Technique, 5 min read
Steak Doneness Guide: Temperatures, Resting and the Touch-Test Truth
Exact pull temperatures for every doneness, why resting matters, carryover cooking explained, and how to slice for tenderness.
Nothing deflates a special dinner like a steak cooked past the point you wanted. The fix is simple: use temperature, not time or touch.
Pull temperatures
Take the steak off the heat about 3°C (5°F) below your target. It will keep cooking as it rests (this is called carryover cooking).
| Doneness | Pull from pan | After resting | Looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 46°C / 115°F | 49°C / 120°F | Cool red center |
| Medium-rare | 52°C / 125°F | 55°C / 130°F | Warm red-pink center |
| Medium | 57°C / 135°F | 60°C / 140°F | Pink center |
| Medium-well | 63°C / 145°F | 66°C / 150°F | Slightly pink |
| Well done | 68°C / 155°F | 71°C / 160°F | Little or no pink |
Food safety: the USDA recommends cooking whole cuts of beef to at least 63°C (145°F) and resting for 3 minutes. Many people choose lower temperatures for steak; this is a personal choice. Ground meat should always reach 71°C (160°F).
Why the touch test lets you down
Comparing the steak's firmness to the base of your thumb is popular, but it varies with the cut, its thickness and your own hand. Under the pressure of cooking for someone, it is unreliable. A thermometer costs less than one steak.
How to measure
Insert the probe horizontally from the side into the thickest part of the steak, away from the bone. Check each steak; they rarely cook at the same rate.
Resting
Rest steaks for 5–10 minutes on a rack or board. Resting lets the temperature even out from edge to center and keeps more juice in the meat when you slice.
Slicing against the grain
Look for the direction of the muscle fibers and slice across them. Shorter fibers make every bite more tender. Fan the slices onto a warm plate as shown in Pan-Seared Ribeye with Red Wine Pan Sauce.
Need quick conversions? Our Kitchen Converter & Doneness Chart includes a doneness chart.