Steak Doneness Guide
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Doneness affects the texture, flavour, and juiciness of your finished steak. These are Carnivore Cartel chef-tested secrets to cooking the perfect steak every time.
Bring your steak to room temperature before cooking for best results. Then, use this temperature chart to cook to your desired doneness. We recommend medium rare for most steaks, but you may prefer a different doneness. Here’s how each different doneness will affect the steak flavor and texture.
Rare – 50ºC / 120ºF
(Remove from heat at 48ºC / 118ºF)
The steak has cool-to-warm red center, and soft, tender texture. This is an excellent choice for leaner steaks like top sirloin or filet mignon that don’t have as much fat to melt.
Medium Rare - 54ºC / 130ºF
(Remove from heat at 52ºC / 125ºF)
Steak will have warm red center – perfect steak texture with a nice brown crust. Cooking to medium rare allows the fat (marbling in the steak) to render and add buttery, rich flavors to your steak. This is the ideal doneness for a juicy, flavourful steak.
Medium – 60ºC / 140ºF
(Remove from heat at 58ºC / 136ºF)
The steak will have a hot pink center and slightly firmer texture. The longer cooking time will make your steak slightly drier and the bite less tender.
Medium Well - 65ºC / 140ºF
(Remove from heat at 62ºC / 143ºF)
The steak will have a mostly brown center and firm texture. The meat will be drier as water evaporates during the cooking process.
Well Done – 70ºC / 160ºF
(Remove from heat at 68ºC / 154F)
The steak will have no colour left, will be very firm and much drier. The meat loses fat and moisture as it cooks, resulting in a dry, tougher texture. We don’t recommend cooking to this doneness.
How to Tell When Steak is Done
Test for doneness by inserting an instant-read thermometer through the side of the thickest part of the steak for an accurate temperature reading. Use our steak doneness chart to cook to the desired temperature.
Rest Your Steak
For a juicy, delicious steak, it needs to rest 3-5 minutes. This will help the juices redistribute for the best-tasting and juiciest steaks. Keep in mind, the temperature of your steak may increase up to 5 degrees as it rests. Top with a simple compound butter for an amazing steak dinner.
Check out our guide below on what temperature to remove steak and what the final cooked temperature should be.
| Remove from heat at this temperature | Final cooked temperature | |
| Rare | 48ºC / 118ºF | 50ºC / 120ºF |
| Medium Rare | 52ºC / 125ºF | 54ºC / 130ºF |
| Medium | 58ºC / 136ºF | 60ºC / 140ºF |
| Medium Well | 62ºC / 143ºF | 65ºC / 140ºF |
| Well Done | 68ºC / 154F | 70ºC / 160ºF |
