How to Cook the Perfect Steak

Cooking steak at home can be intimidating—how do you really know when it's cooked to the desired amount of doneness? Different cuts cook at different rates—and you have to judge every piece of meat individually for its thickness, internal temperature, and amount of fat. Then there's the temperature of one's oven or barbecue, the conductivity of the pan—even the weather, if you're cooking outdoors.

Some cooks rely on the famous but contestable touch test: A rare steak is supposed to feel like the fleshy triangle of skin between the thumb and index finger of a relaxed hand; that same spot on a fist matches the firmness of a medium steak; if you want it well done, compare it to the feel of the tip of your nose. Use this method if you wish, but an easier option would be an instant-read thermometer—or else making a slit along the bone (or in the center of a boneless steak) and judging the color. A very rare steak, which has a bluish tinge, is done at 120°; one that is rare, about 140°; medium rare, which is brown near the surface, 145°; medium, 160°, and well, which is completely brown, 170°. Two things to remember: Thicker steaks keep cooking after they're removed from the heat; and practice makes perfect.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #17

Subscribe now

Comments (1)

by TERPDX on 2012-05-31

Disregard the temperatures quoted above. 160F does NOT get you medium, it gets you well-done (at which point you're better off eating something else). Those are antiquated temperature guidelines which have been around for far too long and need to be put to pasture. In reality, the temperature at which you should remove your steak varies on thickness, but you're generally looking for:

Rare: 120-125F
Medium-Rare: 125-130F
Medium: 135-140F
Medium-Well: 150-155F
Well: 160F+

Pull the steaks off at the lower end of these temperature ranges and let them rest for about 10 minutes. The temperature will increase approximately 5-10 degrees (the thicker the steak, the more of an increase you will see), the juices will re-distribute, and you'll enjoy a perfectly cooked steak.