Cooking guide · Bar 7 Beef
Beef Cooking Temperatures
A meat thermometer is the most reliable way to cook beef the way you like it — and to know it's safe to eat. This guide covers steak doneness temperatures and the safe internal temperatures recommended by Health Canada, in Celsius and Fahrenheit.
Steak Doneness Chart
These are doneness preferences for whole-cut steaks — how red or pink you like the centre. They are not food-safety recommendations; see the safe temperatures below.
| Doneness | Internal temp (°C) | Internal temp (°F) | Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rare | 52°C | 125°F | Cool red centre |
| Medium rare | 57°C | 135°F | Warm red centre |
| Medium | 63°C | 145°F | Warm pink centre |
| Medium well | 66°C | 150°F | Slightly pink centre |
| Well done | 71°C+ | 160°F+ | Little or no pink |
Steaks keep cooking after they leave the heat. For a target doneness, many cooks remove the steak a few degrees early and rest it for 5–10 minutes.
Safe Internal Temperatures (Health Canada)
Doneness is about taste; these temperatures are about safety. Health Canada sets minimum internal temperatures that beef should reach to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
Whole-cut steaks and roasts
63°C / 145°F
Health Canada minimum for medium-rare whole cuts. Rest after cooking.
Ground beef and hamburgers
71°C / 160°F
Ground beef must be cooked through — bacteria can be mixed throughout.
Mechanically tenderized beef
63°C / 145°F
Minimum; turn at least twice while cooking so heat reaches tenderizing punctures.
Ground beef internal temperature in Canada: 71°C (160°F). Unlike a whole steak, ground beef can carry bacteria throughout the meat, so hamburgers and ground beef dishes should never be served rare.
Mechanically tenderized beef (steaks pierced with needles or blades by the processor) should reach at least 63°C (145°F) and be turned at least twice during cooking, because tenderizing can carry surface bacteria into the centre.
For the official guidance, see Health Canada's safe internal cooking temperatures.
How to Use a Meat Thermometer
- Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, away from bone, fat or gristle.
- For thinner cuts like burgers or thin steaks, insert the probe sideways through the edge so the tip reaches the centre.
- Wait for the reading to steady — with a digital instant-read thermometer this takes a few seconds.
- Check more than one spot on large roasts, and check each hamburger individually.
- Wash the thermometer probe with hot soapy water between readings.
Cook Beef from Our Ranch
Put these temperatures to work with ranch-direct beef from the Cariboo.