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dark color does not mean it's well done or even medium

She likes steak blu rare.  The charring would definitely turn her off, and that much char seems to me would be past blu rare no matter what.

I don't like that much charring either, but I'm closer to rare/medium rare.  She even eats her hamburger rare.

She liked the tenderloin I did in the oven, no sear at all (I would prefer some).  I cooked it to 120°F.  The oven has a T probe that makes it really easy to cook things in it.

When I'm a bit more energetic, I sear a tenderloin a bit on the grill and then it goes in the oven.  Our grill is electric, and she bought this fancy cover for it that is a minor pain, and I have to turn off the small fridge to use the grill, one the same circuit/GFI trips.

The electric grill is, for my money, as good as a gas grill (which we can't have).  Sometimes I will broil a steak in the oven first.  I use the cast iron as well if the steak is a flat cut.

Blu rare is too rare for me as well.  I've taken her to some "highly regarded" steak houses, and she sends hers back probably 80% of the time.

Earlier, I noticed when she says "Rare" it sounds a bit like "Well", and we had a few times where the server heard "well".  Now, she looks to me so there is no translation problem.  Her English is very good, but of course with some accent.  I'm used to it, strangers are not as much.

We used to dine at Eddie Merlot's in Cincy once a month.  I had a wine locker there, so I was paying retail for wine, they even did the 10% off on cases.  The major cost in our meals was wine at that level, so this saved a lot.  We got the same two servers every time.  We had our wedding dinner there for 29 people, it was great fun.  Good times.

We don't dine at steak places often at all here, twice a year, maybe.  There is a traditional butcher about a mile from us and I go there when we want something good, though Costco has good steak as well.

I forgot to take pics of my finished 2.5 LB Ribeye.

I put it on indirect at 250, unseasoned*, with an hour's worth of oak smoke. It was very subtle. Left it on until it reached 120, then seasoned with Montreal Steak and seared in cast iron on the side burner.

Pulled it at 135, rested and served at 145. Juicy, tender and full of flavor.

* I aged it in the fridge with a heavy coating of Kosher salt, for a week.

I'm medium-well for burgers. 20 percent is the lowest fat content for me. I try to get 75-25 when I grind.

I love steak taretare, made with filet.

I'm too lazy with steaks to do much more than taken'em out of the fridge a couple hours ahead of time and throw'em on a preheated grill or cast iron skillet.

I do tenderize the flat irons we buy with baking soda.  That works really well.  I also trim out any cartledge on the back side.

Huh.  It's going to add a lot of salt to your meat of course.  I wash it off when doing steak this way, I had not considered it for hamburger.  I may try it on chicken.