How Long to Cook a Steak by Thickness and Doneness

·Published: 8 August 2026

For a steak 2–3 cm thick, allow roughly 2–5 minutes per side in a very hot pan, depending on its thickness and the doneness you want. A 2 cm steak may reach medium-rare after about 2–3 minutes per side, while a 3 cm steak may need 3–4 minutes per side. Treat those times as a starting point: pan material, burner strength, the steak’s starting temperature and the frequency of turning can all change the result. Use a kitchen timer to keep each side consistent, but check the centre with a meat thermometer before deciding that the steak is ready.

Cooking times for a 2–3 cm steak

These approximate times suit a tender steak cooked in a properly preheated frying pan or on a hot barbecue plate. Pat the surface dry before cooking so moisture does not cool the metal. Add the steak when the pan is hot, start the timer immediately and turn it when the first interval ends. A 2 cm steak generally sits at the shorter end of each range; a 3 cm steak sits at the longer end. If the meat browns quickly but remains well below your target temperature, reduce the heat slightly and continue turning it at short intervals.

• Rare: about 2 minutes per side for 2 cm, or 2½–3 minutes per side for 3 cm.
• Medium-rare: about 2–3 minutes per side for 2 cm, or 3–4 minutes per side for 3 cm.
• Medium: about 3–4 minutes per side for 2 cm, or 4–5 minutes per side for 3 cm.
• Medium-well: about 4–5 minutes per side for 2 cm, or 5–6 minutes per side for 3 cm, usually with gentler heat near the end.
• Well done: about 5–6 minutes per side for 2 cm, or 6–7 minutes per side for 3 cm, reducing the heat if the outside darkens too quickly.

The figures assume a steak that is not frozen and has an even thickness. Bone-in steaks, unusually cold meat and cuts with thick seams of fat can take longer. On an Australian summer afternoon, a barbecue plate may regain heat rapidly between batches; on a cold or windy evening, an uncovered plate can lose heat each time you add meat. Time every batch separately instead of assuming the second steak will behave exactly like the first.

Why thickness matters more than weight

Heat travels from the surface towards the centre, so the distance it must travel matters more than the steak’s total weight. A broad 250 g steak that is only 2 cm thick can cook faster than a compact 200 g steak that is 3 cm thick. Weight still affects how much food you are serving, but it does not reveal how far the centre sits from the hot pan. Measure the thickest part with a ruler before cooking. If one end tapers, check that narrow section early or position it over a cooler part of the barbecue.

Thickness also explains why copying a single number from a recipe can mislead you. Two steaks may look similar in the packet yet differ by several millimetres, enough to shift the centre from pink to grey during another minute in the pan. Shape matters too: a steak with one swollen section needs its temperature checked there, not beside a thin edge. If you cook several pieces together, group steaks of similar thickness and give each one its own timer interval.

Use internal temperature to judge doneness

A probe thermometer gives a clearer answer than minutes alone. As a practical guide, aim for a final rested temperature of about 50–52°C for rare, 54–57°C for medium-rare, 60–63°C for medium, 65–68°C for medium-well and 70°C or higher for well done. Insert the probe sideways into the thickest part so its tip reaches the centre. Keep it away from bone and large pockets of fat, which can produce a reading that does not represent the meat around them.

Take the steak from the heat about 3–5°C below the final target because its centre usually continues warming during the first part of the rest. This carryover rise varies: a thick steak stored in a warm place may climb more than a thin steak left on a cool plate. Check near the end of the estimated cooking time, then recheck after another 30–60 seconds if needed. Repeated short checks give you more control than adding an unmeasured extra few minutes.

Rest the steak before slicing

Rest a 2 cm steak for about 4–5 minutes and a 3 cm steak for about 5–8 minutes. Move it to a warm plate and cover it loosely with foil rather than wrapping it tightly, which can trap steam and soften the browned surface. Resting allows the temperature to settle and gives liquid inside the meat time to redistribute. If you slice immediately, more of that liquid is likely to run onto the board instead of remaining in each mouthful.

Include the rest in your meal timing. If dinner is meant to reach the table at 7:00 pm, a 3 cm medium-rare steak needing about 6–8 minutes in the pan and 5–8 minutes of rest should begin cooking roughly 12–16 minutes beforehand. Prepare salads, sauces and plates before the steak goes on, then use one timer for turning and another for resting. Slice across the grain only after the rest has finished, and check the centre before serving if the steak’s thickness made the cooking time difficult to predict.