Medium Well Steak Temperature UK: The Full Guide
Medium Well Steak Temperature UK: The Full Guide
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 well steak temperature UK cooks aim for is 65 to 68°C (150 to 155°F) at the centre, measured after resting. Take the steak off the heat at 62 to 63°C and let carryover cooking close the gap. A properly medium well steak is mostly brown through with just a hint of pink, and it is firm to the touch.
What Is Medium Well Steak Temperature UK
Medium well is the last stop before well done. Almost all of the pink is gone, but the meat is not yet fully brown and it still keeps some juiciness. The danger zone is narrow: a few degrees too far and you land at well done and dry. That is why the numbers matter more here than at any other doneness level.
| Stage | Internal temperature |
|---|---|
| Target after resting | 65 to 68°C (150 to 155°F) |
| Pull temperature (take it off the heat) | 62 to 63°C |
| Rise during resting | 3 to 5°C |
Grills, pans and thermometers all vary a little, so treat these as guides and measure with a probe. 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). For the step before, our medium steak temperature UK guide explains the 60°C target (note: this page is published alongside this one and the link will resolve once both are live).
What Medium Well Steak Looks Like
Cut into a medium well steak and you will see a browned interior with only a small pink centre, sometimes just a blush. The crust is well browned with good charring. Press it and it feels firm with very little give, because the fibres have tightened as the temperature rose.
If there is a clear pink band through the middle, the steak is still medium. If there is no pink at all, you have reached well done. The difference between the two is only a few degrees, which is why guessing is the fastest route to a dry steak.
How to Cook Medium Well Steak Evenly
Getting to medium well without scorching the outside or drying the inside needs a gentler approach than lower doneness levels. Here is the method:
- Choose a thicker cut. A steak of 3 to 4 cm gives you room to build doneness gradually. Thin steaks are almost impossible to hold at medium well: the outside burns before the middle arrives.
- Use two zone heat. Sear over high heat first for the crust, then move the steak to a cooler zone, a lower heat, or the oven at around 180°C to finish gently. This is the key step for even cooking at higher doneness.
- Measure in the thickest part. Push the probe into the thickest part of the steak, away from fat and bone. Check from the side on thinner steaks so you read the true centre.
- Pull at 62 to 63°C. Take the steak off the heat before it reaches the target. Carryover cooking adds 3 to 5°C during the rest, which brings you into the 65 to 68°C window.
- Rest for 8 to 10 minutes. Medium well steaks benefit from a slightly longer rest, because the fibres are tighter and need the time for juices to settle. Rest on a warm plate, loosely covered.
Keeping a Medium Well Steak Juicy
A medium well steak loses more moisture than a medium one, so help it along. Choose a cut with some fat or marbling: ribeye and bone in sirloin stay juicier at this level than lean fillet. Baste with butter or oil as it finishes, which adds a little richness to the surface.
Resist the urge to press the steak down in the pan. Pressing squeezes juice out and does nothing for doneness. Let the steak sit undisturbed on each side, flipping once, so the crust forms properly. For the underlying searing technique, our rump steak cooking guide covers heat control and resting in detail.
Common Medium Well Mistakes
The biggest mistake is cooking a thin steak. Under 2.5 cm thick, the centre races from medium to well done while you blink, and the outside chars. If all you have is a thin steak, accept that medium is the safer target.
The second mistake is cooking without a thermometer. Touch tests get vaguer as the steak firms up, and the window between medium well and well done is too small for guesswork. The third is pulling at the target instead of before it: if you take the steak off at 68°C, carryover cooking pushes it to 71°C and beyond, which is well done.
Finally, skipping the rest is costly. A medium well steak cut straight off the heat floods the board, and there is less juice to begin with than at lower doneness. Give it the full rest.
Medium Well Steak Temperature FAQs
What temperature is medium well steak in the UK?
65 to 68°C (150 to 155°F) at the centre after resting. Pull the steak at 62 to 63°C and rest for 8 to 10 minutes so carryover cooking finishes the job.
Can I cook medium well on a BBQ?
Yes, using two zone heat: sear over the hot side first, then move the steak to the cooler side to finish gently with the lid down. A thermometer is essential on a BBQ, where the heat is less predictable.
Why is my medium well steak dry?
It has almost certainly gone past 68°C. Either the steak was too thin, it was pulled too late, or the heat was too fierce. Use a thicker cut, pull early and finish gently.
Is medium well safer than medium rare?
Higher temperatures kill more bacteria, and for whole cuts of beef the surface sear is what matters most. If anyone at the table is pregnant, elderly, very young or has a weak immune system, cooking further is the sensible choice. 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.
