I’m not a huge steak eater so I’m probably going to get destroyed for even asking the question, but has “medium rare” become rarer recently?
I’ve been eating out for a long time and always ordered my steak medium rare, which in the past looked like the second example in the image.
But the two most recent steaks I’ve ordered medium rare have come looking more like the first example (nice crust but raw throughout).
https://www.mychicagosteak.com/steak-university/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Degrees-of-Doneness-new.png
How do I order my steak to look like the medium rare example? The first time I sent it back but the second time made me wonder if definition had changed while my tastes stayed the same.
by hoponpot
15 Comments
Medium rare should always be a core temp close to 55 Celsius, but factors such as aging, cut of meat (intramuscular fat), thickness of steak, preparation method and competence of the chef can obviously influence the outcome 😉
I’ve had the exact same experience, I’ve started asking for medium when ordering fattier cuts like ribeyes because raw fat is just so unpleasant.
That reference first pic is the textbook example of medium rare so I’m not sure what you’re talking about. #2 is medium. You’ve been eating over cooked steak for a long time.
Restaurants do this on purpose, better to undercook than overcook
It could be a few things:
1) Medium Rare is hard to execute so you may have just gotten a poorly cooked steak
2) At nicer steakhouses, they tend to cook steaks to the lower end of what you ask for so medium rare probably is going to be more on the rare side
3) You could try asking for “medium rare plus” which is supposed to be more on the medium side of medium rare (even though it does sound kinda obnoxious)
Yeah bro you’re wrong, your diagram is wrong. The top steak is mid rare.
You want it medium, so that’s how you should order it, medium.
I used to be an expo at a steakhouse and had to temp every steak before it hit the table to ensure proper doneness. While there are specific temps for each level of doneness, people aren’t walking around with thermometers when they dine out so:
Rare – cool red center
Med rare – warm red center
Pink- medium
Hint of pink- medium well
No pink – well
Your diagram is a bit overcooked for its medium rare example, example 1 is medium rare, and honestly can also be rare because it depends on the temperature on the inside.
It’s fucking impossible to get a steak cooked right unless its at an actual steakhouse. I’ve stopped even trying. Last steak I had was at Lore in Park Slope. Ordered the ribeye and the bartender just goes “we cook it medium, is that ok?” I said, great, that’s how I like it. Steak comes out rare as shit, like beyond rare. Fat is barely rendered. I think I was more pissed off because they’re the ones who offered medium!
I also find every cooks definition of a “medium” burger is decided by a dice roll.
Even that pic you posted is off. Top one is definitely medium rare.
It may be where you are eating. I find non-steakhouses have a tendency to overcook steak so you order Medium Rare and you really get Medium. For certain cuts I will order Medium at a steakhouse if I want it cooked a little more and for other cuts I stay with Medium rare and happily get an actually Medium rare steak.
Restaurants have always cooked steaks more rare than you ask for because you can cook something to a higher temp, but can’t reverse it once it’s gone too far the other way. Also, a lot of diners don’t actually know what they’re asking for.
I think most places just don’t know how to cook meat sometimes. I ordered lamb chops medium rare at Union Square Cafe – and I knew they were gonna fuck it up. Of course, it comes back raw inside. I politely pointed it out and sent it back. They agreed they messed up and apologized. But all they did was refire the same meat I bit out of until it was medium to well done. Just use new meat, You messed it up, not my fault, not what I ordered, and they’re expensive. Then you return the same piece now overdone. I always feel awkward complaining so I probably just won’t go back but this is a common issue with restaurants in general.
One way to do it since cuts can vary is ask how the chef recommends it. Then if what they tell you lines up with your preference, it’s good to go in my experience.
It’s rare to find a place that does medium rare done well.
It depends on where you go … If you go to a nicer place, their definition is usually “more correct” .. so medium rare is properly medium rare. Often, places you go will shift up by 1 … so if you want a medium rare, you have to order rare.
It could just be that places are actually starting to correctly cook their steaks.
Medium rare – no purple. That’s it.