Blue steak is a steak that is slightly seared on the outside and raw on the inside. It is also known as blue rare, extra rare steak, or blue rare steak. In terms of taste and texture, it is somewhat spongy but has a meaty flavor. For many, blue steak is just too cold and raw.
It’s called blue because it boasts a blueish/purple color when cut freshly. However, the blue color doesn’t last long. Beef changes to red when exposed to air and loses that blue color because the myoglobin gets oxygenated.
Is Blue Rare Steak Safe To Eat?
Blue rare steak is safe to eat if it’s cooked properly. You must sear the entire outer surface of the steak before eating it (that includes the edges). Also, remember to sterilize the tongs used during cooking.
A study on raw steaks preparation found that E. coli bacteria was present not because a cook prepared it rare but because of the serving tongs. The same tongs used with raw and cooked meat can transfer bacteria to cooked meat. That’s why it’s so important to sterilize tongs.
The E. coli bacteria is on the outside of the steak, not the inside. When you cook the whole surface of the steak, you destroy all the bacteria and reduce the risk of food poisoning (source: HealthLink BC).
How to Cook Blue Steak?
You must cook each side of the steak for about a minute. However, before you start, ensure the steak is at room temperature. In the next step, pat dry and then season the steak, meanwhile preheat the pan or grill. When the grill or pan reaches a high temperature, start cooking.
Sear the steak for a minute on both sides (don’t forget to sterilize the tongs after each time you flip the steak), then sear the edges of the steak (just for a few seconds). Again, sterilize your tongs (or use a new one). Now use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the steak. When it reaches 115 degrees F, remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
Important Points to Keep in Mind
- To eliminate the possibility of food poisoning, you need to sear brown the entire outer surface of the steak.
- You’ll avoid cross-contamination if you sterilize your tongs after you’ve put the meat into the pan and flipped it over.
What Are The Best Cuts for Blue Steak?
The best cuts for “blue steak” are lean and tender (preferably at least 1 inch thick). Avoid cuts that are very tough and chewy. Some of the most recommended options to try are:
- Tenderloin steak,
- Sirloin steak,
- Flat iron steak,
- Any round steak,
- Lean strip steak,
- Lean picanha steak.
Discover more lean cuts of steak.
What Cuts Shouldn’t Be Cooked Blue?
Cooking the steak melts the fat in the meat. The problem with blue steak is that it is cooked too short to allow the fat to melt. As a result, the fat remains uncooked, which doesn’t taste good. To summarize, avoid steak cuts with higher fat content if you want to cook steak blue.
Blue Steak FAQs
Is a Blue Steak Raw?
A blue steak is a raw steak that has been seared on the outside to eliminate bacteria and minimize the risk of potential poisoning problems.
Is Blue Steak Tasty?
Blue steak is quite a controversial topic among steak lovers; for many, it is just too chewy and cold inside. Taste is strongly dependent on the type of steak. If you choose a fatty steak, you should know that tons of unrendered fat are not good. Only lean and tender cuts are a reasonable choice for blue steak, the best of which is tenderloin steak, which has a beefy flavor ideal for carnivores.
What is The Difference Between Rare and Blue Steak?
Blue steak is cooked shorter than rare steak; the steak’s interior temperature doesn’t exceed 115ºF. It’s fully seared on the outside but has a completely red center. The steak cooked to rare has a warmer, almost completely red center with a small amount of pink on the edges. The internal temperature of the rare steak is 120 to 130ºF (most often 125ºF).