We have all heard people saying rare steak is bloody, but is that really true? Nope that red juice in your steak isn’t blood. The secret key to unlocking this myth is myoglobin. A protein found in beef that is responsible for the red color of the meat and juices. Lets take a deeper look into myoglobin and your steak!
Is There Blood in Steak? The Truth Behind the Red Juice
Yes you heard me right, there is no blood in your steak. During the slaughtering process all the blood is drained from the animal. This process is effective and removes all the blood from the muscles. The very same muscles that we then butcher up, season, cook and eat. So once and for all we can agree that there is no blood in your steak!
What is myoglobin?
So now that we are all on the same page, you’re probably wondering what this new myoglobin thing is and if it’s just gonna make you squeamish like the thought of blood. I cannot address the latter as that seems like a personal issue, maybe consult a mental health professional. As for the former; myoglobin is a protein. Specifically, it is a heme group and in the case of beef contains a central atom of iron. It is this iron atom that gives the steak its signature red color.
Myoglobin plays a very important role in the muscle as it stores oxygen in the cells for use. Myoglobin can exist in multiple forms and can be useful indicators to the quality and freshness of your meat. Myoglobin stored in a vacuum has a purple hue to it and is called Deoxymyoglobin. This is not seen much in practice as the oxygen in the air quickly reacts with the deoxymyoglobin and forms oxymyoglobin. This is where the signature red color of steak and the juices come from.
Sidebar: This is also the scientific basis for a smoke ring as the carbon monoxide produced from an incomplete combustion reaction penetrates into the meat forming oxymyoglobin. This ring of oxymyoglobin is what we call a smoke ring and is easily identifiable through its signature red color. The level of smoke ring present is directly related to the presence of myoglobin in the meat. Meaning beef will have a more pronounced smoke ring than chicken. Check our later section to see the relative levels of myoglobin in meats.
Why is it red?
The signature red color of myoglobin comes from the presence of the iron molecule in the heme group as shown below
Image by Jiwoong Ahn
Yes it is that single little Fe (Iron) molecule that gives the signature red color. It is in fact the presence of myoglobin that makes red meat, well red in color. We can then use this realisation to explain why pork is more of a pink hue as it contains a moderate amount of myoglobin, while chicken has very little and the color to match.
Myoglobin and blood
While a metaphor about how this is comparing apples to oranges might be more culinarily relevant, this comparison is more like comparing the battery acid to the engine oil in a car. About the only relationship of significance here is that they are both found inside a car, or in our case a cow. If you start digging into the chemical make ups of blood you will find that blood contains hemoglobin. That’s proof that there’s blood in my steak then, you might say. Let’s break it down.
While there are some similarities between myoglobin and hemoglobin, they are irrelevant as the true difference between blood and the juice in your steak is that iron content. The iron concentrations in blood are much higher than in the meat. This gives blood its signature taste: one which people often don’t consider desirable.
If you are looking for a higher level difference between myoglobin and blood simply look at the appearance. Blood is a deep red color, bordering on black and is opaque. Meanwhile, myoglobin is translucent and boasts a lighter red color.
TLDR: Myoglobin and blood are completely different things that aren’t related in any way.
Myoglobin Isn’t Scary. Overcooked Steak Is
As you can see myoglobin is nothing to be scared about. It’s part of what makes steak so delicious. Myoglobin isn’t something to avoid or be fearful, quite the contrary myoglobin is wonderful. If you have been scared of medium rare steaks, I implore you to give it another chance. Remember, myoglobin isn’t scary, overcooked steaks are.
Does chicken have myoglobin? What about pork or fish?
