What's The Problem With Well Done Steak?

Few dinner orders will get you as many side eyes and glares from your friends and family as ordering your steak well-done at a restaurant. Despite the fact that well-done steak with ketchup is Donald Trump's go-to dish, the choice is generally looked down on by many chefs and foodies alike. And, while the decision to eat the dish well-done is a matter of personal preference, there are legitimate reasons why it's not ideal for steak among many beef experts.

We discussed the issues with ordering a steak well-done with Russell Kook, the executive chef of The Bellevue in Chicago. Ultimately, Kook believes that cooking a steak to an internal temperature of over 160 degrees Fahrenheit takes away from what makes the steak so great. "A well-done steak has had all the fat and juice cooked out, so you're left with something dry and chewy," Kook explained. "You lose all that beautiful flavor you paid for!" Thus, similarly to what happens when you order fish well-done, you can't make the ideal steak dinner without the tasty benefits of cooking it for a shorter period of time.

The impact that cooking a steak well-done has on its flavor is especially pronounced when you're dealing with high-quality cuts of steak. Unlike A5 Wagyu steak, which has a flavor so durable that it can handle high internal temperature without losing its great taste, cooking steak well-done strips down the piece of meat so severely that some say it actively lessens its own worth. Russell Kook advised, "From a value standpoint, you're not getting everything that steak has to offer."

One strong argument among well-done steak defenders is related to safety. Some people are understandably skeptical of raw meat, and eating steak with a red middle may be a turn-off. However, there is still a more optimal choice than well-done steak: Steak is safe to eat when it's cooked to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit. This means medium-well — the level of doneness one step below well-done — can be optimal. It won't lose as much flavor as well-done steak, while still being firmly cooked and safe to eat at 150 degrees Fahrenheit.