🌡️ Meat Doneness & Internal Temperature Guide
Pick a meat and a doneness to see its target internal temperature, the pull temperature that accounts for carryover cooking, a rest time, and the USDA safe minimum — in both °F and °C.
🌡️ Beef (steaks & roasts) — Medium-rare
USDA safe minimum for whole cuts of beef is 145°F (63°C) followed by a 3-minute rest. Rare and medium-rare fall below that minimum — a personal choice for whole, intact cuts seared on the outside, but not for the food-safety cautious, the immunocompromised, or anyone unsure of their meat's handling.
⚠️ This doneness (130°F) is below the USDA safe minimum of 145°F. Reaching it is a personal choice for whole, intact cuts only — cook ground meat and poultry to their full safe temperature.
Pull temp = target − carryover, because the internal temperature keeps climbing while the meat rests. Always measure in the thickest part with a calibrated instant-read thermometer, away from bone or fat. General educational guidance, not a substitute for food-safety authorities (USDA/FSA); when in doubt, consult official guidance.
Cook to temperature, not to time
The single biggest upgrade to your cooking is a thermometer. Thickness, starting temperature, and oven or pan quirks all move cooking times around, but a target internal temperature is fixed. Two numbers matter: the pull temperature, when you take the meat off the heat, and the final temperature it coasts up to while resting.
Food safety sets the floor. USDA safe minimums — 165°F for poultry, 160°F for ground meat, 145°F plus a rest for whole cuts and fish — are not negotiable for the vulnerable. Above those, doneness is taste: a medium-rare ribeye and a well-done one are both legitimate, one is just a personal call about a whole, intact cut.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What are the USDA safe minimum internal temperatures?
Poultry (all, including ground) must reach 165°F / 74°C. Ground beef, pork, veal, and lamb must reach 160°F / 71°C. Whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal are safe at 145°F / 63°C followed by a 3-minute rest. Fish is 145°F / 63°C. These are food-safety floors, not doneness preferences.
What is carryover cooking and why does the pull temperature matter?
After you take meat off the heat, residual heat keeps driving the internal temperature up — about 3°F for a thin steak or burger and 5–10°F or more for a large roast. That's why this tool gives a pull temperature (target minus carryover): remove the meat a few degrees early so it coasts up to your target while it rests, instead of overshooting.
How long should meat rest?
Steaks and chops rest about 5 minutes; large roasts and whole birds 15–20 minutes. Resting lets juices redistribute and completes carryover cooking. The USDA also requires a 3-minute rest after whole cuts of pork, beef, and lamb reach 145°F, during which the temperature holds or rises and destroys harmful bacteria.
Is medium-rare steak safe?
Medium-rare (about 130°F) is below the USDA safe minimum of 145°F. For whole, intact cuts of beef or lamb that have been seared on all outer surfaces, many cooks accept this as a personal choice, because bacteria live on the surface. It is not advised for ground meat, poultry, mechanically tenderised or injected cuts, or for anyone who is pregnant, elderly, very young, or immunocompromised.
Where do I put the thermometer?
In the thickest part of the meat, away from bone, fat, and gristle, which read hotter or cooler than the muscle. For a whole bird, check the innermost thigh and the thickest part of the breast. Use a calibrated instant-read thermometer and check in more than one spot.
Is this a substitute for official food-safety guidance?
No. This is general educational guidance, not a substitute for food-safety authorities such as the USDA or the UK FSA. Temperatures here follow published safe minimums, but when in doubt, cook to the safe minimum and rely on a calibrated thermometer or consult official guidance.