President Ulysses S Grant Would Never Touch Steak Cooked Like This

President Ulysses S. Grant was a Union general before he received the title of Commander and Chief. Born and raised in Point Pleasant, Ohio, Grant had simple tastes even before he went off to war. For example, he reportedly enjoyed earthwork beans and, for breakfast, vinegar-soaked cucumbers and black coffee. If he was going to have dessert, rice pudding was his sweet of choice. Ultimately, Grant was no gourmet, and this is even more evident when it came to how this U.S. President liked his steak: He wouldn't eat meat that was rare and bloody, as it reportedly made him sick to his stomach.

Instead, Grant preferred this favored cut of beef well done. Today's meat connoisseurs might argue this leader of armies was setting himself up for a chewy and tough bite. They might be right — if you want to experience the rich flavor this cut has to offer, a steak cooked to a perfect medium-rare is the gold standard. However, if you're among those who like your filet mignon, ribeyes, and T-bones raw and bloody, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

The internal temperature of an ultra-rare steak is only 125 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. It's basically seared on the outside but still red once you cut into it. And speaking of cutting into it, a rare — mostly raw — steak should be tender with no resistance. The taste is often described as velvety and butter-like, but for those who prefer the dish fully cooked, it might feel like eating steak tartare (chopped raw meat mixed with other ingredients and topped with a raw egg).

Eating undercooked steak can come with health risks. According to the USDA, eating raw or undercooked meat could lead to ingesting harmful bacteria. The department recommends forgoing a bloody steak and instead cooking it to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

While Ulysses S. Grant likely knew little to nothing about meat safety, his eating habits were plain, practical, and unpretentious. In addition to a well-done steak, he also reportedly enjoyed "... broiled Spanish mackerel, bacon and fried apples, flannel, or buckwheat cakes" for his morning meal, according to The Clermont Sun. He even practiced break making during the Mexican war.