What's the difference in steaks being cooked medium or medium well?

Question

I thought that medium was done but not dry. I ordered one that way and it was RAW in the middle!

I had it sent back and the waitress told me that the way I wanted it was medium well.

Another restaurant I went to I asked for the steak medium and they cooked it just like they did when I sent the one back from the previous sentence!

What's the difference?

Answer 1

Every restaurant has their own idea of what tempuratures should look like.  Some places put medium closer to medium rare and others are closer to the medium well side.  Medium should be still fairly red in the center w/traces of pink around the outside.  If your looking for something to be cooked w/traces of pink but not dry order medium-well.    If your out and about and go to a restaurant you've never been to before ask your server what tempurature is best for cooked thru w/traces of pink.  The server should know best which tempurature to order for you.

Answer 2

To best answer your question, I suggest going to this site:

http://www.steakology.com/guidetogoodgri...

With steak it’s all about temperature:

Rare: 120 degrees core temperature

Medium-rare: 126 degrees

Medium: 135 degrees

Medium Well: 145 degrees

Well Done: Let's not even talk about it.

Being a 'cook' with a chef degree, I have found that most chain restaurants only serve rare, medium well or done, omitting medium and medium rare.  Maybe this has to do with the resting time.  A steak should rest a bit before serving so they may under cook it because the temperature is slightly rising while it rest.

Medium well should be pink in the core, done to me is burnt! Not completely, but it’s done! You never, and I know people do, eat done steak, only because it kills the flavor! Sure if it’s seasoned to perfection a done steak is good, but a medium to medium well when it is a little pink or bloody...is the best sealer of juices.

Take a look at this site as well, it will show you what steak should look like:

http://www.goodcooking.com/steak/donenes...

I suggest buying a cooking thermometer, a decent cut of steak and experiment, so the next time you go out, you will know exactly what temperature you like!

Answer 3

medium is a half cooked steak it makes it juicy if u dont like it jus get it well done

Answer 4

medium is pink inside but hot to the touch. also medium well will have no pink and will be firm when poked in the middle. medium should sink in a bit when poked in the middle

Answer 5

medium is pretty red inside, med well is actually cooked but not dry,  rare is just showing the meat to the grill. well done is no red no pink and rather dry

Answer 6

Medium should mean just a bit pink inside. I don't order medium/well done any more. I tell them I want it pink in the center. I usually get it the way I like it ordering it that way.