with a pale pink center. The center will measure approximately 145 F. Photo credit: foodistablog http://www.flickr.com/photos/foodista/3569277777/sizes/l/
- Well Done Well done meat is cooked to a uniform brown throughout with virtually no pink left, and an internal temperature of 165 F. It is difficult to retain any juice at this level of cooking and it toughens the meat, so most steak establishments will do their best to discourage customers from ordering it. Photo credit: Lachlan Hardy http://www.flickr.com/photos/lachlanhardy/3548007953/sizes/l/
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