They say you are what you eat. So what are you if you order your steak rarer than rare? Perhaps less a cow and more a mountain lion?
But the man in the now-viral TikTok video (over 12 million views) seems nice and normal, not at all like a feral carnivore. Mary Carlson (@marycarlson03) posted a video of her dining partner (presumably her husband) cutting into a steak so rare that the interior looks more violet-tinted-red than bright, bloody red. And he appears completely happy with his meal.
Texas Roadhouse Blue Steak Surprise
Over a caption that says, “These chefs has is [sic] steak down!! This one’s still mooing,” viewers see a man slicing into a steak.
“That’s rare as s—, I can tell you right now,” he says at the table, in front of the Texas Roadhouse server. “That’s perfect.”
Then, the camera view widens slightly. The waiter has an uncertain look on his face—as if he’s worried that he just put a plate of totally inedible meat down.
The server looks on, clutching his tray to his chest as if to protect himself from the barely cooked meat, and says, “I’ve never… I’ve never tried one.”
The server glances to the side as if to say to himself “And never will.” But he remains composed.
Suddenly the in-screen caption, “The look on his face! it may have been to [sic] blue!”
At the same time the waiter is bantering with his guest and explaining that he likes his personal steaks medium-rare, an off-camera voice promises, “It’s good. It’s good.”
How Do You Take Your Steak?
The first comment, while agreeing with this diner, ignited a comment war. The seemingly innocuous “I love blue rare steak” from Gogoqueen2677 (@gogoqueen2677) got more than 108 replies—most of which make fun of the idea of eating meat so rare.
JH (@jherm0x) takes it a step further, saying, “that’s not rare, that’s mythical.”
Several people are skeptical of the location serving the meat. “At Texas Roadhouse?” one questioned.
But another user makes a very salient point: “And that’s the edge too, the middle is going to be BRUTAL.”
What Is ‘Blue Steak,’ And Why Do People Order It?
Also known as a “Pittsburgh rare” steak, the blue steak is a flavor combination that pairs a deeply charred exterior with a near-raw interior (as glimpsed in Carlson’s TikTok). According to Food Republic, steak selection is also key to the success of this preparation. A minimum two-inch-thick cut of meat with good marbling (fat) is needed.
Timing is key, too. An overlong cook will result in a more done (or just plain burned) meal. “Once the steak hits the heat, timing is usually about two or three minutes per side. Any longer and the inside starts edging toward medium, and you’ve lost what makes this style unique,” the site explains.
Part of that uniqueness is a warm but still essentially raw center. “Allowing for the truest and most unadulterated flavors of the beef to be expressed, cooking a steak to blue is also an excellent way to maintain its naturally tender quality,” notes Tasting Table. The site also champions a leaner cut of meat, like a loin or a flat iron.
It seems the question comes down to: How much char do you want on your rarer-than-rare steak? More char calls for a thicker cut, and less char calls for a leaner cut.
Textural considerations aside, there might be health concerns with snarfing down ten ounces of near-uncooked beef. According to the USDA, beef should be cooked to an internal temp of 145 degrees. However, that same Tasting Table article notes that “most bacteria are present on the exterior of a steak, searing the outside of the filet will likely eliminate these potential pathogens.”
For those wanting to try this at home, most blue steaks should be cooked to an internal temp of 115 degrees. Any higher than that and you risk overcooking your undercooked meat.
@marycarlson03 These chefs have is steak down!! This one’s still mooing! 😂 #blue #steak #texasroadhouse #ribeye #fyp
BroBible reached out to Mary Carlson via TikTok direct message, and Texas Roadhouse via their media email. We’ll update this if they get back to us with any more cooking tips.