Of course, as with all things culinary, an individuals taste preferences dictate the rareness of meat. But, for those of us who like the steak pink to red in the middle (after all, we live in the western U.S. cow country where we see the steak on the hoof daily) if cleanliness in the cooking process is observed (just like chicken) studies and tests have confirmed that bacterial contamination is not a problem. Not so with ground meats (ya'll call it mince, no?). The grinding process can introduce contamination into the center of the burger.
Here, a good hot grill is neccessary to sear the steak. We cut ours at least 1 1/2 inches thick, 2 inches is better. Our favored cut is rib eye. 6 to 8 minutes on one side, turned with tongs (never a fork) six to eight minutes on the other... voila... ready for a side of Idaho baked potato, green salas with balsalmic vinegarette... steak sauce? Them's fighting words out here, pardner...
If you really insist, use an instant reading meat thermometer and watch for th emagic number of 145 degrees F... let the steak rest for a few minutes after removing and the interior temperature will coast on up to about 150 to 155 F... Well done (for the liberal guests from east of the Mississippi) is about 165 to 170F...