Cook Beef Evenly With This Temperature Pro-Tip

For many reasons, letting refrigerated beef sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before cooking, which is called "tempering," helps ensure the meat is evenly cooked.

Firstly, the center of a cold cut of beef takes longer to hit the right temperature for serving. Hence, its exterior can get overcooked as the center takes extra time to get done.

For the same reason, if you want the outside to be perfectly cooked, you may end up with an underdone center. Tempering will eliminate such risks, making the meat safer to eat.

Secondly, cold beef can lower the temperature of your cooking pan. This can be an issue when searing steaks, as they require high temperatures to achieve that tasty caramelization.

As for frozen beef, the USDA does deem it safe to cook, but it will make the cooking time about 50% longer. This can be avoided by letting the meat come to room temperature first.