Safe minimum internal temperature chart
These are the federal food safety numbers from USDA and FoodSafety.gov. Measure with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the food. USDA says whole cuts should reach their minimum before you take them off the heat; the rest time comes after.
| Food | °F | °C | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef, bison, veal, goat and lamb | |||
| Steaks, roasts, chops | 145°F | 63°C | 3 min |
| Ground meat and sausage | 160°F | 71°C | — |
| Pork | |||
| Steaks, roasts, chops | 145°F | 63°C | 3 min |
| Ground meat and sausage | 160°F | 71°C | — |
| Ham | |||
| Raw (fresh) ham | 145°F | 63°C | 3 min |
| Precooked ham, to reheatPackaged in a USDA-inspected plant | 140°F | 60°C | — |
| Precooked ham, to reheatAll others | 165°F | 74°C | — |
| Chicken, turkey and other poultry | |||
| All poultryWhole bird, breasts, legs, thighs, wings, ground poultry, giblets, sausage, and stuffing inside poultry | 165°F | 74°C | — |
| Rabbit and venison | |||
| Wild or farm-raised | 160°F | 71°C | — |
| Seafood | |||
| Fish, whole or filletSalmon, tuna, tilapia, pollock, bass, cod, catfish, troutor until flesh is no longer translucent and separates easily with a fork | 145°F | 63°C | — |
| Shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops | Cook until flesh is pearly or white, and opaque | — | |
| Clams, oysters, mussels | Cook until shells open | — | |
| Eggs, casseroles and leftovers | |||
| Egg dishesFrittata, quiche | 160°F | 71°C | — |
| CasserolesWith or without meat | 165°F | 74°C | — |
| LeftoversAny type, reheated | 165°F | 74°C | — |
Steak and beef doneness temperatures
Rare to well done, from the Certified Angus Beef brand's doneness chart. "Final" is the temperature after resting. Certified Angus Beef says to take steaks off the heat 5°F below the target and roasts 5°F to 10°F below it. Anything under 145°F is below USDA's safe minimum for whole cuts of beef.
| Doneness | Final | Pull steaks at | Pull roasts at | Center |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RareBelow USDA minimum | 125°F (52°C) | 120°F (49°C) | 115–120°F | Cool red center |
| Medium rareBelow USDA minimum | 135°F (57°C) | 130°F (54°C) | 125–130°F | Warm red center |
| Medium | 145°F (63°C) | 140°F (60°C) | 135–140°F | Warm pink center |
| Medium well | 150°F (66°C) | 145°F (63°C) | 140–145°F | Slightly pink center |
| Well done | 160°F (71°C) | 155°F (68°C) | 150–155°F | Little or no pink |
The Beef Checkoff's own doneness guide follows the USDA line instead and labels temperatures higher: medium rare at 145°F (63°C), medium at 160°F (71°C) and well done at 170°F (77°C), with medium rare followed by a 3-minute rest. Both are industry charts, not safety rules. More on the steak and beef temperature page.
What temperature is medium rare?
Medium rare is 135°F (57°C) on the Certified Angus Beef chart: a warm red center. Pull a steak at about 130°F and let it rest. Medium is145°F (63°C), medium well 150°F (66°C), and rare 125°F (52°C). USDA doesn't endorse temperatures below 145°F for whole cuts, so rare and medium rare are a taste call.
For lamb, the American Lamb Board puts medium rare at 145°F after resting, which happens to match the USDA minimum.
Lamb doneness temperatures
The American Lamb Board gives a pull temperature and a final temperature for each doneness, pulling 10°F early. USDA's minimum for lamb chops, roasts and leg is 145°F with a 3-minute rest; ground lamb is 160°F.
| Doneness | Pull at | Final |
|---|---|---|
| Medium rare | 135°F (57°C) | 145°F (63°C) |
| Medium | 150°F (66°C) | 160°F (71°C) |
| Well done | 160°F (71°C) | 170°F (77°C) |
Pork temperatures
USDA lowered its pork recommendation from 160°F to 145°F with a 3-minute rest in 2011, finding it just as safe. Pork at 145°F can still be pink in the middle. The National Pork Board's targets for each cut sit at or above that line:
| Cut | USDA safe minimum | National Pork Board |
|---|---|---|
| Chops, tenderloin, loin roast | 145°F (63°C), rest 3 min | 145°F to 160°F |
| Ribs, cutlets | 145°F (63°C), rest 3 min | Best enjoyed at 180°F |
| Shoulder (pulled pork) | 145°F (63°C), rest 3 min | 170°F to pull apart; 185°F to 190°F smoked |
| Ground pork, sausage | 160°F (71°C) | 160°F |
| Fresh ham | 145°F (63°C), rest 3 min | 145°F |
| Fully cooked ham, to reheat | 140°F (60°C) | 140°F, or serve cold |
Chicken and turkey temperature
Every kind of poultry is safe at 165°F (74°C): breasts, thighs, drumsticks, wings, ground chicken and turkey, giblets and stuffing. There's no rest time in the rule. For a whole bird, check the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Dark meat has no separate USDA number; you can cook it hotter for texture. See the chicken and turkey pages for roasting times.
Rest times and carryover cooking
- Safety rest. USDA asks for at least 3 minutes of rest after cooking whole cuts of beef, pork, veal, lamb and raw ham. During those minutes the temperature holds or keeps rising, which is part of what makes 145°F safe. Ground meat and poultry have no rest time.
