Medium Steak Temperature UK: The Numbers That Matter
Medium Steak Temperature UK: The Numbers That Matter
This website is independent and not affiliated with Miller & Carter. It is a steak cooking guide for home cooks in the United Kingdom.
The medium steak temperature UK cooks aim for is 60°C (140°F) at the centre, measured after resting. Because the meat keeps cooking off the heat, take the steak off at 56 to 57°C and let carryover cooking do the rest. A properly medium steak has a warm pink centre, a springy bite and a browned crust.
What Is Medium Steak Temperature UK
Medium sits right in the middle of the doneness scale. It is cooked through enough for diners who do not like much pink, but it keeps the pink centre and juiciness that disappear at well done. The key numbers are simple:
| Stage | Internal temperature |
|---|---|
| Target after resting | 60°C (140°F) |
| Pull temperature (take it off the heat) | 56 to 57°C |
| Rise during resting | 3 to 5°C |
These are guides, not laws. Grills, pans and thermometers all vary a little, which is why a meat thermometer beats the clock every time. For the full scale from rare to well done, see our steak doneness chart UK (note: this page is published alongside this one and the link will resolve once both are live).
What a Medium Steak Looks Like
Cut into a medium steak and the centre should be warm and pink, not red and not grey. The outer edge is browned through, with a thin band of well done meat just under the crust. The texture is springy and a little firm, with less give than a medium rare steak but still plenty of juice.
If the centre is red and cool, the steak is still medium rare or rare. If there is only a trace of pink, you have drifted into medium well, which our medium well steak temperature UK guide covers in detail (note: this page is published alongside this one and the link will resolve once both are live).
How to Hit Medium Steak Temperature Every Time
Temperature, not timing, is what decides doneness. Minutes vary with thickness, pan and starting temperature, but 60°C at the centre is 60°C everywhere. Here is the method:
- Start even. Use a steak of even thickness, about 2.5 to 4 cm. A thin tail edge will overcook while the thick middle catches up.
- Place the thermometer correctly. Push the probe into the thickest part of the steak, away from fat and bone, from the side for a thin steak or from the top for a thick one. Check the thickest part only.
- Sear hard, then ease off. Build the crust over high heat first, then move the steak to a cooler zone or lower the heat to bring the middle up gently. This gives you a browned crust without a burnt outside and a raw middle.
- Pull early. Take the steak off the heat at 56 to 57°C. The temperature will keep climbing by 3 to 5°C as it rests, which is the carryover cooking that brings you to 60°C.
- Rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Rest on a warm plate, loosely covered. The juices settle back through the meat instead of running out onto the board, and the rise in temperature happens during this time.
Common Medium Steak Mistakes
Most ruined medium steaks fail in the same few ways. The first is guessing. Pressing the steak with tongs or going by minutes alone is unreliable, and one bad guess turns medium into well done. A thermometer is the only tool that tells the truth.
The second is skipping the rest. A steak cut straight off the heat is cooler in the middle and floods the board with juice. The third is pulling at the target instead of before it. If you take the steak off at 60°C, carryover cooking pushes it past medium and into medium well while it rests.
Finally, very thin steaks are hard to hold at medium. Under 2 cm thick, the centre flies from rare to well done in seconds. For thin cuts, accept a faster cook and check early; for relaxed medium cooking, buy a thicker steak. Our rump steak cooking guide walks through the searing and resting basics for a popular thick cut.
Is Medium Steak Safe to Eat?
For whole cuts of beef, the surface is where bacteria live, and a good sear deals with that. US food safety guidance for whole cuts is 63°C with a short rest, so medium at 60°C sits just under that line. If anyone at the table is pregnant, elderly, very young or has a weak immune system, cook the steak further. Mince and burgers are different: they must always be cooked through to 71°C, because bacteria can be mixed all through the meat.
Medium Steak Temperature FAQs
What temperature is medium steak in the UK?
60°C (140°F) at the centre after resting. Pull the steak at 56 to 57°C and let carryover cooking finish the job during a 5 to 10 minute rest.
How do I know my steak is medium without a thermometer?
You cannot know for certain. Touch tests and timings are rough guides at best. An instant read thermometer is cheap and removes all the guesswork.
Why does my steak keep overshooting medium?
You are almost certainly pulling it too late. Take it off the heat 3 to 5°C before your target, rest it, and measure in the thickest part.
Which cuts are best cooked medium?
Sirloin, ribeye and rump all eat well at medium. Very lean cuts like fillet are often better a touch rarer, since they dry out faster. If you would rather leave it to the professionals, our Miller and Carter main menu guide shows the cuts their chefs serve.
Temperature figures follow published UK and international cooking guides checked on 13 October 2026. Thermometers and cooking methods vary, so always measure in the thickest part of the steak. This website is independent and not affiliated with Miller & Carter.
