---
title: "Well done: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "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."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/well-done"
---

# 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](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/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](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/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

1. Choose a fatty, marbled steak such as ribeye or a fatty sirloin. Fat keeps meat moist at higher temperatures. Avoid lean fillet.
2. Season and let it stand 30 minutes out of the fridge.
3. Sear in a hot pan for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Turn the heat down to medium-low, or move the pan to an oven at 175°C (350°F).
5. Cook, turning every few minutes, until the center reaches 68 to 70°C (154 to 158°F).
6. 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](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/resting-meat).
* Thinking well done means safe for poultry. Chicken and turkey need 74°C (165°F).

## In recipes

For tough cuts, [braising](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/braise) 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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/medium-well)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/doneness)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/internal-temperature)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/braise)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/resting-meat)

[More in doneness and temperature](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/doneness-and-temperature)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)