The Perfect Steak Temperature Explained

The journey to the perfect steak begins with selecting the right cut. 

• Ribeye: Known for its intense flavor and marbling, the high fat content of this cut makes it the most forgiving, even when well-done. The ribeye’s marbling infuses fat within the steak while it’s cooking, bringing intense flavor to every bite. 

• New York Strip: Known as a leaner cut, New York strips have less marbling which creates a firmer, chewier experience, ideal for those who aren’t keen on the taste or texture of fatty meats. 

• Filet Mignon: A crowd favorite no matter where you are. Referred to as the most delicate, tender cut, filet mignon comes from the tip of the tenderloin, which is what makes the grain of the meat fine and buttery. 

• T-Bone: The T-Bone is a combination of two different cuts: filet mignon and New York strip. The filet mignon brings tenderness and rich flavor, while the New York strip brings a firm texture with bold flavor. This combination is a crowd favorite and great to serve at parties to satisfy every guest.

• Sirloin: Known for its robust flavor, this lean cut is known to be budget-friendly. Sirloin is a great cut to utilize a Smart Meat Thermometer when cooking, as it’s less forgiving due to its minimal marbling. It’s a great option for those who prefer meatier and tougher textures.  

What is Marbling? Marbling is the intramuscular fat that runs through the muscle fibers of a steak. The level of marbling on a steak will determine its juiciness, tenderness, and overall flavor. The logic here is that fat makes things flavorful. The white lines artfully weaved throughout your steak? That’s fat, and when you cook it, those thin lines of fat infuse into your steak from every angle – creating a tender texture and juicy flavor that makes mouths water just thinking about it. 

The easiest way to find a marbled steak? Think of red and white marble. The more blended the bright red meat and bold white fat are, the more flavorful and marbled it is. If you’re looking for an easy place to start, you’ll typically find that wagyu or ribeye have the most marbling and are known to be the most flavorful and buttery. 

After selecting your steak’s cut and ideal level of marbling, it’s time to identify your ideal steak doneness to achieve your perfect flavor, texture, and taste. 

As much as the type of cut and amount marbling of factors into the perfect steak, the real determiner is how you cook it. The internal temperatures can transform a cut of meat from a tender and juicy medium-rare to a tough, almost leathery well-done. For every person, the right temperature is different based on texture, preference, and the dish itself. 

To achieve ideal doneness and eliminate guesswork, we recommend a Smart Meat Thermometer that monitors and notifies you about the steak’s temperature and when it’s time to let it rest. 

The USDA recommends that all meat be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°. Please cook and consume responsibly.

Cooked for the shortest period of time, rare steak is great for high quality cuts like filet mignon. 

Internal Temperature Range: 120–125℉

Texture: Cutting into a rare steak should feel like slicing butter, there should be no resistance against your knife. 

Flavor: Rare steak retains most of its natural juices which provides juicy, moist, buttery tenderness in every bite.

Appearance: Lightly seared exterior, cool red center (sometimes almost raw).  

Just 10 degrees above rare, medium-rare steak is a classic favorite for those who enjoy juicy, tender steak with a seared exterior and no raw qualities. 

Internal Temperature Range: 130–135℉

Texture: Offering a slight toughness but still easy to chew, medium-rare steak offers the optimal cook time for marbelization, delivering tenderness and bold flavors in every bite. 

Flavor: Allowing the steak to cook to a higher temperature allows bolder flavors to develop. Medium-rare doneness retains less juice than its rare-cooked counterpart but will still bleed when cut into. 

Appearance: Seared exterior, warm red interior. 

Steak cooked medium marks the transformation from a red to pink center and a more tough, firm chew due to being cooked almost completely through. 

Internal Temperature Range: 140–145℉

Texture: Medium steak is evenly cooked throughout and tough. This is great for those who still want bold steak flavors, without the undercooked center. 

Flavor: While the longer cooking time allows for the steak to further develop its flavor, it does eliminate most of its juices, providing minimal bleed and tenderness. 

Appearance: Well-browned exterior, pink center.  

The maximum doneness to cook your steak without burning it, well done provides the least flavor and toughest texture. 

Internal Temperature Range: 160℉ +

Texture: Due to a lack of moisture retention, well done steak is evenly cooked with no hint of pink or red, providing a dry, tough, and firm texture. 

Flavor: The high cooking temperature leads to longer cooking times, which cooks almost all the fat and juices out of the steak. Well done steak has the least complex flavor profile and is the toughest to chew. 

Appearance: Dark brown exterior, grey-brown center with no pink or red.  

Each cut of meat offers unique flavor profiles when cooked to different internal temperatures. If you’re ever feeling stuck selecting your cut and temperature, try to think of the sides to pair with your steak. 

A baked potato with garlic butter would pair beautifully with a juicy medium-rare ribeye. Roasted carrots, broccolini, and asparagus would be a nice light side to a rare filet mignon steak. A medium New York strip would be a hearty topping for a maple-balsamic salad with avocado and seasonal vegetables.

Now, you’re confident in your cooking temperatures and your flavor profiles. The last element that makes a great steak is you. Get into the kitchen and start cooking! Flavor awaits!