Steak Doneness Guide: What Temperature Is Best?

Steak is simple food. Beef, salt, heat, and time. But somewhere between those elements, things get complicated. Everyone has an opinion about how steak should be cooked, and somehow the question "how do you like your steak?" creates more debate than it should.

The truth is this: there's no right answer for how you cook your steak. But there is a  temperature where that particular cut of beef will taste the way you actually want it to taste.

At Turf Club, we don't care how you order your steak. What we care about is that we hit the exact temperature you asked for. That's the job.

Here's what you need to know.

Steak Doneness Temperatures: The Essential Chart

Before we get philosophical about steak, here are the numbers:

Rare: 125°F internal temperature (120-130°F range)

Medium Rare: 135°F internal temperature (130-140°F range)

Medium: 145°F internal temperature (140-150°F range)

Medium Well: 150°F internal temperature (145-155°F range)

Well Done: 160°F internal temperature (155°F and above)

These temperatures are measured at the thickest part of the steak, away from bone. Use an instant-read meat thermometer, it's the only way to be certain! Many chefs and connoisseurs will tell you to press the meat to feel its tenderness (a medium-rare steak should feel the same as the fleshy part of your hand between the thumb and pointer finger), and hone your instincts, but this takes years of practice to perfect.

Levels of Steak Doneness: From Rare to Well-Done

Blue steak (or blue rare) is for extra-rare steak lovers, where the meat is seared quickly on high heat, leaving the interior practically raw, cool to the touch, and dark red. The center retains a slippery, tender texture best used on lean cuts.

Rare steak has a  center that is cool, almost body temperature. It's got a deep red color and a tender texture because the muscle fibers haven't contracted much yet. If you love beef flavor without any compromise, rare is where that lives.

Medium Rare is the gold standard for steak preparation, and the most popular choice for most cuts. The center is warm and pink. The exterior has developed a proper crust. The muscle has contracted just enough to give you texture, but not so much that it squeezes out the juices. This is the balance point.

Medium is the next step. The pink is gone. The center is warm but no longer cool to the touch. You've got more texture from the muscle contraction, but you haven't entered the territory where beef starts to taste lean and one-dimensional.

Medium Well is where things get dry if you're not careful. There's barely any pink left. The steak is fully cooked through. If the beef isn't high quality, or the cut isn't well-marbled, this is where you start to notice it.

Well Done means the steak is cooked all the way through with no pink remaining. It's the driest option because all the moisture has been driven out during cooking. This doesn't mean it has to be tough, if it's a good cut and you're careful, well-done steak can still be tender. But it requires skill and quality beef.

Here's the thing people don't want to admit: your preference is valid, even if everyone else disagrees with it. Order what you actually like. Life's too short to eat steak you don't want.

Medium Rare Steak Internal Temperature: Why It's The Gold Standard

Medium rare sits at 135°F for a reason. It's the temperature where you get everything: beef flavor, proper crust development, tender texture, and retained moisture.

At medium rare, the proteins have contracted enough to give the steak structure and bite, but not so much that they've squeezed out the juices. The fat is rendered enough to carry flavor, but the muscle still holds the moisture that makes steak tender. The exterior has caramelized. The interior stays pink enough that you're still eating beef the way beef wants to be eaten.

This is why steakhouse restaurants default to medium rare. It's not elitism. It's because this temperature gives you the best chance of getting what steak is supposed to be.

But again, if you want something else, order something else. Medium rare is the gold standard because it works well for most steaks and most people. It's not a rule.

Best Steak Doneness for Different Cuts

Different cuts behave differently at different temperatures. This matters.

A dry-aged ribeye (like we source from Lot 29 beef) is heavily marbled. Fat running through the muscle means moisture isn't going anywhere, even at medium well. You can push this cut to medium or medium-well and it'll still be tender because the fat does the work. A well-marbled ribeye is forgiving.

A lean filet mignon (from our prime selection) is the opposite. There's little fat to protect it. Cook a filet past medium rare and you're working against the cut. Stick with rare to medium rare on tender, lean cuts.

A dry-aged sturgeon (Turf Club has the only one in Twin Falls, by the way) is a fish steak. Fish is lean and cooks fast. You actually want to be more careful not to overcook it, because there's nowhere for the moisture to hide.

Butcher's cuts, like a Tomahawk, New York Strip, or Ribeye, are all premium beef. They're forgiving enough that you can cook them to your preference. But they're good enough that you should consider what the cut is designed for. A ribeye wants to be medium rare. A filet can handle rare. A strip steak lives in the medium range.

The better the beef, the more flexible you can be. But the better the beef, the more a cooler temperature will let you taste what you paid for.

What Temp Should My Steak Be?

The honest answer is: whatever temperature makes you happy!

But here's how to think about it:

If you love beef flavor and texture: Rare to medium rare (125-140°F). This is where you taste the meat most clearly.

If you want flavor with more texture: Medium rare to medium (135-150°F). This is the sweet spot for balance.

If you're concerned about safety or you just prefer it cooked through: Medium to medium well (145-155°F). Beef is safe to eat at 160°F, but you don't need to go that high unless you want to.

If you always order well-done: Order well-done. Your preference is just as valid as anyone else's. Ask for a higher quality cut and it will help give you a more flavorful result. Ask your server for sauce recommendations that complement a well-cooked steak (a béarnaise, bordelaise or steak sauce). 

