Daily English 1207 - Gauging the Doneness of Meat

Complete Lesson

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Dialogue/Story

Slow Speed begins at: 1:50
Explanation begins at: 3:51
Normal Speed begins at: 15:01

Chris: How do you like your steak?

Ruth: Well done. I don’t like any pink showing and I don’t mind if it’s a little charred.

Chris: I’ll cook it the way you want it, but it’ll be dry and tough.

Ruth: Yes, but a longer cooking time kills foodborne illnesses. I don’t want to eat anything that’s undercooked.

Chris: It doesn’t have to be burnt to be safe to eat. It’s easy to gauge when meat is done. How about if I brown each side to seal in the juices and then cook it to medium doneness?

Ruth: No, I don’t want to take any chances. I’d rather the steak is overcooked than undercooked. Are you going to eat that?

Chris: Yes, I like my steak juicy.

Ruth: But that’s raw!

Chris: No, it’s cooked rare, not raw. I’ll cut into it so you can see that it’s cooked.

Ruth: It’s oozing red! That is definitely not cooked.

Chris: I’ll prove it to you. I’ll eat this piece and live to tell about it.

Ruth: Don’t put that in your mouth! You’re risking your health.

Chris: I think I’ll survive.

Category: Food + Drink