Steak isn't really a big issue. All the bacteria on steak is mainly on the outside of it. So even if it's rare, it's safe. What you have to worry about is ground beef. With ground beef, the bacteria is mixed all in.

Pretty much. The better the cut and the better the restaurant, the rarer you can have it. Personally, I like mine well done for the taste, since I don't like the taste of undercooked beef.

If you goto a restaurant and order a steak well done, in my opinion that's a waste of a perfectly good steak. It kills the taste of it. Now, for ground meat it's a different story: I generally get hamburgers and the like well done because it's a lower grade of beef and the way it's cooked and prepared it is more susceptible to bacteria. That being said, you're generally pretty safe ordering meat at a restaurant, so order it how you like it. If you want to give yourself that added piece of mind, order your hamburgers medium-well (most places won't cook them rare anyways).

Please give this some thought and consideration: Of all the times you heard about "tainted" food or food exposed to or suspected of being exposed to e-coli, botulism, salmonella, etc., THE MAIN cause was someone mishandled it. It was all "raw" food products: grapes, lettuce, spinach, ground beef, processed and pre-packaged meats, and processed foods. I don't ever recall steaks or roasts being recalled. Through my education, training and practical experience, as a "guesstimate": I would venture to say 95+% of food infestation and poisoning occurs from mishandling of food. With few exceptions, the better cuts of steaks and roasts have length, width and depth exposed. AND those sides which are exposed come in direct contact with the heat which cooks them. On a prolonged basis and with exposure to high heat, there I don't think there is any bacteria or virus in the world which can survive. Thanks for asking your Q! I enjoyed answering it! VTY, Ron Berue Yes, that is my real last name! Sources: My wonderful family! Graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, New Haven, CT campus. Was in the Food and Beverage business over 26 years. "THE University of Hard Knocks"

YOu can get food poisoning from lettuce or that bottle of steak sauce or the flatware you use. It doesn't matter what temp something is cooked at if their other hygiene procedures are horrible.