What Makes A Blue Rare Steak Unique?

Have you ever heard people joke about wanting a steak so rare that it was still mooing? What they were probably trying to order was a blue rare steak. Even rarer than rare, blue rare steak has a seared exterior and an inside that's very nearly raw. You'll notice that a blue rare cut of meat is deep red in the middle, with an incredibly tender and juicy bite to it.

What makes a blue rare steak so unique is that not many people can properly cook it — and not every steak restaurant is willing to serve it. Technically, the internal temperature for a blue rare steak, which is 115 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, is outside the food safety zone for cooked meat. Steak should be heated to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees, according to the USDA, to completely cancel out the risk of foodborne illness; This means that these chunks of lightly cooked meat usually come with the same menu warning applied to raw shellfish or eggs.

The reason that steak tastes different at a restaurant is that the quality of beef is often better, and the heat used to prepare your dinner is hotter than it is at home. Both great steak and roaring flame are necessary for the perfect blue rare steak, so it can be challenging for home cooks to master.

Just like there is an art to safely making steak tartare, so must you also know what you're doing to prepare blue rare steak at home. Both tartare and blue rare involve serving steak a lot less cooked than recommended, so your first task is to source high-quality meat. As far as chefs' secrets for cooking the juiciest steak go, you should always begin with choosing the right cut — and cooking blue rare steak is no different. A nice, lean sirloin or filet is perfect, since a fattier piece of beef isn't going to cook long enough for any marbling to render.

It's critical to handle the meat with the highest safety standards involving storing and cleanliness. Any contaminants allowed to grow on the surface of your steak could make you vulnerable to getting sick. High-quality steak from a reputable supplier will have less risk of contamination in the first place, but remember: Always work with clean hands and sanitized utensils.

You'll also want your grill as hot as possible before you even think of putting the meat on it. As for the steak itself, it should be rested to room temperature before cooking. Once on the heat, you only want to sear each side for a maximum of two minutes. A thermometer, like the instant-read Kuluner digital meat thermometer will tell you exactly when your steak is at the perfect stage of doneness and ready to enjoy.