Barack Obama's Steak Order Isn't Exactly A Chef-Worthy Favorite

Former president Barack Obama is no stranger to food-related controversy — remember the time critics lambasted him for putting Dijon mustard on his burger? — but his preference for steak has some folks befuddled. In his memoirs, "A Promised Land," Obama wrote that he liked his steak cooked medium-well and referred to it as a comfort food. It was the social media equivalent of a bomb dropping, as many meat-loving foodies are very opinionated about the idea that steak shouldn't be cooked past medium. To this crowd, a medium-well chunk of beef is a faux pas deserving of way more criticism than any divisive political moves Obama made whilst in office.

Barry Obama isn't alone in harboring some hot-take steak preferences. President Donald Trump, in addition to being a huge fan of McDonald's, takes his New York strip well-done with ketchup. Former prez Ronald Reagan also liked his steak cooked all the way through, but with a side of chili. Number 33, Harry Truman, was outspoken about his preference for well-done steaks, sharing the attitude that "only coyotes and predatory animals eat raw beef" (via "Talking With Harry: Candid Conversations with President Harry S. Truman"). It's a known fact that, among the foods that the British royal family practically never eats, undercooked beef features on the list due to an increased chance of food poisoning. There's no indication that Obama, Trump, Reagan, or Truman chose their steak temp on the basis of food safety, however. Rather, it seems to be a matter of personal preference.

A 2009 video shows celebrity chef Bobby Flay instructing then-president Obama on how to grill steaks, among other delicacies, on the White House lawn. Ostensibly, Flay imparted his knowledge of the biggest mistake you can make when cooking steak — but did he include any opinions about doneness? While it is true that professional chefs largely share the opinion that medium-rare is the ideal doneness level for steak, the more complex argument is that any temperature of beef can taste delicious when prepared by skilled hands. Choosing the right type of steak is your first hurdle. A lean cut like sirloin may dry out quicker than a more marbled variety like a ribeye. Thicker pieces of steak are easier to control for doneness, as thin strips have a tendency to quickly overcook.

Keep in mind that, fundamentally, the secret to achieving the desired center of your steak is to watch the temperature. A medium-well steak like Obama prefers should be cooked to an internal temperature of 155 to 165 degrees, which is easiest to gauge with a meat thermometer. For a one-inch-thick steak, this takes approximately seven minutes of cooking on one side, then five minutes on the other, although you shouldn't determine doneness merely by time. If you have treated the steak correctly by bringing it up to room temperature before cooking and by seasoning it deftly, there's arguably no reason that a medium-well piece of meat shouldn't be worthy of the Oval Office.