# How do you want your steak cooked? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376 "2012-07-25T20:22:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/21 "2012-07-25T20:57:10Z")
Black and blue please. Sizzling on the outside and on an inch and a half thick steak showing a nice colour gradient to purple in the middle. No sauces, sinews or Tee bones. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/22 "2012-07-25T21:03:37Z")
Unless I know what kind of steak you are serving and what you plan to cook it on/with, I can’t answer. Wagyu beef - on the medium side of medium rare Ribeye - medium ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/23 "2012-07-25T21:06:16Z")
Well done please. Y’all hush. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/24 "2012-07-25T21:07:09Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > Medium Well, and I’m not afraid to say it! Me too. Just as the last bit of pink changes to light brown, take it up. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/25 "2012-07-25T21:07:53Z")
I’ll pass on the steak and have some of those shrimp kebabs. ---
**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:** [July 25, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/26 "2012-07-25T21:10:57Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > 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. Yep. Lightly dead for me, too. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/27 "2012-07-25T21:11:04Z")
Medium rare. I was raised in a family that cooked steaks brown all the way through and they never understood why their son dawdled over his steaks and complained about having to chew them. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/28 "2012-07-25T21:24:40Z")
Medium-rare, and I think I need to start taking that chart around with me so I can point out what “medium-rare” means. (Hint: it doesn’t mean “medium,” “medium-well,” or “well done”.) ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/29 "2012-07-25T21:28:44Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > 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. You know, a few years ago a discussion on this board convinced me that despite knowing how I like my steak to taste (and I very much enjoy a good steak), I must be wrong, because everyone was so horrified by the idea of Medium Well. So I started ordering my steak Medium instead. Guess what? I didn’t like it nearly as much. Ultimately I decided that I shouldn’t let a group of people on the internet, no matter how intelligent, determine my preferences. So that’s why I’m not afraid to say that I like my steak Medium Well, even though I know it will provoke some snarky reactions. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/30 "2012-07-25T21:32:47Z")
Pittsburgh, or “black and blue”… but not so much blue. So I picked the “Other” option. I have this marinade I get at HEB and it works wonderful with Pittsburgh-style steaks. I made one the other night, in the dark, couldn’t see what I was doing on the grill, and it was possibly the greatest steak I cooked… and I cook a _mean_ steak. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/31 "2012-07-25T21:33:01Z")
If you mean “medium” as shown in the chart, then medium. Unfortunately, many restaurants I have gone to seem to know only two options - [ul][li]Medium rare, or[/li][li]Well done.[/ul]I don’t want red in the center, and I don’t want gray in the center. But every time I got it red in the center and sent it back, it comes back gray in the center. [/li] Sigh. Anyway - can I bring some wine? Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/32 "2012-07-25T21:42:04Z")
Cold and blue, all the way through. Spank the beast, rip off it’s skin and cut me off a piece. In my younger days anyway. Rare, please, if it’s a good cut; medium rare & A-1 if it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/33 "2012-07-25T21:50:20Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Medium rare. I was raised in a family that cooked steaks brown all the way through and they never understood why their son dawdled over his steaks and complained about having to chew them. Me, too. Now I’m hungry. Steak! ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/34 "2012-07-25T21:51:33Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > You know, a few years ago a discussion on this board convinced me that despite knowing how I like my steak to taste (and I very much enjoy a good steak), I must be wrong, because everyone was so horrified by the idea of Medium Well. So I started ordering my steak Medium instead. Guess what? I didn’t like it nearly as much. Ultimately I decided that I shouldn’t let a group of people on the internet, no matter how intelligent, determine my preferences. So that’s why I’m not afraid to say that I like my steak Medium Well, even though I know it will provoke some snarky reactions. If there was a 'right way to prepare a steak restaurants wouldn’t need to ask. Those steak snobs out there are just being asses. Taste is subjective and different people like different things. I prefer my steak medium rare. Anything in the medium rare- medium well ranges works fine for me. I absolutely don’t like rare or well done. Restaurants are not consistent, so depending on circumstance I’ll just order medium and accept what I get. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/35 "2012-07-25T22:00:54Z")
If people would really follow that chart I’d be fine with anything from medium rare through rare. Years ago I was out with friends - we’d shared many meals - and my steak arrived and I got giddy because finally, FINALLY someone had cooked it the way I like it. One of my friends looked at it and said “Gwen, that’s what they feed the lions!” If I thought a restaurant (that I can afford) would get it right I’d order Pittsburgh rare/black and blue. I do like a bit of char on the outside. Maybe I’d do better to score an invite next time\*\* JohnT \*\*is grilling. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/36 "2012-07-25T22:05:53Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Medium rare. I was raised in a family that cooked steaks brown all the way through and they never understood why their son dawdled over his steaks and complained about having to chew them. My poor wife was raised by a father who couldn’t grill a hamburger without burning it to a charry crust with a dry-as-a-desert interior. She had no idea why people would get excited by grilling until she met me and came to one of our family gatherings - she thought _all_ grilled food was like her dad’s! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/37 "2012-07-25T22:09:30Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > If people would really follow that chart I’d be fine with anything from medium rare through rare. > > Years ago I was out with friends - we’d shared many meals - and my steak arrived and I got giddy because finally, FINALLY someone had cooked it the way I like it. One of my friends looked at it and said “Gwen, that’s what they feed the lions!” > > If I thought a restaurant (that I can afford) would get it right I’d order Pittsburgh rare/black and blue. I do like a bit of char on the outside. Maybe I’d do better to score an invite next time\*\* JohnT \*\*is grilling. I don’t know where Charm City is compared to San Antonio, but feel free to PM me if you’re in town - we’ll be glad to have you and yours over. Getting Pittsburgh done right in a restaurant is a hit or miss affair. I’ve had great Pittsburgh steaks in no-name steakhouses in Goldsboro, NC, poorly cooked ones at Morton’s in Atlanta. I usually tell the server “Pittsburgh if you can do it, medium rare if you cannot”, saving them the embarrassment of having to come back and ask me what else I would prefer. If the server doesn’t know what the hell I’m talking about, it will show, which means I’m probably getting a medium-rare steak. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/38 "2012-07-25T22:09:55Z")
Just a \*little \*pink inside - but err on the side of pink. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/39 "2012-07-25T22:10:33Z")
There was a wonderful place in Virginia Beach near military circle called Grate Steak where you picked out your hunk of cow and [grilled it yourself](http://www.womansday.com/food-recipes/8-great-diy-restaurants-102831). They had a salad and sides bar, and foil wrapped already baked potatoes to reheat on the grill, and thick texas toast cut bread you could toast next to the steaks, and bins of melted butter to baste the steaks with. /drool. Such a damned shame it closed, but the wife couldn’t keep it open, too much work for her ☹ I always had a minor dream of reopening it somewhere if we won a lottery. With proper staffing and management, it would be great. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376/40 "2012-07-25T22:15:11Z")
ER style–just grab the paddles and yell “CLEAR!” or just slap it on the butt and let it run to the table [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-want-your-steak-cooked/629376.md?page=3)