Levels of Steak Doneness

Knowing the types of steak doneness is crucial for making a good steak. How to know if a steak is done can depend on how you like your steak, from rare to well done. Whether you’re cooking at home, ordering in a restaurant or working in a kitchen, this guide to the levels of steak doneness will help you understand the differences in temperature, color, texture and flavor so you can create the best dining experience possible for yourself or others.

Blue Rare: 115-120°F (46-49°C)

Also known as “very rare,” a blue-rare steak is seared on the outside while the center is cold and red. Very little moisture evaporates, so the meat is juicy, soft and tender. With just 1 to 2 minutes per side on medium-high to high heat, the fat doesn’t have time to melt and flavor the meat, so lean cuts like sirloin tip or tenderloin are the best options for this degree of doneness.

Rare: 120-125°F (49-52°C)

With 2 minutes of cooking time per side in a pan or 3-4 on a grill, rare steaks are well-seared on the outside and have a cool red center. The additional minute on the heat won’t cause a significant amount of moisture loss, so rare steaks are still very juicy. 2 minutes isn’t enough to melt the fat into the meat either, so once again, leaner cuts like top sirloin are best rare.

Medium Rare: 130-135°F (54-57°C)

Often considered the best level of steak doneness, medium-rare beef has a warm red center with a pink ring around it. 3-4 minutes per side on medium-high heat is enough to melt the fat but not evaporate most of the moisture, so the meat is flavorful, moist and tender. Many say that any steak is good cooked medium rare, but marbled cuts like ribeye are especially good.

Medium: 140-145°F (60-63°C)

Cooked 4-6 minutes on a side, medium steaks are firmer and less juicy since more of the moisture evaporates away. The extra cooking time melts the fat fully, just before the point where it starts rendering out of the meat. More time on the heat gives the meat a warm pink center, making medium the middle ground between the redness of rare and the grayness of well-done.

Medium Well: 150-155°F (66-68°C)

Medium-well steaks have a warm, slightly pink center and a well-browned exterior. The longer cooking time of about 6 minutes per side in a pan or 10 on a grill means the meat will be significantly firmer due to moisture loss and fat starting to render out of the steak. Although fattier cuts can be delicious medium-well, lean cuts like filet mignon will almost always be tough.

Well Done: 160-165°F (72-74°C)

After cooking for 6-8 minutes, well-done steak has lost almost all of its pink center, most of its moisture and a lot of the fat, so diners may find the meat tough and flavorless. To avoid dry beef that’s lacking flavor, remember that only well-marbled steak should be made well-done. You can also try cooking the steak for longer (10-12 minutes) over medium heat instead of high.

Most experts say that medium-rare is the best level of steak doneness since it offers the best combination of juiciness, tenderness and flavor.

Levels of Steak Doneness FAQ’s

In addition to how to know if a steak is done and a list of the levels of steak doneness, here are answers to a few frequently asked questions so you can cook, order or serve the best steak possible.

What is the Best Level of Steak Doneness?

According to Chicago Steak Company, medium-rare is the best level of doneness because it offers the perfect balance between flavor and moisture. Fat has enough time to melt and flavor the meat but there’s little moisture lost, keeping the meat tender and juicy. Although some cuts may be better at a different degree of doneness, medium-rare is the best in most circumstances.

How to Check Steak Doneness Without a Thermometer

Although an internal temperature reading is best, you can check steak doneness without a thermometer by assessing the tenderness and amount of give as compared to that of your palm as you press your thumb and fingers together.

Start by touching your thumb with one of your fingers. Then, use your other hand to touch the fleshy part of your palm just below the thumb and note the tension in the muscle.

Depending on which finger is touching the thumb, the amount of tension you feel when pressing down on the palm is very similar to the amount of resistance you feel when pressing down on meat cooked to different degrees of doneness. As explained in a ButcherBoyMarket.com article, the thumb and finger combinations that correspond to different levels of steak doneness are:

• Thumb and Index/Pointer Finger: Rare


• Thumb and Middle Finger: Medium-Rare


• Thumb and Ring Finger: Medium


• Thumb and Pinky Finger: Well-Done

Can I Cut Into Steak to Check for Doneness?

Most chefs don’t recommend cutting into a steak to check for doneness since doing so will release some of the juices and make the meat drier. If you feel that cutting into steak is the only way for you to assess how well it’s cooked, remember to make as few cuts as possible and to make them in the thickest part of the steak. 

What Steak is Best Rare?

Since the short cooking time doesn’t give fat the chance to melt into the meat, lean cuts with little fat are the best choice for rare, flat iron and top sirloin being especially good choices. Uncooked fat doesn’t have a pleasant mouthfeel, so a fatty ribeye wouldn’t be a good choice. Flank and skirt steak are good rare as well, especially when tenderized with a marinade.

What Steak is Best Medium-Rare?

As stated above, many steak aficionados recommend medium-rare as the best degree of doneness. Almost any cut of beef will be delicious cooked to medium-rare, except for extremely lean cuts like top sirloin that are better rare. However, if you want to enjoy a juicy, flavorful piece of beef, classic cuts like ribeye, New York strip or even filet mignon are great medium-rare.

If you’re going to make steak well-done, it’s best to stick to well-marbled cuts like ribeye.

What Steak is Best Well-Done?

Although most steaks are arguably best medium-rare, including well-marbled cuts like ribeye and porterhouse, these fattier cuts are your best option for well-done if you don’t want a steak that tastes dry and flavorless.

Is it Safe to Eat Rare Steak?

As explained by TastingTable.com, rare steak is usually safe because the dense muscle fibers make it difficult for bacteria to penetrate into the meat. Instead, most of the germs stay on the surface and are destroyed in the cooking process. So, even though the USDA recommends cooking beef to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), the risk of illness is relatively low.

What is the Best Degree of Doneness for Hamburgers?

Unlike steaks, hamburgers should be made well-done in order to prevent illness. Ground beef has more surface area and less density, making it easier for dangerous pathogens to not only flourish on the meat grounds but also work their way into hamburger patties. So, in order to avoid foodborne illness, it’s best to always cook hamburger patties to well-done, 160°F (72°C).

What is the Best Degree of Doneness for Low-Grade Beef?

Steaks from one of the lower grades of beef like select have less marbling than choice or prime-rated ones. As with other lean cuts of beef, a lower degree of doneness, somewhere between blue-rare and medium-rare, is probably best.

At What Temperature Should You Stop Cooking Steak?

As explained by CertifiedAngusBeef.com, steak experts recommend taking steaks off the heat when the temperature reading is 5°F (2.8°C) lower than the desired level of doneness. So, if you want your steak medium-rare (130°F (54.4°C)), take it off the heat once the thermometer reads 125°F (51.7°C) so the residual heat can finish cooking the steak.

How to Measure the Temperature of Steak

To measure the internal temperature of a steak, insert a meat thermometer into the center of the meat, making sure to not touch any fat or bone. Since piercing the meat will inevitably result in some moisture loss, measure the temperature as little as possible so your steak stays juicy.

How Long To Let Steak Rest After Cooking

Most chefs recommend letting steak rest 3-5 minutes after cooking to let the juices redistribute themselves in the meat and for the residual heat to finish cooking the steak. As explained earlier in this article, it’s best to take steak off the heat before it has reached your desired type of doneness. By letting it rest, you can make sure your meat comes out exactly how you want it.