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What are you cooking?
Pick a meat for its safe temperature — or enter your thermometer reading to see what is safe at that temp.
REFERENCE CHART · FOOD · EVERYDAY
Meat Cooking Temperatures Chart
Color lies; thermometers don’t. These are the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service’s safe minimum internal temperatures — the number that kills the bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Poultry 165°F, ground meats 160°F, steaks and pork 145°F plus a 3-minute rest. Print the chart for the fridge, or use the lookup: pick a meat for its safe temp, or enter your thermometer reading to see what’s safe at that number.
The chart: every meat, its safe temperature
USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperatures. Print this page (File → Print) for a fridge-door reference.
| Food | Safe minimum | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Beef, pork, veal & lamb Steaks, chops, roasts | 145°F (63°C) | 3 min |
| Ground meats Beef, pork, lamb, veal | 160°F (71°C) | — |
| All poultry Whole bird, breasts, thighs, wings, ground | 165°F (74°C) | — |
| Ham, fresh or smoked Uncooked | 145°F (63°C) | 3 min |
| Fully cooked ham Reheating | 140°F (60°C)* | — |
| Fish Whole or filet | 145°F (63°C) | — |
| Shellfish Shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops | Pearly & opaque | — |
| Clams, oysters, mussels | Shells open | — |
| Eggs & egg dishes Frittata, quiche | 160°F (71°C) | — |
| Leftovers & casseroles Any type | 165°F (74°C) | — |
| Rabbit & venison Wild or farm-raised | 160°F (71°C) | — |
*Fully cooked ham: reheat to 140°F for hams packaged in USDA-inspected plants; reheat all other cooked hams to 165°F.
The three rules behind the chart
- The thermometer goes in the thickest part, away from bone. Bone conducts heat differently and fat pockets read hot — probe the center of the thickest section for the true number. For a whole bird, check the inner thigh, the thickest part of the breast, and any stuffing separately: every spot must hit its number. A $15 instant-read thermometer is the single highest-ROI kitchen purchase there is.
- Rest time is cooking time. Steaks, chops, roasts, and fresh ham need 3 minutes of rest after leaving the heat — the interior keeps climbing 3–5°F (carryover cooking) while juices redistribute. Pull those cuts 3–5°F below the target and let the rest finish the job. Poultry, ground meats, and fish need no rest — but they don’t forgive an under-read either.
- Respect the danger zone: 40°F to 140°F. Bacteria multiply fastest in that range. Perishable food left out more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F) goes in the trash, not back in the fridge — reheating won’t undo the toxins some bacteria leave behind. Thaw in the fridge, in cold water changed every 30 minutes, or in the microwave — never on the counter.
Worked example: the 1.5-inch ribeye
Target: 145°F (USDA safe minimum for steaks). Sear it, then start probing the center: pull the steak at 140–142°F — 3–5 degrees under target — tent it loosely with foil, and rest the full 3 minutes. Carryover cooking carries the center to 145°F while the juices settle back into the meat instead of running out onto the board. Cut early and two things go wrong at once: the center never reaches temp, and the plate floods. The thermometer reading after the rest is the one that counts.
Output · formula · meaning
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Safe minimum temp | USDA FSIS table | The temp that kills foodborne-illness bacteria: 165°F poultry, 160°F ground, 145°F whole cuts. |
| Rest time | USDA FSIS table | 3 minutes for steaks, chops, roasts, fresh ham — carryover finishes the cook. |
| Pull temperature | target − 3 to 5°F | Where to take resting cuts off the heat: 140–142°F for a 145°F target. |
| Safe at your reading | items with safe temp ≤ reading | Enter 160°F and everything at or below 160 is safe — poultry still isn’t. |
Who uses this
- Holiday cooks: the turkey question is 165°F everywhere — thigh, breast, wing, and stuffing each get probed.
- Grillers: burgers to 160°F (never pink inside), steaks pulled at 140–142°F for a rested 145°F.
- New cooks: “is it done?” stops being a guess — one number per meat, printed on the fridge.
- Parents: ground meat and poultry for kids always hit 160°F / 165°F — the two numbers worth memorizing.
Accuracy & limitations
Temperatures are the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service’s published safe minimums (foodsafety.gov) — the floor for safety, not a flavor prescription. You may always cook hotter for personal preference (well-done steak, fall-apart ribs at 185–195°F); never cook cooler and call it safe. Thermometers drift — check yours in ice water (32°F) yearly. Altitude doesn’t change the target temperatures, though it changes cooking times. Shellfish don’t get a temperature: shrimp, lobster, crab, and scallops are done when the flesh is pearly and opaque; clams, oysters, and mussels when the shells open (discard any that don’t).
Cite this calculatorBright Side Kit. “Meat Cooking Temperatures Chart.” brightoolbox.com, 2026.
Bright Side Kit. "Meat Cooking Temperatures Chart." https://brightoolbox.com/meat-cooking-temperatures-chart/ Accessed October 22, 2026.Frequently asked questions
What temperature is chicken done at?
165°F — everywhere. Whole bird, breasts, thighs, wings, and ground poultry all share the same USDA number, measured in the thickest part. If the bird is stuffed, the stuffing must hit 165°F too. No rest time required, but there’s no “close enough”: 160°F chicken is undercooked chicken.
Is it safe to eat pink pork?
Yes, if it hit 145°F plus the 3-minute rest — color is not doneness, and pork can stay slightly pink at a safe temperature. The thermometer reading after the rest is what counts, not the color. Ground pork is the exception: like all ground meats, it needs 160°F with no pink.
What temperature should burgers be cooked to?
160°F — never rare or medium-rare. Grinding moves surface bacteria throughout the meat, so the center must reach the full safe temp. For a juicy burger at 160°F, use 80/20 ground beef, don’t press it flat on the grill, and rest it a couple of minutes before the bun.
Do I really need to rest meat after cooking?
For steaks, chops, roasts, and fresh ham: yes, 3 minutes — the USDA bakes it into the safety standard because carryover cooking finishes the job while juices redistribute (cut early and the plate floods). Poultry, ground meats, and fish need no rest. When in doubt, rest it: it only helps.
What is the danger zone for food?
40°F to 140°F — the range where bacteria multiply fastest. Perishable food left out longer than 2 hours (1 hour when it’s above 90°F) should be thrown out, not refrigerated — reheating kills bacteria but not all the toxins they leave behind.