Everyone has their favorite steak doneness, from blue or rare to medium or well-done. Achieving restaurant-quality results at home is simpler than you think.
Our proven guide, refined through years in professional kitchens, provides precise core temperatures and cooking times for a flawless steak every time—cooked at 200-250°C for a 2.5 cm thick cut.
Master these steps to deliver juicy, perfectly cooked steaks that impress. Watch the visual guide below:
Click here to easily print this guide in PDF.
Note: Times are for steaks cooked at 200-250°C and approximately 2.5 cm thick.
Core temperature: 50°C
Color: Very red and barely warm in the middle
Cooking time: 6 minutes on one side, 3 to 4 minutes on the other
Core temperature: 55°C
Color: Red in the middle
Cooking time: 6 minutes on one side, 4 to 5 minutes on the other
Core temperature: 60°C
Color: Pink in the middle
Cooking time: 7 minutes on one side, 5 to 6 minutes on the other
Core temperature: 65°C
Color: Slightly pink in the middle
Cooking time: 8 minutes on one side, 6 to 7 minutes on the other
Core temperature: 70°C
Color: Brown in the middle
Cooking time: 9 minutes on one side, 7 to 8 minutes on the other
These chef-approved techniques ensure tender, flavorful results:
1. Let your steak sit at room temperature for about an hour before cooking. A cold center causes muscle fibers to contract, toughening the meat.
2. Flip only once to retain juices. Use tongs, not a fork, to avoid piercing and losing moisture.
3. Rest the steak for a few minutes on a warm plate, tented with foil. This redistributes juices for maximum tenderness—the key to pro-level steaks. Click here to discover 11 more chef tips for tenderizing meat.
4. Adjust times based on thickness; use these as a reliable baseline.
5. Rely on a kitchen thermometer for precision, like this one.
Try this guide and share your results in the comments. We'd love to hear how it turned out!
