Medium
A medium steak is cooked to 60 to 63°C (140 to 145°F) inside. The center is warm and pink, firmer than medium-rare but juicy. Here is how to get it right.
Also called Medium steak, À point.
Medium is a level of doneness for steak, lamb and pork. The center is pink and warm, with a wide band of tan-gray around it, and the meat feels springy. A medium steak reaches 60 to 63°C (140 to 145°F) inside after resting. It is a step past medium-rare, and it meets the USDA's 63°C (145°F) guideline for whole cuts at its upper end.
How to do it
- Pat the steak dry and salt it, ideally 40 minutes or more ahead.
- Heat a heavy pan or grill until very hot.
- Sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side for a 2.5 cm (1 inch) steak.
- Lower the heat and keep turning every minute or so, or move to a cooler part of the grill, until the center reads about 57 to 60°C (135 to 140°F).
- Rest for 5 minutes. Carryover cooking brings it to medium.
For pork chops and tenderloin, 63°C (145°F) with a 3-minute rest gives a juicy, slightly pink center, and is safe under USDA guidance.
How to tell it is done
Use a thermometer in the thickest part: 60 to 63°C (140 to 145°F) after resting. Cut in and the center is pink, not red, with a broad brown band. When pressed, the meat feels firm but springs back, a bit like pressing the base of your thumb while touching your middle finger to it. The finger test is a rough guide only.
Why it works
Between about 55 and 63°C (130 and 145°F), muscle proteins tighten and push out more juice, and the red pigment begins turning tan. At medium, enough fat has melted to keep the meat tender, but it has not yet lost much moisture.
Common mistakes
- Taking it off at 63°C (145°F). It rises a few degrees as it rests and ends up medium-well.
- Thin steaks. Under 2 cm (¾ inch), it is hard to get a crust before the center is past medium.
- Cutting straight away. The juices run onto the board.
- Using it for burgers. Ground meat is safe only at 71°C (160°F), which is well done.
In recipes
"Cook to medium" or "medium doneness" means this level. In French, à point is roughly medium.
Related terms
- Medium-rareA medium-rare steak is cooked to 55 to 57°C (130 to 135°F) inside, with a warm red-pink center. Many chefs see it as the best balance of tender and juicy.
- Medium-wellA medium-well steak is cooked to 65 to 68°C (150 to 155°F) inside. It is mostly brown with a faint hint of pink in the center, firm but still moist.
- DonenessDoneness is how far food has cooked, from rare to well done for meat. This chart gives steak temperatures and the safe minimum for each meat.
- Internal temperatureInternal temperature is the heat at the center of food, read with a probe thermometer. It is the surest way to know meat, fish and bread are done and safe.
- Carryover cookingCarryover cooking is the rise in temperature inside meat after it leaves the heat. A big roast can climb 3 to 8°C (5 to 15°F), so take it out early.