Your Guide to Beef Cooking Temperatures and More
Unless you’re a meat master who can make magic on the fly, make a plan—including thawing, seasoning, and resting. These tips help you make the most of your meat.
Unless you’re a certified meat master who can make magic on the fly, make a plan. That includes thawing, seasoning, cooking, and resting. These tips and tricks help you grab life by the beef—and make the most of your meat. They include seasoning your beef, a guide to beef and steak cooking temperatures and doneness, and more.
Important Note: These are high-level guidelines for beef—specifics may vary depending on the cut you’re cooking.
Thawing Tips
It’s simple stuff. The bigger the item, the longer it takes to thaw. Give yourself enough time to fully that your meat in the fridge AND enough time to let it come to room temperature before cooking. This allows it to cook more evenly and generally improves results.
How To Season
A rule of thumb: the better the meat, the less it needs. Follow your heart during meal prep, but we recommend simple seasonings like salt and pepper to let the flavors of the dry aging and buttery fat shine.
Salt your meat in advance—24 hours before cooking is ideal, but even an hour before cooking can tenderize and help integrate the salt more evenly throughout the meat.
If you want to get creative, we recommend specific rubs, sauces and more with each cut.
Your Guide to Cooking Temperatures
Once your beef is room temperature and ready to rock, grab a digital thermometer. Let’s get cooking!
Suggested times are based on a pan sear or oven roast, but we recommend alternative cooking options with each cut.
Rare
Internal Temperature: 120-125°F (49-52°C)
Looks Like: Cool red center, very soft and juicy
How Long?
- For Thick Steaks Cook It: 4-5 minutes per side
Let It Rest: 5-10 minutes
Medium Rare
Internal Temperature: 130-135°F (54-57°C)
Looks Like: Warm red center, slightly firmer texture, still juicy
How Long?
- For Thick Steaks Cook It: 5.5-7 minutes per side
- For Thicker Cuts: You might need to adjust the cooking time based on thickness. Use your thermometer!
Let It Rest: 5-10 minutes, or more for large cuts
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Pro Tip: When in doubt, medium rare is a sweet spot. Keep an eye on your thermometer as this is a very specific range!
Medium
Internal Temperature: 140-145°F (60-63°C)
Looks Like: Pink center, firm texture, juicy (but less than medium rare)
How Long?
- For Thick Steaks Cook It: 7-8 minutes per side
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For Thicker Cuts: You might need to adjust the cooking time based on thickness. Use your thermometer!
Let It Rest: 5-10 minutes, or more for large cuts
Pro Tip: Steaks can be grilled or pan-seared for medium. For larger roasts, use the oven at a lower temperature (around 350°F) for a longer period.
Medium Well
Internal Temperature: 150-155°F (66-68°C)
Looks Like: Slightly pink center, much firmer texture, less juicy
How Long?
- For Thick Steaks Cook It: 8-9 minutes per side
- For Thicker Cuts: For larger cuts like roasts, 15-20 minutes per pound at 350°F. You might need to adjust the cooking time. Use your thermometer!
Let It Rest: 5-10 minutes, or more for large cuts
Pro Tip: Cook with indirect heat, such as roasting in the oven or grilling with the lid closed, to avoid drying out the steak.
Well Done
Internal Temperature: 160°F (71°C) and above
Looks Like: No pink, very firm texture, minimal juice
How Long?
- For Thick Steaks Cook It: 10-12 minutes per side (...but why would you do this to a steak?)
- For Thicker Cuts: For larger cuts like roasts, 20-25 minutes per pound at 350°F or higher. You might need to adjust the cooking time. Use your thermometer!
Let It Rest: 5-10 minutes, or more for large cuts
Pro Tip: If you absolutely must have well done beef, select cuts that shine that way. Use lower, slower cooking methods to avoid drying out the meat, such as braising or slow roasting.