Whether you’re cooking up a filet mignon or searing a ribeye, knowing the correct steak internal temperature is critical for food safety. So how do you properly measure it? And is it the same for every cut of beef?
Steak Internal Temperature: The USDA currently recommends that steaks and roasts be cooked to 145°F (which is considered medium), and then allowed to rest for at least 3 minutes before serving. To fully ensure food safety, ground beef should always be cooked to a minimum of 160°F (which is well done).
You can find all of the proper internal cooking temperatures for various cuts of meat and poultry over at foodsafety.gov, which is a great resource to keep bookmarked on your computer and/or printed out in your kitchen.
What is The Temperature of Medium Rare Beef?
While this is the USDA recommendation, most people tend to enjoy steaks cooked to medium-rare. Medium rare is considered to be 130°F to 135°F. This is the steak internal temp range at which steaks are the most tender, flavorful, and juicy.
What is The Temperature of Rare Beef?
Rare steak is considered to be 120°F to 130°F. It’s warm but barely cooked on the inside, and should have a nice sear on the outside for additional flavor.
What is The Correct Internal Temperature of Ground Beef?
While I like my steaks medium rare, I always cook my burgers until they reach 160°F. A package of ground beed will almost always meat from multiple animals, so the chance of food borne illness is greatly increased.
How to Find the Correct Beef Internal Temp
I highly recommend investing in a digital meat thermometer. Most of them aren’t expensive (certainly less expensive than a few ruined steaks). Once you own a thermometer, there will never be any doubt that your steak is cooked to the desired temperature. You can find a variety of meat thermometers on the market, but I’m especially partial to digital probe versions with alerts. You can set the thermometer to alert you when the steak reaches your preferred level of doneness.
Most thermometers suggest that the probe be inserted at least 1/2 inch into the meat (not all, so read the instruction manual).
Beef Recipes
Ready to get cooking? Try my Cumin Marinated Grilled Flank Steak with Salsa, Beer-Marinated Grilled Flat Iron Steak, and Shepherd’s Pie!
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