What Temperature Is Steak Done? A Simple Doneness Chart
Pull steak a few degrees early. Rare is 120 to 125°F, medium-rare 130 to 135°F, medium 140 to 145°F, and well done 160°F and up. Rest it 5 minutes before you cut.
The best cooks do not guess when a steak is done. They use a meat thermometer. It takes the stress out of grilling and gives you the same great result every time. Here is a simple steak doneness chart and how to use it.
Steak doneness temperature chart
Stick a thermometer into the thickest part of the steak. These are the temps to look for:
- Rare: 120 to 125°F. Cool red center.
- Medium-rare: 130 to 135°F. Warm red center. This is the sweet spot for most steaks.
- Medium: 140 to 145°F. Warm pink center.
- Medium-well: 150 to 155°F. Just a little pink.
- Well done: 160°F and up. No pink.
Pull your steak a few degrees early
Here is the trick most people miss. A steak keeps cooking after you take it off the grill. This is called carryover cooking. The heat on the outside keeps moving inward and the temperature climbs another 5 degrees or so. So if you want medium-rare at 130 to 135°F, pull the steak around 127°F and let it rise while it rests.
Always rest your steak
Resting is not just about temperature. When a steak cooks, the juices get pushed to the center. If you cut it right away, those juices run out onto the plate. Rest the steak for 5 minutes and the juices settle back through the meat. You get a juicier bite and a cleaner cut.
Make it easy
You do not have to memorize this chart. Our Meat-o-Meter lets you pick your steak, thickness, and how you like it, then gives you the grill heat, the time per side, and the exact temp to pull it. Pair it with a bold crust from Dad Spice The Classic and you are set.
Ready to cook? Try our grilled ribeye recipe and put the chart to work.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature is a medium-rare steak?
Medium-rare is 130 to 135°F. Pull the steak a few degrees early, around 127°F, since it keeps cooking while it rests.
What temp is a well done steak?
Well done is 160°F and up, with no pink in the center. Watch it closely so it does not dry out.
Why should you let steak rest?
Resting lets the juices settle back through the meat instead of running out when you cut it. Rest a steak about 5 minutes.
Do you measure steak temp before or after resting?
Check it as you pull it off the grill, and remember it will rise about 5 degrees while resting. That rise is why you pull it early.
Make it taste better.
Grab a bottle of The Classic and season like you mean it.
