Whats wrong with warmer than Medium?

I really dont understand why people say its such a travesty to cook a steak warmer than medium. I find that a perfectly cooked Medium-Well steak is perfectly hot, crunchy crust, and juicy throughout. It also seems more tender because when a steak comes out to rare for me its chewy and tastes bloody. My wife prefers well done but that is way too done for me but she loves it. Its almost like a piece of meat has a perfect doneness for different people. Is there something scientific that I can wrap my brain around that explains these things? And why can't I enjoy a steak unless its cooked at the very least to medium?

Rev: how do you define medium/medium well? No pink?

And why can't I enjoy a steak unless its cooked at the very least to medium?

Because that's the way you like it. That's why there are so many different ways to cook the same food. That's why eggs aren't just fried hard, boiled hard, or scrambled hard. When there is a perfect answer to that question, I'm afraid, we'll all be born in science labs, eating test tube food, and living in Woody Allen futuristic movies.

Fortunately here, while everyone is out for the same pleasures, we share our opinions, and allow free flowing of ideas without making those of differing opinions feel like idiots. At least that's how I have been treated.

Reverend wolf

The only right way to cook steak is to the exact way you most enjoy it
I think the reason most people like a good steak medium or lower is that as a steak cooks the heat makes the protein strands bunch up and wring out the moisture . think of a hard boiled egg it starts off liquid but with nothing but heat it become almost totally dry. Also as the steak cooks more of the fat renders out, and fat is flavor. The other thing is if you go to mid price restaurants and order a medium steak you often get well done. I had a friend who thought he liked rare steak, till I made one for him. He liked "restaurant rare" or the low end of medium.

I love a good rare steak, but I also love Texas brisket, about the most well done chunk of cow on earth. My only other idea is how big of a bite do you take? at least to me a big bite of medium steak tastes good, a big bite of rare has better taste but is a little chewy. But a smaller bite of rare lets the taste shine with out the chewy mouth feel.

Enjoy your burnt steak

Mark

For me it really depends on the cut of meat.

If the steak is really lean I like it more rare. Not to say I do Rib-Eye Well done, but I find that meat with more marble will be safer at higher temps and be juicey.

When i make my steak I like it the way I fel that day, some days If it is warm it's done Other days medium-medium rare is what I want.

Make the meat as you want.

kmvet72 wrote:

I also love Texas brisket, about the most well done chunk of cow on earth.

And also a very done well hunk of moo too.

I used to order all my steaks med-well and so did my wife. We gradually moved to medium and then to med-rare. I suppose our tastes have changed with age, who knows. But I agree with everyone, cook it to your liking and enjoy.

I agree with the crowd. Cook'em how YOU like them. I like mine med-rare, but my wife likes them medium-well. Whatever is "right" for you is what is "right!"

tex

That makes a whole lot more sense. I never thought of the meat dryness to increase with leaner meats but it makes sense. Could explain why I cant seem to enjoy sirloin no matter how I cook it *hehe*. That also helps me understand why if the steak is perfect when I first bite into it then it will dry out unless I eat it faster, but if its just slightly warmer than medium with more pink in the center then its good all the way through.

I personally think a steak cooked beyond medium rare is overcooked.
I like giving it a quick char on both sides but bloody in the middle - preferably a ribeye.
Most steak restaurants won't cook a steak beyond medium because they know it's a travesty too.

p-nut wrote:

...most steak restaurants won't cook a steak beyond medium ...

... and while you always cook it more, you can't cook it less...

Bottom line is, if it makes you happy, do it. You're paying for it, so eat it the way you like it.

The only thing that bothers me is going to a picnic or something where the "grillmaster" spatula-squeezes burgers or steaks into hockey pucks, and serves them to guests that way, because that's the way he/she likes them.

I used to suffer in silence, but now I just politely decline the meat, and explain that I don't like mine that well-done.

As the French say "chacun à son goût", or each person has their own taste .. (and the French are not particularly tolerant people, especially when it comes to food.) I don't think myself superior to those who prefer well-done meat, but just prefer not to eat it myself.

I think it's healthy to apply that attitude towards lots of things in life ..