Have you ever wondered how your favorite celebrities or politicians like their steak cooked? While it might seem like a trivial detail, a person’s steak preference can actually reveal a lot about their personality and approach to life. Take Donald Trump, for example. The former U.S. president is known for his love of well-done steak, often served with a generous helping of ketchup on the side. But what does this say about Trump as a person and a leader? Let’s dive in and explore.
1. Trump’s Well-Done Steak Preference
According to multiple sources, Donald Trump insists on having his steak cooked well-done, even when dining at high-end restaurants. In fact, he once ordered a $54 dry-aged New York strip steak well-done and then proceeded to douse it in ketchup. For many steak enthusiasts, this is tantamount to sacrilege, as they believe that cooking a steak well-done robs it of its flavor and texture.
However, it’s important to note that personal food preferences are just that – personal. Everyone should be free to enjoy their steak however they like, whether that’s rare, medium, or well-done. That being said, Trump’s staunch refusal to even try a steak cooked to a lower doneness, despite the urging of chefs and food experts, does seem to hint at a larger pattern of behavior.
As the author of the Eater article points out, Trump’s steak order could be seen as a reflection of his aversion to risk and his unwillingness to trust the advice of experts. He knows what he likes, and he’s sticking to it, no matter what anyone else says.
2. The Science of Steak Doneness
So why do so many people turn their noses up at well-done steak? It all comes down to the science of cooking meat. When a steak is exposed to heat, it undergoes a series of chemical and physical changes that affect its flavor, texture, and appearance.
At lower cooking temperatures, the proteins in the meat begin to denature and coagulate, leading to a firmer texture. The longer the steak is cooked, the more moisture it loses, resulting in a drier, tougher texture. Additionally, the Maillard reaction – a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that produces flavorful compounds – occurs at around 140-165°F. If the steak is cooked past this point, these flavorful compounds can start to break down and produce bitter, burnt flavors.
This is why many chefs and steak connoisseurs recommend cooking steaks to medium-rare or medium at most. This allows the steak to develop a flavorful crust on the outside while remaining juicy and tender on the inside. Of course, this is all a matter of personal preference – if you like your steak well-done, more power to you!
3. What Trump’s Steak Order Says About His Personality
So what can we glean about Donald Trump’s personality from his steak order? According to some psychologists and behavioral experts, quite a bit.
For one, Trump’s preference for well-done steak could be seen as a manifestation of his desire for control and predictability. He knows exactly what he’s getting with a well-done steak – there’s no risk of it being undercooked or too pink in the middle. This aversion to risk and uncertainty seems to extend to other areas of Trump’s life as well, from his business dealings to his political decision-making.
Additionally, Trump’s unwillingness to take the advice of experts – whether it’s chefs urging him to try a medium-rare steak or foreign policy advisors cautioning against a particular course of action – could be interpreted as a sign of stubbornness and a belief in his own infallibility. He trusts his own judgment above all else, even when faced with evidence to the contrary.
4. Trump Steaks: A Failed Business Venture
Interestingly, Donald Trump once tried his hand at the steak business himself. In 2007, he launched a line of premium steaks called Trump Steaks, which were sold exclusively through The Sharper Image and QVC.
The steaks, which were supplied by Buckhead Beef and certified USDA Angus, were marketed as “The World’s Greatest Steaks” and came in packages ranging from $199 to $999. However, despite Trump’s typical bravado and marketing savvy, the venture was a flop. The Sharper Image discontinued the line after just two months due to poor sales, and the brand never really took off.
Some have pointed to the failure of Trump Steaks as yet another example of Trump’s lack of expertise outside of his core business of real estate. Just because he enjoys a good steak himself doesn’t necessarily mean he knows how to sell them to the masses.
5. Steak Preferences of Other Presidents
Of course, Donald Trump is far from the only president to have a particular preference when it comes to steak. In fact, many past presidents have been quite vocal about how they like their meat cooked.
For example, George W. Bush was known to be a “beef man” and enjoyed high-end cuts like Kobe beef. Ronald Reagan, on the other hand, liked his steak well-done and served with a side of pinto beans and chili. Bill Clinton was said to prefer his steak medium-rare, while George H.W. Bush reportedly liked his steak cooked medium.
So while Trump’s well-done steak order may seem a bit extreme to some, it’s clear that presidents have always had their own particular tastes and preferences when it comes to food. It’s just another reminder that even the most powerful people in the world are still human beings with their own quirks and idiosyncrasies.
6. The Ketchup Controversy
Of course, it’s not just Trump’s well-done steak order that has raised eyebrows over the years. It’s also his penchant for dousing his steak in ketchup, a condiment more commonly associated with burgers and fries than high-end cuts of beef.
For many steak purists, the idea of putting ketchup on a steak is nothing short of blasphemous. After all, a good steak should be flavorful enough on its own without the need for any additional sauces or condiments. But once again, this seems to be a matter of personal preference. If Trump enjoys his steak with ketchup, who are we to judge?
7. The Politics of Steak
Believe it or not, steak has even become a political issue in recent years. In 2019, Colorado Governor Jared Polis caused a stir when he declared March 20th to be “MeatOut Day,” encouraging residents to give up meat for the day in favor of plant-based options. This decision was met with fierce backlash from the state’s cattle ranchers and meat industry, who saw it as an attack on their livelihoods.
Similarly, in 2020, then-presidential candidate Cory Booker made headlines when he announced that he was vegan and would be promoting plant-based diets as part of his campaign platform. This led to some mockery and criticism from conservative pundits, who saw veganism as a fringe lifestyle choice that was out of touch with mainstream American values.
All of this goes to show that even something as seemingly simple as a steak dinner can be fraught with political and cultural meaning. In a country as diverse and divided as the United States, even our food choices can become a subject of intense debate and controversy. But at the end of the day, perhaps we would all do well to remember that, as with so many things in life, there’s no one “right” way to enjoy a steak. Whether you like it rare, medium, or well-done, with ketchup or without, what matters most is that you’re savoring a delicious meal in good company. And who knows – maybe if we all sat down together and shared a steak dinner, we might just find that we have more in common than we thought. Just don’t try to convince Donald Trump to order his steak anything less than well-done!
