# Very Bloody Steaks ?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 6, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069 "2005-10-06T17:18:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/1 "2005-10-06T17:18:49Z")
I have been eating medium rare steaks all my life, and I do not mind a steak that is blood red on the inside. But, my favorite steak restaurant here in the Philippines has steaks that seem to squirt blood when you cut them. I have never had steaks before where the blood just pours out. The steaks (filet mignon) are supposedly black angus steaks imported from America. The steaks appear to be cooked properly, but what would cause so much blood to come out ? My only guess is that it is possible that the steaks are somehow injected with water or blood so that they will weigh more , and sell for more money, when they are sold to the distributor and/or restaurant. Are they somehow not being cooked properly ? Anyone have an answer ? Thanks ! ---
**Author:** ![Future\_Londonite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Future\_Londonite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_Londonite)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/2 "2005-10-06T17:25:09Z")
> [@simple homer](#): > > I have been eating medium rare steaks all my life, and I do not mind a steak that is blood red on the inside. But, my favorite steak restaurant here in the Philippines has steaks that seem to squirt blood when you cut them. I have never had steaks before where the blood just pours out. The steaks (filet mignon) are supposedly black angus steaks imported from America. The steaks appear to be cooked properly, but what would cause so much blood to come out ? My only guess is that it is possible that the steaks are somehow injected with water or blood so that they will weigh more , and sell for more money, when they are sold to the distributor and/or restaurant. Are they somehow not being cooked properly ? > Anyone have an answer ? > > Thanks ! slight nitpick - it’s not blood, it’s meat juice for lack of better term. Most animals you can buy at butchershops are drained of blood. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/3 "2005-10-06T17:39:36Z")
It was most likely improperly rested. Meat needs resting after cooking over high heat to relax the muscle fibres and let them re-absorb the juice. Even a medium steak improperly rested can leak an alarming amount of juice. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/4 "2005-10-06T17:46:38Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > It was most likely improperly rested. Meat needs resting after cooking over high heat to relax the muscle fibres and let them re-absorb the juice. Even a medium steak improperly rested can leak an alarming amount of juice. I’m anal about my steak and this is a pet peeve of mine. One must never take a perfectly cut, selected and prepared steak and immediately cut into it when it’s removed from the heat. The steak must be allowed to “rest” so that it’s juices will be reabsorbed into the meat prior to carving. Man am I hungry now. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/5 "2005-10-06T17:51:42Z")
Living with a Philippine family, my guess is that they don’t know how to do “medium-rare”, especially the resting part. Most Philippine cooking I’ve been subjected to has always been well done or higher. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/6 "2005-10-06T23:29:03Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > Living with a Philippine family, my guess is that they don’t know how to do “medium-rare”, especially the resting part. Most Philippine cooking I’ve been subjected to has always been well done or higher. Steak cooked to well done does not need to be rested. Then again, steak cooked to well done does not need to be eaten either. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2005, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/7 "2005-10-06T23:58:26Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Steak cooked to well done does not need to be rested. Then again, steak cooked to well done does not need to be eaten either. Amen. And the OP’s description really made my mouth water. (Leftovers tonight, sadly) ---
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/8 "2005-10-07T00:20:14Z")
Thanks for all the replies. I get the “meat juice” part, but it looks like blood to me. It is a very bright red and seems to have the consistency of blood. So, the meat just needs to sit awhile before being eaten ? That is the “resting” ? When served to me, I should just wait awhile before eating it ? How do restaurants normally keep it from getting cold while it rests ? Thanks ! ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/9 "2005-10-07T07:16:07Z")
> [@simple homer](#): > > Thanks for all the replies. I get the “meat juice” part, but it looks like blood to me. It is a very bright red and seems to have the consistency of blood. So, the meat just needs to sit awhile before being eaten ? That is the “resting” ? When served to me, I should just wait awhile before eating it ? How do restaurants normally keep it from getting cold while it rests ? > > Thanks ! Proper restaurants should let it rest in the kitchen. Typically, it’s place under lamps to keep it warm. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/10 "2005-10-07T08:13:14Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Steak cooked to well done does not need to be rested. Then again, steak cooked to well done does not need to be eaten either. Word. But if your boots are close to worn out, it’s just the job. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/11 "2005-10-07T12:51:24Z")