- Carryover. Meat keeps cooking after it leaves the heat. The Beef Checkoff says roasts rise 5°F to 15°F and should stand 15 to 20 minutes. That's why doneness charts give a lower pull temperature.
- Turkey. USDA recommends letting a whole turkey stand 20 minutes before carving, for quality.
Where to put the thermometer
- In the thickest part of the meat, not touching bone, fat or gristle.
- Steaks and burgers: slide the probe in horizontally from the side so the tip sits in the center. The National Pork Board says the same for chops thinner than ¾ inch.
- Whole chicken or turkey: the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. All three need 165°F.
- Roasts: an oven-safe thermometer can stay in from the start; an instant-read one needs about 15 seconds near the end of cooking.
Can you tell if meat is done by its color?
No. USDA says color isn't a reliable sign of safety or doneness. Ground beef can turn brown before it's hot enough to kill bacteria, or stay pink after it reaches 160°F. Pork cooked to 145°F can be pink in the center and still safe, and properly cooked poultry ranges from white to pink to tan. The thermometer is the only test.
Temperatures by meat
- Chicken: 165°F (74°C)
- Turkey: 165°F (74°C)
- Beef & Steak: Medium rare: 135°F (57°C)
- Ground Beef: 160°F (71°C)
- Meatloaf: 160°F (71°C)
- Pork: 145°F (63°C)
- Pulled Pork: To pull apart: 170°F (77°C)
- Lamb: Medium rare: 145°F (63°C)
- Venison: 160°F (71°C)
Smoking and grilling
Low-and-slow cooks are where a probe thermometer earns its keep. Our best pellet smokers guide covers grills with built-in meat probes, like the Traeger Ironwood XL, and the Weber SmokeFire EX4, which reaches 600°F for searing steaks. Once it's cooked, see the food storage chart for how long leftovers last in the fridge and freezer.
Frequently asked questions
What temperature is medium rare?
135°F (57°C), according to the Certified Angus Beef doneness chart. Take a steak off the heat at about 130°F and let it rest. USDA’s safe minimum for whole cuts of beef is 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
What temperature is chicken done?
165°F (74°C) in the thickest part, for every cut: breasts, thighs, wings, ground chicken and whole birds.
What temperature is pork done?
Pork chops, tenderloin and roasts are safe at 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest. Ground pork and sausage need 160°F (71°C).
What temperature is medium for steak?
145°F (63°C), a warm pink center, on the Certified Angus Beef chart. Medium well is 150°F and well done is 160°F.
What temperature is ground beef done?
160°F (71°C). Ground chicken and turkey need 165°F (74°C).
Do you take meat off the heat before it reaches temperature?
For doneness, industry charts say yes: Certified Angus Beef pulls steaks 5°F early and the American Lamb Board 10°F early. For safety, USDA says whole cuts should reach 145°F before they leave the heat, then rest 3 minutes.
How this chart works
Two kinds of numbers are on this page, and we keep them apart. Safe minimum internal temperatures and rest times come from USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service and FoodSafety.gov; they are the temperatures at which harmful bacteria are destroyed. Doneness and texture temperatures (rare to well done, pull-apart pork shoulder) come from industry groups: the Certified Angus Beef brand, the Beef Checkoff, the National Pork Board and the American Lamb Board. They don't always agree with each other, so each number is labeled with its source, and anything below the USDA minimum is marked.
Celsius values are converted from Fahrenheit and rounded to the nearest degree, the way FoodSafety.gov prints them. Where we couldn't find a primary source for a commonly quoted number, such as brisket or chicken thigh "texture" temperatures, we left it out.
Sources
Food safety temperatures and rest times:
- USDA FSIS, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/safe-temperature-chart
- FoodSafety.gov, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures
- USDA FSIS, Chicken from Farm to Table www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/chicken-farm-table
- USDA FSIS, Let's Talk Turkey Roasting www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/poultry/lets-talk-turkey-roasting
- USDA FSIS, Beef from Farm to Table www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat-catfish/beef-farm-table
- USDA FSIS, Fresh Pork from Farm to Table www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat-catfish/fresh-pork-farm-table
- USDA FSIS, Lamb from Farm to Table www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat-catfish/lamb-farm-table
- USDA FSIS, Ham and Food Safety www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat-catfish/hams-and-food-safety
- USDA FSIS, The Color of Meat and Poultry www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/color-meat-and-poultry
- USDA FSIS, "Doneness" versus Safety www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/doneness-versus-safety
- LSU AgCenter, USDA changes safe pork cooking temperatures (May 2011, on the USDA announcement) www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/communications/news/news_archive/2011/may/news_you_can_use/usda-changes-safe-pork-cooking-temperatures
Doneness and texture temperatures:
- Certified Angus Beef brand, Degree of Doneness www.certifiedangusbeef.com/en/cooking/degree-of-doneness
- Beef Checkoff (Beef. It's What's for Dinner.), Determining Doneness www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com/cooking/determining-doneness
- National Pork Board, Pork Cooking Temperature pork.org/pork-cooking-temperature/
- National Pork Board, Pork Chops pork.org/cuts/pork-chops/
- National Pork Board, Smoking Pork pork.org/cooking-techniques/smoking-pork/
- National Pork Board, Pork Shoulder pork.org/cuts/pork-shoulder/
- National Pork Board, Pulled Pork pork.org/cuts/pulled-pork/
- American Lamb Board, Cooking Time & Temperature americanlamb.com/cooking-time-temperature/
All sources checked October 19, 2026.