Experts have reassured peope (Stock Image) (Image: Getty)
Steak is something you may tuck into at a fancy restaurant as a treat because you know it’s going to be cooked to perfection, or you may even try and be bold and attempt it yourself, sometimes with varying success – but when it goes well, it goes really well.
However, sometimes, if you order it rare or medium rare, you might be a little bit grossed out when you cut into it with excitement and notice the red liquid oozing out all over the plate, often landing on the potatoes you ordered to accompany the steak.
This may put you off ordering your steak like this, even though it’s usually what the chef recommends. But experts have shared the liquid, actually isn’t blood at all.
If you’re ordering a prime cut of meat, the last thing you want is for it to be overdone and for you to feel like it’s chewy, and to feel regret over your decision.
Eating steak rare offers higher nutrient retention, specifically iron, phosphorus, and vitamins A and B6, compared to well-done, which can break down these compounds. Iron can significantly help with feelings of fatigue, and phosphorus can strengthen your bones.
So it’s time to unlearn the belief that it’s blood on your plate, and get the experts to explain what it really is…
David, a chef who posts on TikTok as @ohdavid_, shared “lots of people mistakenly think the juice and the redness that’s in a medium rare steak is blood. But it’s not. If you do a quick Google search, you’ll find lots of articles on the subject.”
What is the red juice that comes out of a steak?
“It’s water and myoglobin,” David explained, saying: “Myoglobin is just a protein that carries oxygen throughout the muscle tissue, and it has a pinkish red pigment to it. The more heat that’s introduced to the myoglobin, the darker it becomes.”
But there’s a “problem” with this, because “as it gets darker, it also gets drier” meaning “all you’re doing is drying out your meat” if you cook it for longer.
In the comments of his TikTok, people were still saying that myoglobin is blood, convinced the red liquid was still blood.
Cleveland Clinic states: “Myoglobin is a protein in your skeletal muscles and your heart.
“It transports oxygen from your bloodstream to your muscles. Your muscles need oxygen to work properly. Myoglobin is like a tiny delivery vehicle.
“It’s made of amino acids, iron and other molecules that work together to hold onto oxygen. It delivers that oxygen to your muscles when they need it to convert stored energy into movements.”
So, it’s not blood, but it does serve a purpose within your body.
How do you like your steak? Let us know in the comments…