> [@simple homer](#): > > Thanks for all the replies. I get the “meat juice” part, but it looks like blood to me. It is a very bright red and seems to have the consistency of blood. So, the meat just needs to sit awhile before being eaten ? That is the “resting” ? When served to me, I should just wait awhile before eating it ? How do restaurants normally keep it from getting cold while it rests ? > > Thanks ! At home, I use foil tents. I’ve also seen metal covers used over warmed plates (usually vented to let some steam escape). So, how are you liking Philippine cuisine. Personally, after being dragged to a Philippine restaurant or family dinner, Ms. D\_Odds owes me a night of beer and pizza. IMO, it is the worst SE Asian cuisine out of the three I’ve tried - and it’s the one I _have_ to eat the most. Good thing I do most of the cooking when I’m home. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/12 "2005-10-07T13:07:38Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > So, how are you liking Philippine cuisine. Personally, after being dragged to a Philippine restaurant or family dinner, Ms. D\_Odds owes me a night of beer and pizza. IMO, it is the worst SE Asian cuisine out of the three I’ve tried - and it’s the one I _have_ to eat the most. Good thing I do most of the cooking when I’m home. Amen. Filipinos are nice, friendly, wonderful folks. I’ve not, however, found much of their food to my liking. ---
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/13 "2005-10-07T14:31:22Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > At home, I use foil tents. I’ve also seen metal covers used over warmed plates (usually vented to let some steam escape). > > So, how are you liking Philippine cuisine. Personally, after being dragged to a Philippine restaurant or family dinner, Ms. D\_Odds owes me a night of beer and pizza. IMO, it is the worst SE Asian cuisine out of the three I’ve tried - and it’s the one I _have_ to eat the most. Good thing I do most of the cooking when I’m home. I feel that there is a very good reason you do not find any Filipino restaurants outside the Philippines, and that is because most other people will not like the food. Most Filipino food is very oily, salty, bland, and overcooked. I have been here in the Philippines for 3 years, and I still do not like the food. The people here are great folks, very hospitable, entertaining, and polite, but I very rarely eat the local food. The confusing part for me is that Thais or Chinese can take the same ingredients, and produce delicious food. I have never had a bad meal in Thailand. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/14 "2005-10-07T16:08:21Z")
I’m in NYC and, unfortunately, Ms. D\_Odds and family can find Filipino restaurant **s** - much to my chagrin. You’ll find me at every grand opening…I’ll be the one sneaking in the Wendy’s bag. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/15 "2005-10-07T19:20:52Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Steak cooked to well done does not need to be rested. Then again, steak cooked to well done does not need to be eaten either. Oh please. “Well done” does not mean “bone dry”, and a well done steak does benefit from a rest to allow the juices to recollect just the same as a still-mooing slab of cow that was merely waved near a candle on its way through the kitchen does. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/16 "2005-10-07T19:44:51Z")
It’s possible that your steak was brined for a while before cooking. That would have imported lots of extra moisture into the meat, resulting in that “squirting.” ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/17 "2005-10-07T20:13:32Z")
For some reason I keep reading the title of this thread as “Very Bloody Shakes??” – which makes me less hungry. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/18 "2005-10-07T20:36:13Z")
> [@Max Torque](#): > > Oh please. “Well done” does not mean “bone dry”, and a well done steak does benefit from a rest to allow the juices to recollect just the same as a still-mooing slab of cow that was merely waved near a candle on its way through the kitchen does. While well-done doesn’t have to mean bone-dry, often times it does, as many places don’t properly cook a steak to well-done. It should be cooked at a lower temp than for rare, medium-rare, or medium, and a lot longer, but instead most palces use the same temp and go a little longer, resulting in much more juice loss. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/very-bloody-steaks/325069/19 "2005-10-07T23:17:42Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > For some reason I keep reading the title of this thread as “Very Bloody Shakes??” – which makes me less hungry. I keep putting an R in the middle of “steaks,” and I wonder if **simple homer** ’s underwear is providing evidence of a medical issue.