If you order a steak or a burger at a restaurant or eatery, your server will most likely ask you how you would like your burger/ steak. This is their way of asking you about the temperature and color of the meat you prefer in your order.
If this sounds confusing to you, you are not alone. Despite being common knowledge among foodies, plenty of people do not fully understand the color and temperature of steak meats and burger patties.
The temperature and color of meat can range from “rare” to “well done” for the uninitiated. While there are other options in between, today we will focus on well-done burgers. Specifically, what is a well-done burger, why people order it, what other burger options are there, and more.
What Is a Well Done Burger?
A well-done burger is a burger with a patty cooked at around 160-degree Fahrenheit or more. The color of the meat is brown, and it is cooked throughout the center of the patty, leaving no uncooked or pink meat. Well-done burgers have a dry, chewy patty that has little to no juice in it.
However, most foodies and food critics believe that if you cook a well-done burger to perfection, it can still hold some juice and be delicious, despite being brown and fully cooked through the center. Some believe that a well-done burger debases and destroys the entire burger experience.
This is not entirely true, and you can still enjoy a burger if it is well done. Millions of people prefer their burger meat well done for several reasons.
Why Choose a Well Done Burger?
Perhaps the biggest reason people prefer the well-done option is due to food safety concerns. Uncooked or raw meat holds many bacteria like E-coli on its surface, which can be dangerous when consumed.
Since burger patties are mostly made from minced beef, the surface bacteria can easily penetrate the entire patty during the mincing process. If the patty is not cooked through at 160-degree Fahrenheit or more, the bacteria can remain alive in the patty and may cause food poisoning when consumed.
While consuming dangerous meat was a real possibility in the past, it is no longer a huge concern. This is because of regulations and the fact that modern eateries are well aware of this health concern, leading them to take great precautions to ensure their meat is safe for consumption.
They source fresh meat from safe, reliable, and certified vendors, they follow meat safety protocols, and their meats are regulated by various organizations like the USDA, FDA, FSIS, and more. Most importantly, modern meat issues are quickly identified, and eateries serving bad meat are shut down immediately.
Of course, some people like the dry, chewy texture of a well-done burger, while others choose them because they dislike visually pink meat, messy juices, or the taste and texture of uncooked meat found in other options for burgers.
Other Options for Burgers
Apart from well-done burgers, you have options like rare, medium, and some in-between temperatures and colors. Here is a comprehensive list of options of meat temperature and color you can order for burgers, starting from rare in ascending temperatures.
- Rare Burgers
Cooked at around 120-degrees Fahrenheit, the patty has a thick red center that is typically cooler and very juicy.
- Medium-Rare Burgers
A popular option among burger enthusiasts, medium-rare patties are typically cooked between 130-135-degrees Fahrenheit. The patty is pink on the inside with a thin red center and plenty of juices.
- Medium Burgers
Medium burgers are cooked between 135-145-degrees Fahrenheit and have a warm, pink center in the patty, with medium juiciness.
- Medium-Well Burgers
Medium well is at the midpoint of a medium and well-done burger. Cooked between 145-155-degrees Fahrenheit, these burger patties have a slightly pink center and little juiciness to avoid a dry patty.
- Well Done Burgers
Cooked at 155-degrees Fahrenheit or more, well-done burgers have a patty that is brown on the inside and cooked through the center. These burgers are often dry and chewy with no pink meat and little to no juiciness.
Should I Order a Well-Done Burger?
When cooked to perfection, a well-done burger offers a great experience, and you should order it for yourself. It is safe, healthy, less messy, and great for people who dislike uncooked pink meat with flowing juices.
That being said, most people might disagree with your choice of a well-done burger. Do not let them influence your taste preferences or choices. However, we do recommend trying other options before you disregard them completely.
Start by trying a medium or medium-well burger before moving to more extreme options like a rare or medium-rare burger. Most people who have never tried a medium-rare burger before falling in love with the new experience and never look back.
When cooked to perfection, all burger options offer a unique and delicious experience that you should try at least once.
Our Final Thoughts
We hope that you now have a better understanding of the meat temperature and color options for burgers. So, the next time a server asks you about your preference, you should have no trouble giving them an answer.
While a well-done burger can be great, most places tend to make them dryer than they should be. If health concerns about meat are on your mind, you shouldn’t worry too much because modern restaurants and eateries cannot survive if they serve harmful meat.
A trusted or established eatery will never serve something that can shut them down. With that in mind, don’t be afraid to explore other burger options, as you might be surprised at how delicious and satisfying they are.
If you want to learn more about well-done burgers, other burgers, or the best burger recipes, please visit our website today.
