The Steak-Ordering Trend That's Causing Real Problems
NEWS
By BETSY PARKS
Cooks have long complained about overcooking expensive steaks, and this problem has only worsened with people ordering steaks by temperature and adding the word "plus."
The "plus" denotes that the meat should be cooked a tiny bit more or less than the standard rare, medium rare, etc. — essentially, in-between temperatures.
It's not clear where this ordering trend originated, but chefs report on a Reddit thread that the request has been made all over America, most commonly as "medium rare plus."
However, each category of doneness corresponds to a temperature: medium rare is 130-135 degrees Fahrenheit, and medium is 135-145 degrees. This leaves little wiggle room.
A medium-rare "plus" steak would be cooked to around 137 degrees without going over 140, which is difficult. Instead, servers often enter it as the next-highest temperature.
