Rare Beef, the recommended lowest safe temperature for serving beef is 135⁰F, which being said, this is the temperature for Medium Rare beef, and if you prefer your beef rare, then this is overdone. Beef is one of the ambiguous foods that does not fit into the normal realm of temperature zones, much is the same with veal and lamb. Rare beef should be cooked to a minimum safe cooking temperature of 125⁰F. this is the lowest temperature where bacterial growth slows down. Always keep in mind the TDZ is designed to keep food safe and to eliminate food-borne pathogens which cause food-borne illness.