130-135°F, pull it at 128°F

130-135°F, but pull the steak off the heat at around 128°F if you want a perfect medium-rare.

The carryover cooking is real. A thick ribeye or strip will keep climbing 5-7°F after you take it off the grill. So if you wait until the probe reads 135°F, you’re eating medium-well by the time you sit down. Aim for 128-130°F in the center, then rest it for 5 minutes while the temp coasts up.

As for measuring: spend $20 on a good instant-read thermometer (Thermopop or similar). Don’t rely on touch tests or guessing. Stick the probe into the thickest part of the steak, away from bone or fat. That’s it. No need to poke multiple spots.

One other thing: make sure your grill is hot enough (450-500°F+) so you get a decent crust before the inside overcooks. Low heat cooks the steak gray all the way through.