Meat Temperature Guide
Choose a food to see its federal safe minimum, required rest time and the thermometer position that best finds the cold spot.
Choose the food you are cooking
Safe minimum
- Rest instruction
- Thermometer placement
- Method note
Doneness language
| Label | Common range | Safety context |
|---|
How to use the result
- Start checking before the estimated cooking time ends.
- Place the sensing area in the thickest cold spot, not against bone or the cooking surface.
- Check a second location when the food is large or uneven.
- Continue cooking until every required location reaches the displayed minimum.
- Follow the displayed rest instruction before carving or eating.
Cooking method changes how quickly heat reaches the center, but not the safe minimum. Time, color, firmness and juice color can help you decide when to check; they cannot replace the thermometer reading.
Questions about safe internal temperature
Why do ground meats need different temperatures?
Grinding can distribute organisms from the surface throughout the food. Ground beef, pork, lamb and veal need 160°F; ground poultry needs 165°F.
Where should a food thermometer go?
Use the thickest central part, away from bone, fat, gristle and the cooking surface. Thin foods are easier to check from the side.
Can color tell me that meat is safe?
No. Meat can brown before or after reaching the applicable target. Measure the internal temperature.
What does the three-minute rest apply to?
USDA pairs it with 145°F for whole beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts. It does not lower the target for ground products or poultry.
Does the cooking method change the safety minimum?
No. Grill, oven, skillet, smoker and air fryer can heat at different rates, but the applicable internal minimum stays the same.