There are few luxuries in life more enjoyable than visiting your favorite restaurant and ordering a piece of delicious, juicy steak. This red meat is rich in protein and is lauded for its flavor, texture, and compatibility with many sides including greens, mashed potatoes, rice, and salads. If you prepare your meat at home on the stovetop or grill, you likely cook it to your preference without much consideration for how it might be categorized. However, while eating out at a steakhouse, you generally have three options: rare, medium, or well-done. But what do these categories mean, and which should you order?

How Should You Order Your Steak?

Rare

A rare steak has a core temperature of 125 degrees Fahrenheit and features a seared, dark outer layer and soft, bright red inner layer. Rare steaks are often hot on the outside, and warm to cool on the inside. A rare cut of beef will often still carry some blood, and may even appear a bit raw on the inside; however, the outer portion should look cooked.

Medium

There are three sub-categories of medium steaks: medium-rare, medium, and medium-well. Medium-rare steaks have a seared, brown outside and a reddish-pink inside with a core temperature of 130 degrees. Meat that is medium has a grayish-brown color throughout, except for a pink band in the center; medium steaks rarely have any blood, and the core temperature is around 145 degrees. Medium-well steaks are feature a dark color throughout, except for a thin line of pink in the center. You can expect medium-well steaks to have a 155-degree core temperature.

Well-Done

When meat is well-done, it is thoroughly cooked, and has an entirely grayish-brown color, with no pink or red. Meat that is well done is cooked to 165 degrees, and it has a tougher texture than medium or rare varieties.

Which Is Right for You?

Ultimately, the temperature of your steak is a matter of preference. There is no nutritional difference between these cooking temperatures regarding protein and iron content; however, meat that is under-cooked can increase your risk of contracting salmonella. For taste and texture, rare and medium steaks are juicier and retain seasoning better, and many chefs recommend choosing medium to medium-rare for thicker cuts of beef to optimize flavor.

If you are craving a nice piece of steak, head down to Western Sizzlin Restaurant. Located in Russellville, AR, this steakhouse specializes in family dining, catering, and buffet. To check out their menu and nutritional information, visit the website or call (479) 968-1757 today to make reservations and ask about specials.