Rare, Medium, or Well-done?

When you order a burger at a fast-food joint, they're not going to ask how you'd like your meat cooked--ain't gonna happen. You may be able to request that they hold the onions or even ask for extra pickles, but that's about it. You get the meat as is.

• fast-food joint - fast-food restaurant; establisment
• ain't gonna - isn't going to (informal & technically wrong)
• hold the onions - don't include onions

On the other hand, if you go to some burger joints--and there are more and more of these popping up around town--they'll probably ask you how you want your burger cooked.

• popping up - appearing

So how do you like your meat cooked? The choices are the same as when you order steak: rare, medium, or well done. You ask for rare if you like your meat bloody and still cold in the center with only the outer parts seared and hot. Medium means your meat is mostly pink but warm throughout. Well-done, of course, is when the meat is completely cooked with no signs of blood. Some customers also go for something in between: medium rare or medium well-done.

• seared - cooked on the grill or in a pan with very high heat so the meat browns fast

We did a quick survey of some faculty and staff at school on their favorite burger joints and how they wanted their meat cooked. Shake Shack got the majority of votes, and while there were a couple of true carnivores among us, most liked their meat between medium rare to medium well. 

THE BURGER SURVEY

QUESTION: What's your favorite burger joint, and how do you like your burger cooked?

What about you? How do you like your burger cooked? What is your favorite burger joint in New York City? Feel free to comment below or talk to us on Facebook or on Twitter! Bon appetit!

-- Joe Yu, ESL instructor