Varying levels of myoglobin can be found across many different meats and can help explain some things about them. Let’s dive into some:
Beef – Beef is very high in myoglobin. Therefore it has
- Deep red color of raw meat
- Red color of cooked meat
- The juices from a cooked piece of meat being red
- The ability to obtain a large smoke ring
Pork – Pork has a moderate amount of myoglobin. Finding its way between beef and chicken, some distinct characteristics are
- Pink color of uncooked meat
- Light pink color of cooked meat
- The juices from a cooked piece of meat being pink
- The ability to obtain a moderate smoke ring
Chicken – While the dark meat has more myoglobin than the breast meat, they are both very low when compared to beef. This results in
- Slight pink huge in the raw meat
- No red/pink hue in cooked meat
- Struggles to obtain smoke ring
The Science Behind a Perfect Medium Rare Steak
The affinity towards medium rare steak isn’t simply individual, it is based in science. As you cook a steak the intramuscular fat liquifies. Intramuscular fat liquified between 130-140 deg F. Remember there is a time component to this as well but it is a good quick reference point. This fat is what carries the flavor of the steak to your tastebuds. So the way to achieve the best tasting steak is to render this fat while keeping all of it within the steak, not coating the bottom of your grill. The muscle fibers in the meat begin to contract at 140-150 deg F. This is what makes a well done steak very chewy. When you cook a steak well done, the muscle fibers are so tight that they will have pushed out nearly all of the fat and juice from the steak leaving it tough and dry. On the other end of the spectrum, if you eat the beef raw (yes it is 100% safe to eat beef raw) it will have an undesirable texture and flavor. Most people enjoy the taste of rendered fat within their steak and that doesn’t happen when you don’t cook it at all.
We have a bit of a goldie locks situation here, but never fear as chefs and science can tell us the ideal temperature for a steak. While each cut varies and different breads of cattle can affect this as well the best temperature for a steak is medium rare. This isn’t an opinion as much as science. Medium rare (125-135 deg F) is the perfect middle ground where the intramuscular fat has rendered down, but the muscle fibers haven’t contracted leaving the steak juicy and tender.
How to Convince Your Family and Friends to Stop Overcooking Steaks
While I’m no psychology expert I am here to help your family and friends start enjoying the full potential of steak unburdended by the myths and fears of blood. Start by educating your people. This will help dispel the myth that, for some, they have held onto for a lifetime. There is absolutely nothing to fear and nothing dangerous in eating a steak less than medium rare. Next, take it slow. Remember, we are healing generational trauma here. If you are working on someone who’s been eating well done meat their whole life, they aren’t gonna try beef tar tar after reading a single article. Work your way towards medium rare. A medium well steak will taste significantly better than a well done steak. If someone’s normal order is well done and they get to taste the elevated experience of a medium well steak, it can help them see the benefit in going further to medium then finally to medium rare.
We can’t make anyone do anything in this world… especially family. If your loved ones are being stubborn and refusing to change their ways, try suggesting different cuts. I am not claiming no meat should ever be cooked over 145 Deg F. I am proving the scientific fact that steaks are meant to be cooked medium rare. If this is unacceptable for some then simply try different cuts of meat. Chuck roasts and briskets are cooked to over 200 deg F. That’s WELL done if you as me, pun intended. These roasts have high levels of collagen which will break down at the higher temperatures and result in an absolutely delicious, tender and juicy piece of beef. It is a societal stigma that a steak is the best cut on the cow and therefore everyone wants a steak always. This is false and sold to you by the same people charging you an arm and a leg for your fillet mignons and ribeyes. There are cuts for everyone on the cow and they aren’t always a steak. Don’t limit yourself or your taste buds.
Steak Myths That Are Ruining Your Dinner (And How To Fix Them)
The red juice coming out of my steak is blood:
The red color is from a protein called myoglobin and it’s what gives beef its signature red color as well as a major part of the taste in steak we all enjoy.
Rare or raw beef is dangerous to eat:
Beef can be eaten completely raw. When beef is properly stored there are no harmful bacteria present in its raw form.
Internal temperature is down to preference:
Yes and no. Certain individuals may prefer a well done piece of beef while others prefer rare. This is true. Where this myth falls apart is assuming that all pieces of beef should be cooked to the same temperature. Steaks are scientifically best at medium rare, while a brisket needs to be taken over 200 deg F until the connective tissue breaks down. See “The Science Behind a Perfect Medium Rare Steak” section above
Sources:
https://www.chemistryislife.com/the-chemistry-of-steak