I’m hosting a cookout for all the StraightDope members and guests. I just need to find out how you want your steaks cooked. Out of consideration for the rest of the guests and to keep the health department off my back, raw is not an option. But realistically speaking, blue rare is just about there.
Please use the chart here in making your selection.
Rare or blue rare I guess. I’ve never actually heard of the term before, but I’ve ordered a rare steak that was still a little cool in the center (and completely raw of course), and I loved it that way. Warm all the way through is good too, but the bloodier and rarer, the better
I prefer mine in the medium rare, cut it with a fork, range. I find that a medium rare done wrong most often comes out on the rare side and medium done wrong tends to fall on the well side. So I stick with what will usually get me something pink in the middle.
I like my steaks cooked rare. A nice lean cut, I will shave off some very thin slices raw and eat them with a dab of salt while I’m praparing everything.
At one point I mighta said medium rare. But I’ve had so many overcooked steaks when ordering MR, that I just order rare now. I either get rare or medium rare; I’ll eat either. If it comes medium and I ordered rare, I have no qualms about sending it back.
The question was how cooked, which I assume is for eating. Not how hot would you heat meat to insure that it could not be re-animated by a mad scientist.
The issue regarding e-coli for beef, is related to ground beef, that once ground is completely exposed to air. The outer surface of a steak is all that is exposed. The interior is not.
Rare, erring towards blue if there’s any doubt. By all means sear the outside really hard but briefly. If it doesn’t moo when I stick the fork in, it’s done enough.
Medium, with a margin of error of medium rare to medium well.
Married to a carni-hemophobe whom I’ve gently cajoled over the years into accepting medium well rather than burnt to a smoking puck. While I’m around, at least.