Raw - “True Carnivore”
uncooked, cool
- Inside: cool red, raw
- Outside: cool, red, raw, slippery
Blue rare or very rare - “Black & Blue”
cooked very quickly so the inside is usually cool and barely cooked
- Inside: red and barely warm
- Outside: seared
Rare - “Seared”
barely cooked
- Inside: red, slightly warm
- Outside: grayish-brown
Medium rare - slightly cooked
unless asked, upscale steakhouses will generally cook to this level
- Inside: red, warm center, soft, juicy
- Outside: gray-brown, firm
Medium - moderately cooked
- Inside: red with pink band in the center, hot center
- Outside: brown, slightly firm
Medium well done
- Inside: hot center, gray-brown throughout with hint of pale pink center
- Outside: brown, firm
Well done - “The Jerky”
- Inside: gray-brown, hot, no signs of any other color
- Outside: darker brown, slightly charred, very firm
More information, please visit the following:
Good Cooking - for pictures
Wikipedia - for more detailed information such as type of steak (beef & fish)