# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/61 "2009-10-07T04:40:27Z")
I’m the soft-hearted sort, so I want the cow to think she has a chance right up to the last minute. Make my steak rare, please! Or “only mostly dead,” if you like movie references… (Of course, that means that there are some family members around whom I can’t eat steak. The sight of my bloody slab of beef puts them right off their food. True story: The first time my father met my mother, he was a customer at my grandparents’ restaurant. According to family lore, his waitress - Mom - told the cook - Grandmother - that “Some idiot wants a T-bone, ‘lightly burnt.’” Despite his horrifying abuse of beef, my mother married him. Good thing we were mostly poor when I was a kid, so we couldn’t often afford to be subjected to my father’s barbaric ruination of steak during my formative years.) ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/62 "2009-10-07T04:44:17Z")
> [@Never\_Say\_Dice](#): > > Well done! > What’s wrong with you that you omit that popular choice? > It’s in every cookbook, and it’s about the only way to kill most germs, plus it just tastes toastier, has more of the flavor you came for. In my experience as a waiter, Well Done is not a popular choice; it’s the least common way to get a steak ordered. Rare was second least common. Most common was medium rare, followed by medium or medium well. People who ordered medium well seemed to be the most likely to complain about how their steak was cooked; folks who ordered medium were the least likely to complain. That’s my anecdotal experience but it covers a lot of diners and a lot of steaks. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/63 "2009-10-07T05:15:19Z")
I chose medium well because that’s what it’s called around here when you don’t want the steak like blood, but don’t want it burnt. The best places for accuracy that I’ve seen let you define the temperature and duration. The rest show you pictures. I agree it would be nice for the words to be enough. BTW the table around here: rare: pink on the outside, red in the middle medium rare: brown on the outside, red in the middle medium: brown on the outside: pink in the middle medium well: brown on the outside; a strip of pink in the very middle well done: black on the outside. what I usually call burnt. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/64 "2009-10-07T05:42:20Z")
I chose medium, but really I like a sort of medium-medium-rare. It’s hard to get the ‘sweet spot’ that satisfies me – medium usually gets me something too well, but medium rare ends up bloody. Honestly, the only good luck I’ve had with steak has been at Peter Luger’s, where the outside is slightly charred (oh! oh! the yummy burnt _fat_! soooo gooood!) while the inside is pinkish red, and yields its juicy flesh to your knife so easily you could probably just use a fork. Mmmmmmm! (blinks) Er, sorry. What was the question again? Oh yeah. Medium is my answer. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/65 "2009-10-07T08:57:41Z")
There wasn’t an option for it but I always eat my steaks “Blue”. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/66 "2009-10-07T09:10:50Z")
> [@Baggins111](#): > > Black and blue is how I do it at home. I get my trusty ol’ cast iron skillet out and heat it up on high. Throw some bacon grease in there (yes I’m from the south and I have stash of it in the fridge) and throw the steak on there. No more than two minutes a side. I put some fresh cracked black pepper on it and then I sit down to enjoy. I like it that way too but I really hope you’re deglazing that skillet to make a sauce from the bits that are stuck to the pan. A little red wine, sugar, cracked pepper, reduce - goddammit, now I’m hungry. I voted rare by the way but I only order steak at higher end places now. At cheaper places it’s just not worth it, they overcook it every time. ---
**Author:** ![Hrududu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Hrududu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hrududu)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/67 "2009-10-07T09:24:33Z")
I didn’t vote as there was no Well Done option. I’ve had steak cooked medium before (even though I ordered well done). I just did not like the flavour. When a steak is cooked medium there is something that I can only describe as a tang off it. Ordering a steak well done does not mean you get a burned hockey puck. A good chef can cook it so that it is flavoursome and tender. I also think its the one food people feel they can be superior over. “Oh you take your steak well done? You obviously kill puppies for fun, now excuse me while I tell everyone as loudly as I can that I want my steak mooing.” ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/68 "2009-10-07T10:38:31Z")
There’s nothing wrong with well done if your doing it because you like it. If your doing it because of germs I think your priorities are wrong. I’d rather risk food poisoning for a few nights than terminal cancer from polyaromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines found in overcooked meat. Besides, most of the nasty bugs are on the outside of the meat that gets cooked even rare. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/69 "2009-10-07T11:40:42Z")
