LogFAQs > #980089148

PraetorXyn posted...

Nah. Freshly ground beef is food safe at medium rare. It only has to be taken to well done when its sat in a package after being ground so bacteria has time to grow.

It's a little bit more than that.

"Hamburger, obviously, is made up of ground meat, and so any bacteria that was present on the surface of the cut of meat before it was ground can be introduced into the center of the hamburger patty."
But she says its different with steak. "If a steak is contaminated with a bacteria, it would usually be on the surface of the steak, so heating the surface of the steak to a high temperature is usually enough to kill off any bacteria that may be there."

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-grilling-burger-vs-steak/