Rare
If you want your steak barely cooked, this is what to order. The center should be warmed, and the outside will be charred. The middle is very red, and the sides are browned. When you touch the center, it should feel very soft, similar to the way that raw meat feels.
Medium-Rare
If you aren’t sure what you want, you might want to go with medium-rare. Many steak cooks say this is their favorite. It will be warm all the way through the middle. The center will be pink, not red, although there could be a hint of red as well. The sides will be fairly brown, and both the bottom and top should have a dark brown color to them. The center will not feel as soft as a rare steak, but it will still give just a bit in the center.
Medium
This kind of steak has a large amount of light pink in the center. The bottom and top will both be a dark color, but not quite black. The sides will also be a deep brown. In the middle, there is a bit of ply in this steak, but it should still feel firm when you touch it.
Medium-Well
If you aren’t a fan of having that much color in your meat, then this is the steak for you. This type of steak has just a bit of pink in the center of it. The outside of it will be very dark brown, and both the bottom and top will be well-charred. It will feel fairly stiff, but the center will still have just the faintest hint of pink in it.
Well-Done
If you aren’t a fan of steak, you might want to get this type of steak. You will not taste as much of the flavor when it is well-done. However, many people still get their steak cooked like this, especially if they don’t like the idea of eating meat that still has some pink in it. This is cooked low and slow so that the outside does not burn while the inside is cooking.
It will not be burnt on the outside of it. There will not be any pink in it. Although it will look brown, it will not be burnt. This steak often feels very firm when you touch it.
Closing Thoughts
Now that you know the levels of doneness, you will be better prepared to make an informed ordering decision the next time you visit a steakhouse. You’re making the meal special by going to a steakhouse, so why not make it as enjoyable as possible by getting the perfect steak for you and your company as well?