Dave Smith wrote:

> Some people have issues with rare meat, as if you are guaranteed to get
> sick from it, or just find it a generally disgusting idea. I like steaks
> rare to medium rare because they have a nice texture and better flavour, as
> opposed to tough, dry and flavourless. Oxtails and ribs, OTOH, are very
> tough cuts of meat and they need to be cooked long and slow to improve the
> texture.

I recently ate at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse three times in one week (as a
guest, not the payer,lol) and at one of the dinners everyone at our
table (of 10) ordered the filet, cooked *at the most*no more than
medium. Except the lady to my right who ordered hers well done.
We got thick (at least 1.5 inches thick!) juicy pink filets. She got
this thin, charred, dry piece of meat. And then complained about it.
Every single other diner told her she just got what she ordered!
I suspect the thickness of the steak was also organized so that they all
would be done about the same time for serving? What a waste of a good
cut of meat. <sigh>

Sidenote: A Chinese exchange student we ordered steak with explained to
us that in China they order the meat "done" by percentages. You would
say you wanted it "30% done" or something along those lines to get a
nice rare steak. Interesting method. Has anyone else ever ordered that way?