🌡️ Steak Temperature Calculator
Select your cut, thickness, and desired doneness to get exact temperatures and grill times.
🫕 Reverse Sear Calculator (Oven Method)
Cook low and slow in the oven first, then finish with a high-heat sear. Edge-to-edge doneness, better crust.
Use cast iron as hot as possible. Sear immediately after the oven — rest after searing, not before. Pat steak dry for a better Maillard crust.
⏱️ Grill Timer
Three-phase timer: first side → flip → rest. Updates automatically when you change cut or doneness.
Steak Doneness Temperature Chart
Quick reference for all doneness levels. Pull temperature accounts for 5°F of carryover cooking during rest.
| Doneness | Internal Temp (°F) | Internal Temp (°C) | Pull at | Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 125°F | 52°C | 120°F / 49°C | Bright red center |
| Medium rare | 135°F | 57°C | 130°F / 54°C | Warm red center |
| Medium | 145°F | 63°C | 140°F / 60°C | Pink throughout |
| Medium well | 150°F | 66°C | 146°F / 63°C | Slightly pink |
| Well done | 160°F | 71°C | 157°F / 69°C | No pink, firm |
Steak Temperature FAQ
Common questions about steak doneness, internal temperatures, and cooking times.
Medium rare steak is cooked to an internal temperature of 135°F (57°C). Remove it from the grill at 130°F — the residual heat carries it up during a 5-minute rest. The center will be a warm red, and the texture will be tender and juicy. Most professional chefs consider medium rare the ideal doneness for cuts like ribeye and strip.
The USDA recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for whole beef cuts, followed by a 3-minute rest. For ground beef patties, the target is 160°F (71°C). For healthy adults eating quality beef, medium rare (135°F) carries very low risk on whole muscle cuts since harmful bacteria typically live on the surface, which is seared.
A 1-inch steak over high heat (450–500°F grill surface) needs roughly 4 minutes per side for medium rare, 5 for medium, and 6 for well done. These are guidelines — always verify with a meat thermometer. Thicker steaks need more time; thinner ones less. Let the steak rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before grilling for more even cooking.
Reverse sear is a two-step method: cook the steak in a 250°F oven until 10–15°F below target temperature, then finish with a 60–90 second sear in a very hot cast iron pan. Benefits include perfectly even edge-to-edge doneness, a drier surface for a better crust, and more control over the final temperature. It's especially useful for thick cuts (1.5 inches or more).
Carryover cooking is the process where heat stored in the outer layers of the steak continues cooking the interior after you remove it from the heat source. For most steaks, this raises the internal temperature by 3–8°F (2–4°C) during the rest. Thicker steaks and higher finishing temperatures see more carryover. Always pull the steak 5°F below your target and let it rest for accurate results.
Steak Cooking Guide by Cut
Ribeye — target 135°F, pull at 130°F
Ribeye is the most forgiving cut to grill because intramuscular fat (marbling) insulates the meat and slows overcooking. A 1-inch ribeye at medium rare needs about 4 minutes per side on a 450°F grate. The fat won't fully render below 130°F, so going rare on ribeye wastes the point of the cut. Rest 5 full minutes — the internal temp will climb another 4–5°F and the juices will reabsorb into the fat pockets.
Filet Mignon — target 125–130°F, pull at 120°F
Filet has almost zero marbling (USDA Select filet runs under 3% fat by weight), so heat has nothing to slow it down. At 145°F it becomes chalky and dry. Baste with 1 tablespoon of butter per side during the last 90 seconds. A 2-inch center-cut filet needs 4–5 minutes per side — check at 3.5 minutes and every 30 seconds after. If you're reverse-searing, pull from the oven at 110°F, not 120°F, because the sear adds more carry-over on a lean cut.
New York Strip — target 135–140°F, pull at 130°F
Strip has a solid fat cap on one long edge — 6–8mm thick on a well-trimmed USDA Choice cut. Stand the strip vertically, fat-cap down, on a medium flame for 90 seconds before laying it flat. This renders the fat and stops it from curling the steak during the main cook. If you skip this step the strip bows up in the middle and the center stays raw while the edges overcook.
Picanha — target 135°F, fat-side down first
Picanha (top sirloin cap) has a 1–1.5 cm fat cap that needs to go down first over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes. Listen for the sizzle to change from loud spitting to a steadier sound — that's the fat rendering. Flip once and finish the meat side for 2–3 minutes. In Brazil it's threaded on a curved skewer and rotated over embers; at home, a two-zone setup (fat side over indirect, meat side over direct) works well for thicker cuts.
Flank Steak — target 125–130°F, slice immediately
Flank is thin (usually ½–¾ inch) and cooks fast: 2–3 minutes per side over maximum heat. Don't rest it longer than 3 minutes or it overshoots on carry-over. Cut against the grain at a 45-degree angle — the fibers in flank run almost horizontal, and cutting with them gives you rubbery 4-inch chew. Cut against them and you get clean, tender slices ½ inch wide.
Planning the rest of the cookout?
Once you know your steak temps, use the BBQ Party Calculator to work out exact quantities of meat, drinks, sides, and costs — from 10 to 100 guests, with a downloadable PDF shopping list.