How to Prepare a Steak
Steak is a popular dish that is eaten by millions of people all around the world. This is dish is prepared in a variety of ways but medium rare is the most common way that it is consumed. The information presented here will describe the different ways that people like to prepare and eat their steak.
Steak can be prepared in one of five different ways. These ways typically include rare, medium rare, medium and well done.
Rare
At least 17% of all steak eaters prefer to eat their steak rare. A rare steak is made by cooking the meat for at least 2 – 3 minutes on each side. A rare steak will have a red inside and the outside of this meat will have slightly brown appearance. Rare steak should be cooked at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit but it can be prepared at 130 degrees. The key to cooking rare steak is to quickly brown the outside under medium or high heat for a few minutes and then allow the meat to sit for a few minutes. This way the heat will seep through the meat to give it a perfect flavor and texture.
Medium Rare
Medium rare is the most common way that people eat steak. A medium rare steak is brown on the outside and has a red center. At least 50% of the middle part of this steak will have a red center. This meat should be prepared at temperature of 140 – 160 degrees Fahrenheit. The steak should also be cooked between 4 – 7 minutes to achieve the proper texture and flavor.
Medium
Steaks that are cooked to a medium texture will have a slightly red center and the outer part will be brown. People will need to cook this steak between 140 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit and it will take between 6 – 10 minutes.
Well Done
Well-done steak typically takes between 8 – 12 minutes to finish and it will not have a red center. Instead, the meat will be brown. This meat should be prepared at a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
FDA Temperature and Regulations on Meat
Most people might not realize this but the USDA and the FDA has a temperature guide for cooking meats. This temperature guide is necessary because it kills pathogens and deadly bacteria, which can make a person seriously ill. They recommend using temperatures that are hot enough to kill a certain amount of bacteria that might be present on meat.
Generally speaking, the standard temperature for killing deadly bacteria and pathogens is 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Chef’s can also cook food at 130 degrees and this too will kill off lots of bacteria as well. However, if you cook food at this temperature it will take about 2 hours to finish. Meat that is cooked at 160 degrees will only take a few minutes to kill germs. The main thing that cooks should remember is that high temperatures are necessary for making food safe to eat.
Restaurants are required by law to cook and serve food at a high enough temperature to keep people from getting ill. Eating establishments typically follow these requirements because they want to ensure that their patrons keep coming back and are not getting ill off of their food. An organization can develop a bad reputation for getting people sick if they do not properly prepare their food.
Meat that has been properly prepared at the right temperature is necessary for getting the best taste and flavor. The cooking process for steak is not complicated but people need to pay attention to what they are doing so they will not cause themselves or others to become ill. High temperatures just ensures that steak is killing off the germs that are present in dead flesh. Keep in mind that is exactly what steak is; the dead flesh of a cow. So, making sure organisms are dead on a steak is important for people to enjoy this food.
Children and people with weak immune systems should not eat rare or medium rare meat. This is because their systems might not be developed enough to deal with the pathogens and bacteria that can cause them to become ill. People should make sure that steak is well done when serving this meat to people who fall in this category. Ultimately, steak should be prepared at a high temperature to ensure that people can enjoy their food without having to worry about getting sick or becoming ill.
