Well done
A well-done steak is cooked to 71°C (160°F) or more inside, with no pink left. It is firm and drier, but it can still be tender if you cook it right.
Also called Well-done, Well done steak, Bien cuit.
Well done is the most cooked level of doneness. The meat is gray-brown all the way through with no pink, and the juices run clear. It reaches 71°C (160°F) or higher inside. Steaks cooked well done are firm and less juicy than medium-well. Ground meat, burgers and sausages are usually cooked well done for safety, as are some braised and stewed meats.
How to do it
- Choose a fatty, marbled steak such as ribeye or a fatty sirloin. Fat keeps meat moist at higher temperatures. Avoid lean fillet.
- Season and let it stand 30 minutes out of the fridge.
- Sear in a hot pan for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low, or move the pan to an oven at 175°C (350°F).
- Cook, turning every few minutes, until the center reaches 68 to 70°C (154 to 158°F).
- Rest for 5 minutes. It will finish at 71°C (160°F) or a little above.
Basting with butter in the last few minutes, or serving with a sauce, adds back some richness.
How to tell it is done
A thermometer in the thickest part reads 71°C (160°F) or higher. Cut in and you see no pink anywhere. The meat feels firm when pressed, with very little give.
Why it works
At this heat, nearly all the muscle proteins have tightened, pushing out much of the meat's water. The red myoglobin is fully changed to gray-brown. Slow, gentle heat after the sear helps the inside reach temperature before the outside burns.
For ground meat, USDA guidance is 71°C (160°F), because bacteria from the surface get mixed through during grinding. The UK Food Standards Agency advises cooking burgers and sausages until steaming hot throughout, with no pink.
Common mistakes
- High heat all the way. The crust chars before the center is done.
- Using thin, lean steaks. They turn dry and leathery.
- Cutting into the steak to check. Use a thermometer so juice stays inside.
- Skipping the rest.
- Thinking well done means safe for poultry. Chicken and turkey need 74°C (165°F).
In recipes
For tough cuts, braising or stewing cooks the meat well past well done, but it ends up tender because the connective tissue melts. For steak, "well done" means no pink. In French it is bien cuit.
Related terms
- 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.
- BraiseBraising browns meat, then cooks it slowly, covered, in a small amount of liquid until tough cuts turn tender and the liquid becomes a rich sauce.
- Resting meatResting meat means leaving it to stand after cooking before you slice it. Juices settle, the center finishes cooking and less liquid ends up on the board.