1,207 — Gauging the Doneness of Meat

I’ll cook you some meat, if you tell me how you’d like it cooked. Learn how in this episode.
Slow dialog: 1:50
Explanations: 3:51
Fast dialog: 15:01
Chris: How do you like your steak?
Ruth: Well done. I don’t like any pink showing and I don’t mind if it’s a little charred.
Chris: I’ll cook it the way you want it, but it’ll be dry and tough.
Ruth: Yes, but a longer cooking time kills foodborne illnesses. I don’t want to eat anything that’s undercooked.
Chris: It doesn’t have to be burnt to be safe to eat. It’s easy to gauge when meat is done. How about if I brown each side to seal in the juices and then cook it to medium doneness?
Ruth: No, I don’t want to take any chances. I’d rather the steak is overcooked than undercooked. Are you going to eat that?
Chris: Yes, I like my steak juicy.
Ruth: But that’s raw!
Chris: No, it’s cooked rare, not raw. I’ll cut into it so you can see that it’s cooked.
Ruth: It’s oozing red! That is definitely not cooked.
Chris: I’ll prove it to you. I’ll eat this piece and live to tell about it.
Ruth: Don’t put that in your mouth! You’re risking your health.
Chris: I think I’ll survive.

Script by Dr. Lucy Tse