They needed alittle human saliva to make it right. ;)

I know that I can send it back when it's not correct the first time but I also want to know why it's becoming increasingly necessary to do so.

I may have to try your tip about asking if they do/will use a meat thermometer. But since the steaks I cook at home aren't the problem, I'll skip the suggestion about reading a book on the topic. ;)

If you're worried about that then you don't eat at very nice establishments in the first place. You could always try some places with an open kitchen concept.

NO!
I find it the other way around. Maybe it's just a string of bad luck of receiving overdone beef. But, lately I find that when I order MR, I too often get something bordering on medium... which is a waste.

I've noticed a couple things.

People, in average, seem to be overcooking meat, in response to the health scares of a few years back. I like a medium-well steak, and I've taken to ordering medium now.

Also, many menus now have the "doneness chart" in order to alleviate any confusion in the sliding scale of doneness.

i'm in the medium rare comes back as medium or medium well when ordered these days. I like it still to be red, not pink in the middle, and I've even had some i've struggled to find any pink in :eek:

Was in YVR a few years back, when I ordered medium rare, came out well done. Complained to wait person, who was mortified (one thing I learnt is that Canadians hate well done steaks ;)) brought me a new one... medium-well. At this point my friend was practically finished her meal, I'd had enough cocktails to give up caring so I ate it, but didn't have to pay for it...

I whole heartedly agree, I too am a Chef and I would NEVER sort thru my stock to find a prime cut only to be destroyed... When I am asked to cook a cut of red meat to well done I insist the wait staff inform the guest that the product will be "butterflied" so that it will spend less time on the grill.

I always order blue rare and I'm finding more and more that means rare or occasionally even medium rare.

I've stopped frequenting two places I used to like because they insist on overcooking my meat.

Along the lines of what stebu and jenbel were saying....

Let me put it this way. Over the past 25 years my taste in steaks hasn't changed, but what I order has. "Back in the day" I liked mine medium rare....so nowadays I order medium and get the same thing!

But rather than trust someone else's "definition", the best thing to do, as others have said, is to specify the designation, then explain exactly what it is that you want. In my case that would be "pinkish, hot center".

walk it through a warm kitchen
 

The best way, as noted by other posters, is to specify not only the color, but what temp you want the center. Then there is no ambiguity.

I like mine rare. Bloody, bloody, still slightly twitching on the table rare. I always emphatically order it rare, then smile brightly and say "basically, walk it through a warm kitchen." :D

Yum. I need to go get a Delmonico now.

great post
 

My last Prime aged chopped sirloin ordered medium rare would have been great even if rare
But medium raw wasn't what I had in mind. :(
I took it to go rather then send it back as the dining room was so busy and cooked it at home for at least 10-15 minutes under a broiler on both sides.
It was a big monster and the bun was ruined
I agree with your post though yes IMO frequently
it is a safety net for establishments that have poor execution to hide behind
The next problem then becomes when they get it right :rolleyes:
I have to go to places that simply know how to cook accurately
Its a challenge

The responses seem to be all over the board, which is somewhat surprising. I have attributed my frequently undercooked experiences to the kitchen deciding that "it's easier to put the steak back on the grill for a few minutes if it's not done enough," rather that having to trash the pricy piece of meat if it's overdone. But an undercooked steak after it's come to the table, been cut into, sent back, and returned after "a few more minutes" is no better than if it were overcooked.

Agree the juices run out and the beef gets tougher
Fish sometimes can be easily salvaged but like anything it's a fine delicate art of recovery.My hat is off to those true champs with iron clad execution skills.
It is like winning the lottery whn you get the talent who get it right the first time.
I spend many thousands at establishments who have the skills to get it right the first time.Especially with clients when I never like to send anything back ever.I would rather not frequent the establishment knowing the medium rare will be well done or raw.