SOMEWHAT TANGENT: I pesonally find it annoying that a poll is offered where one choice is expressed in derogatory terms. No, it’s not a rules violation, although it’s annoying. (Note that, if one of the choices were a personal insult – for instance, if “I’m a moron” were a choice – then we’d either shut down or modify the poll, and warn the pollster.) **Labrador Deceiver** : It’s very easy to read that “why bother” as meaning “I’m vegetarian.” That’s the way I read it, and ditto others. Also, it’s very annoying to people when they come to a poll and their preference isn’t a choice.\* So, your comment about “get a sense of humor” is misplaced, but technically not a rules violation. - Personal aside: My federal representative constantly sends out questionnaires, polling his constitutents, where the only choices are those reflecting his view. “What’s the greatest issue facing the country today?” and the only choices are “Preventing socialized medicine” or “Ensuring the right to bear arms” or “Winning the war in Iraq.” It’s extremely annoying. I therefore don’t look kindly on polls where the questions themselves introduce a bias. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/70 "2009-10-07T12:34:24Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > SOMEWHAT TANGENT: > **Labrador Deceiver** : It’s very easy to read that “why bother” as meaning “I’m vegetarian.” That’s the way I read it, and ditto others. Also, it’s very annoying to people when they come to a poll and their preference isn’t a choice.\* So, your comment about “get a sense of humor” is misplaced, but technically not a rules violation. Right, b/c everyone wants to know how vegetarians like their steak. My comment wasn’t misplaced at all. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/71 "2009-10-07T12:41:02Z")
I like it warm through, but raw and bloody is fine with me. However, my dining companions are all too frequently squicked out by that, so yeah, sear the outsides briefly. ---
**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 7, 2009, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/72 "2009-10-07T13:01:02Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > Am I the only one who thinks it’s hilarious that so many people have utterly failed to figure out “why bother”=“well done”. > > I mean, damn. Grow a sense of humor, people. Perhaps those people who like their steak well done weren’t willing to accept the “why bother” slam of their preference. Just because someone thinks your tastes are worthy of insult doesn’t mean you have to adopt their phrasing. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/73 "2009-10-07T13:04:50Z")
> [@tim-n-va](#): > > Perhaps those people who like their steak well done weren’t willing to accept the “why bother” slam of their preference. Just because someone thinks your tastes are worthy of insult doesn’t mean you have to adopt their phrasing. I’d either roll my eyes, or be slightly amused. I can see either side, and I agree with those who say it’s rather pointless and tired to deliberately screw with wording of a poll. That being said, I’d probably just roll my eyes and click the button anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/74 "2009-10-07T13:38:54Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I’d either roll my eyes, or be slightly amused. I can see either side, and I agree with those who say it’s rather pointless and tired to deliberately screw with wording of a poll. > > That being said, I’d probably just roll my eyes and click the button anyway. Exactly. And I’d then encourage them to submit a post saying something along the lines of, “I voted ‘Why Bother’ because I like my steak well-done. It wasn’t a choice - would it be that hard to submit a poll without biased questions or snark in the options?” Because we have some pretty bad polling techniques right now, and it’s pretty sad for this group. (I’d also encourage them to try a medium steak…) ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/75 "2009-10-07T14:08:38Z")
As rare as I can get it, just sear that puppy a little. I like seasoning my meat though so unless it’s very high quality beef, I don’t want large quantities of it raw - can’t help sneaking a bite before it goes on the grill. Curses, it’s not even 8am and I want a steak. ---
**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 7, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/76 "2009-10-07T14:14:38Z")
> [@Chopper9760](#): > > As rare as I can get it, just sear that puppy a little. Dogie, I think it is. Not “puppy.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/77 "2009-10-07T14:15:58Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I’m a heathen. I eat it with ketchup. > > Bite me. > [@kitemaker\_chuck](#): > > Ketchup heathen here too!!! Then y’all come sit by me and my medium rare steak. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Roland\_Orzabal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@Roland\_Orzabal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland_Orzabal)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/78 "2009-10-07T15:19:30Z")
Medium rare, though I’ll eat anything that A) I can cut and B) isn’t cold, which is pretty much everything between raw and extra-dead. **TWDuke** , if I understand you correctly, the type of steak you like is what’s called Pittsburgh Rare. Try ordering your next steak “Pittsburgh” and see if that suits; any steakhouse worth its grill brush will understand the term. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/79 "2009-10-07T15:33:20Z")
Just let that steer look at the grill for about 10 seconds and then serve it up. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842/80 "2009-10-07T15:45:55Z")
I like medium rare but I’ve found when I order that at restaurants it is hard to cut so I tend to order medium unless I’m at a place where I will get very high grade meet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-eat-steak/512842.md?page=5)