What is "doneness"

n. The extent to which something is done.

Doneness is a gauge of how thoroughly cooked a cut of meat is based on the color, juiciness and internal temperature when cooked. The gradations of cooking are most often used in reference to beef (especially steak and roasts) but are also applicable to lamb, pork, poultry, veal and seafood (especially fish).

Gradations, their description, and the associated temperature ranges vary regionally from cuisine to cuisine and in local practice and terminology. For steaks, common gradations include rare, medium rare, medium, medium well and well done.