We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Health

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Is Rare Steak Actually “Bloody”?

By Kevin Hellyer
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 5,455
References
Share

Most people look for bright red steaks at the grocery store, thinking that the bold crimson color indicates freshness. Other carnivores prefer their steak cooked on the rare side, so full of juicy goodness that it’s still bloody.

However, in both cases, the red you’re seeing in your uncooked or barely cooked steaks is not actually blood. It’s myoglobin, a protein that delivers oxygen to an animal’s muscles. The protein turns red when meat is sliced, or exposed to the air. Heating the protein turns it darker. So rare meat isn’t “bloody,” it’s just cooked to a lower temperature. Older animals and animals with more active muscle tissues have meat with more myoglobin.

Some juicy tidbits about steak:

  • A packaged steak that appears brownish in color isn’t necessarily bad. After a few days, myoglobin molecules oxidize and the meat turns brown. It may look less appealing, but it’s still safe to eat. In fact, some meat producers treat their meat with carbon dioxide gas to lock in this red color far beyond its normal lifespan.

  • A freshly-cut slab of cow’s meat is actually purplish in color.

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends cooking steak to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit (63 °C) and then letting it rest for three minutes to kill any bacteria that could make you sick.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.com/is-rare-steak-actually-bloody.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.