The most important thing is knowing what you want before you order. Say the number. Don't say "medium-ish" or "not too pink." Say "medium rare" or "135 degrees." That clarity makes the kitchen's job easier and gets you exactly what you want.

How to Check Steak Doneness: Temperature vs. Touch Methods

The Thermometer Method (Most Accurate): Use an instant-read meat thermometer. Insert it horizontally into the thickest part of the steak, away from bone. Wait for the reading. Done.

This is the only method that actually works. Every other method is a guess based on experience.

The Touch Method (Less Accurate, But Works With Practice): You've probably heard this: touch the fleshy part of your palm below your thumb when your hand is relaxed. That's rare. Make a fist and touch it, that's medium. Spread your fingers and touch it, that's medium well.

This works if you've done it a thousand times. It does not work if you've done it twice. Your hand temperature, the room temperature, the thickness of your steak, and your personal heat sensitivity all matter.

Use a thermometer. Stop guessing.

The Cut-and-Check Method (Not Recommended): Cutting into your steak to check how it looks means you're letting the juices escape. Yes, you'll see the color. No, you shouldn't do it if you can avoid it.

If you do need to check, cut into the thickest part and look at the color. But this is a last resort, not a primary method.

The Time Method (Unreliable): "Cook it 4 minutes per side for medium rare." This assumes a specific thickness, a specific temperature on your grill or pan, a specific starting temperature of the meat, and a specific ambient temperature. It's basically never all of those things at once. Time is only one variable.

Common Steak Temperature Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Mistake #1: Checking Temperature Too Early

You can't check doneness before the steak is done. You need to actually cook it first. Don't start checking at 2 minutes if you're planning to cook it for 4 minutes. Let it cook, then check. Constant temperature-checking means constantly losing heat and prolonging the cooking process.

Mistake #2: Removing Steak at the Target Temperature, Then It Keeps Cooking

Your steak will continue to cook after you pull it off heat. A steak that's 130°F when it comes off the pan will be 135°F after it rests. This is called "carryover cooking" and it matters.

Pull your steak off heat 5 degrees before your target temperature. If you want 135°F medium rare, pull it at 130°F.

Mistake #3: Not Letting Steak Rest

This is the biggest one. You cook your steak perfectly, then slice into it immediately and all the juices pour onto the plate. Give your steak at least 5 minutes on a cutting board before slicing it so that the proteins can re-absorb the juices.

Mistake #4: Checking the Thickest Part vs. Other Parts

The thickest part is the coolest part. If you check temperature there and hit your target, the thinner parts are definitely past it. Always check the thickest part of the steak, away from bone.

Mistake #5: Letting Steak Come to Room Temperature "For Flavor"

Cold steak cooks slower and unevenly. Room temperature steak cooks faster and more evenly. Allow your steaks to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before cooking if it's been in the fridge. 

Why Temperature Matters More Than Time

Here's what matters when cooking steak: temperature. Not time.

Two steaks that are the same thickness can take wildly different times to cook depending on:

• Starting temperature (cold steak takes longer)

• Pan or grill temperature (hotter surface = faster cook)

• Thickness variation (uneven steaks cook unevenly)

• Fat content (more fat takes longer to render)

• Ambient temperature (cooking outside in winter vs. summer)

You cannot predict time. You can only measure temperature.

Resting Temperature: How Steak Doneness Changes After Cooking

Here's what happens when you take steak off heat:

The internal temperature keeps rising for 3-5 minutes. This is carryover cooking, and it's not optional. It happens whether you acknowledge it or not.

A steak at 130°F when removed from heat will reach 135°F while resting.

A steak at 140°F will reach 145°F or beyond.

This is why you pull steak off heat before it hits your target temperature. Your target temperature is what you want when the steak is done resting and ready to eat, not when it comes off the pan.

Resting also lets the muscle fibers relax and reabsorb the juices that were pushed to the surface during cooking. A properly rested steak is more tender and more juicy than a steak that goes straight to the plate.

Rest your steak 5-10 minutes depending on thickness. Tent it loosely with foil to keep it warm without trapping steam (steam makes the crust soggy).

Food Safety and Steak Doneness

Here's the science part: beef is safe to eat at lower temperatures than poultry because of how cattle are raised and processed compared to birds. The risk of harmful bacteria is primarily on the surface, not throughout the meat.

Safe Temperatures (USDA Guidelines):

• Ground beef: 160°F (internal temperature)

• Whole cuts of beef (steaks, roasts): 145°F (internal temperature)

This means rare steak (125°F) is not technically "safe" by USDA standards, but it's common in fine dining because the risk is calculated and understood. Surface searing kills bacteria. The interior of a whole steak is sterile.

If you're pregnant, immunocompromised, or otherwise concerned about food safety, stick with 160°F or above. For everyone else: medium rare (135°F) and above are considered safe by any reasonable standard.

Final Thoughts

Steak doneness comes down to one thing: knowing what you want and communicating it clearly.

Don't worry about what you "should" order. Don't apologize for your preference. Order the temperature that makes you happy, order good beef (we recommend Lot 29 Prime Charolais or a dry-aged selection (see our purveyors page for more information).

At Turf Club, we cook every steak to the exact temperature you ask for. Whether that's rare or well-done, we treat it with the same care, the same precision, and the same respect. Because it's your steak, and you deserve to eat it the way you actually want to eat it.

Want to experience steak doneness done right? We pair every cut on our menu with wine that complements the preparation. Check out our wine pairings with steak or explore our different steak cuts.

Reserve your table at Turf Club, and enjoy a premium steak today.