Every time I saw someone cut into a rare steak, I thought it was blood collecting at the bottom of their plate. At least, that’s what people called it. How many times have you asked for a steak, the bloodier the better? But really, what is the red juice in steak that comes out when you slice into it?
Well, sorry to disappoint those of you who love to request bloody steaks. It’s not blood, it’s simply water carrying a protein called myoglobin. I know, it’s got a similar color to blood, but it isn’t.
So what the heck is myoglobin and why is it in my steak? I’m going to answer that as well as dive a bit into why there’s not supposed to be actual blood in our meat. Let’s dive in.
What Is The Red Juice In My Steak?
Despite the similarities to blood, the red juice in steak is mostly water with myoglobin in it. So if you like asking for your steak bloody, you’re not going to get that.
So What Is Myoglobin And Why Does It Sound Familiar?
Myoglobin is a protein responsible for transporting oxygen to muscle tissue. So when you look at a raw steak that is red all over, that’s thanks to myoglobin throughout the entire muscle. Beef has more myoglobin in it than most other cuts of meat which is why we call beef red meat. Pork has more than chicken which is why pork tenderloin cooked to 145°F internal temperature is pink, but it has a lot less than beef.
If the term myoglobin sounds at all familiar to you but you can’t place it, you’re not alone. I felt the same way. It’s essentially the brother of hemoglobin, a protein found in our blood. Hemoglobin is the protein responsible for transporting oxygen in blood.
So Is There Blood In My Steak?
So even though you’ve called your rare steak bloody, it’s not actually blood. In fact, you shouldn’t ever have steaks (or any cut of meat) from the grocery store, supermarket, or butcher with any blood in them. As part of the butchering process, the blood is drained from the animal which in this case, is the cow.
So no bloody steaks for you! Just myoglobin-filled steaks.
Why Do We Not See Red Juice In Well-Done Steaks?
There are those out there who like their steaks well done. We aren’t going to shame them for that, it’s their preference. But if you’ve ever seen a well-done steak (or even a medium-well steak), you’ll notice there isn’t any red juice coming out.
There are two primary reasons for this. One, as I grill that steak longer, more and more moisture evaporates. So there’s just less liquid. Two, myoglobin goes through some chemical changes as temperatures increase. It changes color from red to tan and then gray. So as the moisture inside the steak evaporates and the temperature increases, my steak becomes gray rather than red or even pink.
FAQs:
Question: If My Raw Steak Is Gray Or Brown, Is It Bad?
Answer: A gray or brown raw steak, rather than a nice red, may look bad to the eye. It also can be a sign that a steak is going bad. However, I would investigate further. Does the steak smell bad or have a slimy texture? A discolored steak is a sign to look more closely, not immediately throw it out. For more information, check out my guide for telling if your steak has gone bad.
Question: Why Is Blood Drained From Meat?
Answer: As I said earlier, blood is drained from the cow when it’s slaughtered, and it’s not just for the speed and efficiency of killing the animal. It’s also because blood can be a great breeding ground for bacteria. A huge part of the meat processing business is taking steps to ensure meat doesn’t make people sick. So meat processing facilities drain their animals as thoroughly as possible.
Question: Why Does My Rare Steak Taste Metallic?
Answer: Well, if there is no blood in my steak, why does it taste metallic like blood? Myoglobin protein not only carries oxygen to muscles, but it also contains iron. Steaks from a cow already have plenty of myoglobin. Then, if you prefer your steaks rare, you’re going to be exposed to more myoglobin than a medium or well-done steak.
Final Thoughts
If you thought the red juice coming out of your rare steak was blood, you aren’t alone. However, it’s not. It’s simply a mixture of water and the myoglobin protein. But the likelihood of someone correcting you when you say you want a bloody steak is pretty low.
What’s your preferred level of doneness? Got any sides that are a must-have with your steaks? And do you put compound butter on your steaks? Let us know in the comments!