by Jenny Tolley

Created on: June 01, 2011   Last Updated: June 02, 2011

A beautifully cut, well-prepared steak cooked to the proper temperature can be the highlight of any dinner.  Anyone who enjoys beef dishes knows that steaks can be cooked to a variety of temperatures ranging from rare to well-done.  While many people enjoy steaks cooked at either extreme of the temperature spectrum, other people seem to prefer their steaks cooked to medium or medium well done.  

A lot of restaurants also prefer to cook meat longer because the cooking process kills harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning.  In 1993, a devastating outbreak of food poisoning was traced to a Jack-In-The-Box fast food restaurant in Washington state.  Workers at the chain restaurant served undercooked hamburgers infected with E. coli O157:H7 to an unsuspecting public.  Three children died and about 600 children got sick from the tainted patties, which resulted in legal action being taken against the restaurant chain.  The end result is that many restaurants, particularly those that serve ground beef, will not cook meat to temperatures lower than medium well-done.

So how can a person tell when a steak is cooked to medium well-done?  The first clue is in the beef's color.  Meat that is medium well cooked is grayish-brown rather than pink.  A hint of pink is permissible in the centermost part of the beef.  The next clue is in the beef's texture.  Beef that is medium well-done tends to be firmer and less juicy than meat that is less done; however, the meat should not be as dry as it would be if it were cooked well-done.  A third clue has to do with the meat's surface.  If the meat is being cooked on a grill, the surface should be brown in color and should have prominent grill marks.  

Meat that is cooked to medium well-done should have an internal temperature that meets the criteria for being medium well-done.  Traditionally, the guidelines for medium well-done meat was between 150 and 160 degrees Fahrenheit.  Updated guidelines call for medium well-done meat to be between 160 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit.  A meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the beef can help cooks verify whether or not it has actually been cooked to medium well-done; however, most people who grill steaks tend to rely on visual cues to tell them when their steaks are ready.           

With practice and experience, anyone can learn how to cook steaks to the temperature that is best for them.

Beef Doneness- retrieved from http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t-390/beef-do neness.asp

"Jack In The Box Ignored Safety Rules"- retrieved from http://www.about-ecoli.com/ecoli_outbreaks/news/jack -in-the-box-ignored-safety-rules/

Learn more about this author, Jenny Tolley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.