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> Home > Cookery > Degrees of Doneness
Degrees of Doneness Perfectly cooked, flavorful beef achieves a balance between the minimum amount of cooking needed for maximum palatability and food safety. Meat thermometers and the visual appearance of the beef aid in determining degrees of doneness.
Braised or stewed beef is always cooked until well done. Tenderness is the clue to doneness; beef is fork-tender when a utility fork can be inserted without resistance and then releases easily when pulled out. Cooking beyond the fork-tender stage can result in dry, stringy beef.
Processing and foodservice industries follow the FDA’s Model Food Code, which outlines in detail how long beef can be held at certain interim cooking temperatures. For more information on the FDA Model Food Code, go to www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodcode.html
Beef color is also an indicator of degrees of doneness. The protein pigments of hemoglobin and myoglobin are denatured during cooking and change from red to pink to brown. To the left is a Beef Steak Color Guide illustrating these color changes from medium rare to well done beef.
This browning process is called the Maillard Reaction, named after the French scientist who discovered it.
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