Arguments Against Well-done Steak Countered

By Catering Staff | January 27, 2017

In most steakhouses, such as Peter Luger, customers who order well-done steaks are likely to be viewed as committing blasphemy against the beef culture. Beef, so the popular opinion says, should be ordered medium rare – and anything else is too dangerous or too blasphemous.  

But this shouldn’t be! In many cultures, eating undercooked beef isn’t acceptable, too, mainly because of the health dangers involved. So what makes many Americans turn up their noses at people who order well-done steaks here.

Let’s take a look at the arguments against well-done steak and their counter-arguments.  

Respect the Cow’s Sacrifice

In this argument against well-done steak, diners who order it have little to no respect for the cow’s sacrifice. After all, a cow died to be your food and, thus, you have to honor its sacrifice by eating is half-cooked, half-raw.  

There are many counter-arguments against it. First, the cow didn’t make a sacrifice because it’s livestock – and it doesn’t have existential crisis no matter the arguments for it. You don’t have to respect its sacrifice because there was none to speak of in the first place.

Second, the food industry itself doesn’t respect the cow’s sacrifice. According to the USDA, 23.5 percent of the beef entering the market will never be eaten. Plus, about 2 to 5 percent of beef served in restaurants are thrown away because these have been overcooked.

Where’s the respect in that waste?  None, if you ask the well-cooked steak aficionados. 

Nutrients Evaporate

According to medium rare fans, grilling the steak beyond its medium rare quality robs it of its key nutrients. The comparison between cooking vegetables and meat starts here.

But this isn’t necessarily the case. While it’s true that the longer meat is cooked, the fewer its vitamins, the level of minerals increase, too. These minerals include iron and zinc.

Plus, there’s also the fact that the longer the meat is cooked, the lower its fat levels. You can even see the fat dripping into the coals when grilling steak.

The bottom line: A piece of steak will not turn into a malnourished meat. Yes, there will be fewer vitamins but there will be more minerals, too. Yes, there will also be lesser fat content.  

Many also contend that well-done meat has more cancer-causing pathogens in it, no thanks to abbreviations like PAHs and HCAs. But unless you’re eating more than your fair share of beef, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Just stick to your doctor’s recommended beef consumption and you should be okay.