When you head to a restaurant for a hamburger or hanger steak, the wait staff has likely asked how you’d like the meat cooked. If you’ve been ordering “medium” out of habit without knowing all the options, it’s time to change that. Learn about the five different ways to order your steak dinner below.

5 Delicious Ways to Order Your Steak Dinner

1. Rare

Rare is for die-hard steak lovers, those who’d rather taste the raw, juicy, natural flavor of their meat, even if it means a walk on the dietary wild side. If you order your steak rare, it will be cooked at around 120-130 degrees, emerging soft with golden edges and a bright red center.

2. Medium Rare

Steak connoisseurs swear by this order since it still retains the steak’s natural flavor while adding a crisp, caramelized texture to the edges. Your medium-rare dish should be pink and slightly tender in the center, but firm and brown on the ends. When cooking your dinner, the chef will look for an internal temperature of 130-135 degrees.

3. Medium

While a medium-cooked steak will still retain a light pink in its center, it should be mostly brown from the edges in. The faces of the meat should be charred by the grill or skillet, and the center should reach around 140-150 degrees.

4. Medium Well

If you don’t want to see any pink in your steak, order it “medium well.” This is preferred for small children or those with sensitive stomachs. However, the center should still be slightly less brown than the edges while reaching a maximum temperature of 155-165 degrees.

5. Well 

For a smokey flavor and a chewy bite, order your steak well-done. To prevent the edges from burning before the pink is gone from the center, chefs have to cook these steaks on low heat for a longer duration. The meat should be brown all the way through and firm to the touch. When the steak is finished, the internal temperature will reach upwards of 170 degrees.

If you’re eager to try a new level of doneness for your steak, enjoy dinner at Atlantis Seafood & Steak in Honolulu, HI, with friends and family. The locally owned and operated restaurant will cook your steak however you like it best and introduce you to delicious seafood dishes made with locally grown and caught ingredients. For more information on their menu items, visit the website. You can also call (808) 922-6868 to make a reservation for lunch or dinner.