# How do you eat steak? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 6, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842 "2009-10-06T19:38:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/1 "2009-10-06T19:38:38Z")
This is from the thread about Obama eating his steak cooked medium well. I know most people - myself included - prefer steak medium rare. In fact, I never liked steak at all while growing up because my parents ordered it medium well. It wasn’t until I was in High School that I finally tasted medium rare and steak became my favorite food. I’m curious about the percentages. If you post, let me know if you have always eaten steak the way you prefer it now, or if you changed your preference at some point. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/2 "2009-10-06T19:41:57Z")
This would make an ideal poll. If I were you I’d consider re-posting it as a poll. you’ll get an instant graphical reperesentation of how people on this message board like their steak. I am like you. Growing up I was fed tough steak meat that took literally ten minutes to chew one mouthful enough that I could swallow it. Admittedly this wasn’t ‘steak’ but steak meat from a steak and kidney pie. I was also put off (in a big way) by the presence of the kidney (tastes a lot like liver to me, which is like eating satan’s testicles) But as an adult I love steak. I like it medium rare. ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/3 "2009-10-06T19:44:59Z")
I used to like medium rare, but these days I prefer it just grilled quickly on the outside, completely red inside. I learned to order it when I was in Argentina by saying “vuelta y vuelta” - a turn and a turn. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/4 "2009-10-06T19:53:00Z")
That was quick! Were you already making it into a poll? Does the post appear before you do the poll bit??? ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/5 "2009-10-06T20:03:55Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > That was quick! Were you already making it into a poll? Does the post appear before you do the poll bit??? Yes. The crazy board software posts the message _while_ you’re off creating the poll. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/6 "2009-10-06T20:06:40Z")
When I’m cooking for myself and can prepare it exactly how I want it, it’s seared on the outside and red in the middle, but on the rare occasions I order it in a restaurant I usually ask for medium rare. Too many cooks seem to think “rare” means the same level of cold rawness all the way through, and I don’t like the 'tude I’ve gotten from servers when I try to explain what I actually want. ETA: Since I cook steak for myself more often than I order it when dining out, I selected “rare.” ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/7 "2009-10-06T20:07:34Z")
I posted medium rare but will also eat a good steak (or prime rib) rare. If a steak is smothered in something I might be able to choke it down medium. If it’s cooked beyond that I’ll either use it to make something else\* or feed it to the dog. \*We once accidentally overcooked a very expensive prime rib roast. It was medium to well done and just inedible. We were able to convert it into some fantastic tacos. Possibly the world’s most expensive tacos, but they were excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/8 "2009-10-06T20:09:53Z")
I like it a-little-but-not-too pink inside. Some places call that medium-well, some call it medium. I usually tell the wait staff a-little-but-not-too pink inside. But medium is probably what I want. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/9 "2009-10-06T20:09:58Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > When I’m cooking for myself and can prepare it exactly how I want it, it’s seared on the outside and red in the middle, but on the rare occasions I order it in a restaurant I usually ask for medium rare. Too many cooks seem to think “rare” means the same level of cold rawness all the way through, and I don’t like the 'tude I’ve gotten from servers when I try to explain what I actually want. > > ETA: Since I cook steak for myself more often than I order it when dining out, I selected “rare.” Huh. I’ve had the opposite experience – I’ve taken to ordering beef “rare” because they overcook it when you ask for “medium rare.” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/10 "2009-10-06T20:13:59Z")
I voted for “medium”, though I’m happy with anything from medium rare to “medium-medium well”. At a nice steak house, I’ll order “medium”, because I can be fairly confident that they’ll be able to hit that mark. At a lower-end steak place, I’ll usually order “medium rare”, because, while I’m happy with medium-rare, I’m not very happy with medium-well, and, IME, if they miss the mark, it’s on the side of being more done. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/11 "2009-10-06T20:17:05Z")
The way I eat my steak is “grilled by my dad,” because no one else does it right. ---
**Author:** ![SSgtBaloo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@SSgtBaloo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSgtBaloo)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/12 "2009-10-06T20:25:11Z")
When my sister Debbie graduated from high school, Dad took us out to the first really upscale restaurant I’d ever been to. Grandma ordered her steak “well done”, and even sent it back for further cooking when she thought she might’ve seen some pinkish tones in the meat. She then complained that her steak was tough. Had I been knowledgeable enough at the time, I might’ve pointed out that vulcanizing a steak doesn’t make it tender. I suspect that Grandma just didn’t trust strangers to know how to handle food safely and wanted her steak cooked into submission as if it were pork or poultry. I myself prefer my steak medium rare. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/13 "2009-10-06T20:29:31Z")
I guess I am the sole “Why Bother?” vote since I eat my steak in the form of chicken, turkey or seafood, although I may eat the bacon off a filet mignon I am just not a fan of red meat. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/14 "2009-10-06T20:33:58Z")
I’ve given up beef, but when i ate it, I preferred it medium rare. ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/15 "2009-10-06T20:36:13Z")
I responded, but I have to say I don’t care for polls that leave out obvious possibilities, or which include snark in the choices. If you want honest responses, build honest, non-biased polls. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/16 "2009-10-06T20:56:54Z")
I’ve always been a “Break off his horns, wipe his ass, and trot that sumbitch out here” kind of guy. If it’s not cold in the middle it’s overdone for me. I end up eating most of a raw steak while I’m working a whole ribeye or New York strip up into steaks. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/17 "2009-10-06T21:01:05Z")
I like by steak blue. Sometimes black and blue. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/18 "2009-10-06T21:29:38Z")
I like my steak to moo when I poke it with a fork! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/19 "2009-10-06T21:36:02Z")
> [@Claire\_Beauchamp](#): > > I responded, but I have to say I don’t care for polls that leave out obvious possibilities, or which include snark in the choices. If you want honest responses, build honest, non-biased polls. Why would you expect an honest poll when the opening message states the result (“I know most people prefer steak medium-rare”)? 😃 As I stated in the referenced thread, my choice of cooking on the steak varies with the cut of meat and quality of the restaurant so I put medium here. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/20 "2009-10-06T21:59:30Z")
I’m a heathen. I eat it with ketchup. Bite me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842.md?page=2)