Tongs holding a steak that's being seared in a pan.

Cook Beef Evenly With This Temperature Pro-Tip

NEWS

By TIM FORSTER

Two raw steaks on a cutting board.
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.
Steak cooking in a cast-iron skillet.
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.
Seared steak in a cast-iron skillet.
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.
Steak cooking in pan with veggies.
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.
Hand taking frozen beef out of the freezer.
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.