Meat & Seafood Internal Temperature Cooking Chart
Use a meat thermometer and take the guesswork out of cooking meat and seafood

 

 

meat thermometer, cooking thermometerRead how to use an Internal Meat and Cooking Thermometer.

Cooking thermometers take the guesswork out of cooking, as they measures the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry, or any casseroles, to assure that a safe temperature has been reached, harmful bacteria have been destroyed, and your food is cook perfectly.

A cooking or meat thermometer should not be a "sometime thing." Use it every time you prepare foods like poultry, roasts, hams, casseroles, meat loaves and egg dishes.

If you don't regularly use a thermometer, you should get into the habit of using one. A thermometer can be used for all foods, not just meat. It measures the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry or any casseroles, to assure that a safe temperature has been reached and that harmful bacteria like certain strains of Salmonella and E. Coli O 157:H7 have been destroyed. Foods are properly cooked only when they are heated at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria that cause food-borne illness

To learn how internal thermometers are rated and which to purchase, read HERE.
Nine instant-read thermometers were tested and evaluated according to the following criteria. They are listed in order of preference.

IMPORTANT:

After desired cooking temperature is reached, remove meat from heat source and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving. The amount of time required for resting varies with the size of the cut of your meat. During this resting time, the meat continues to cook (meat temperature will rise 5 to 20 degrees after it is removed from the heat source) and the juices redistribute.

 


Beef and Lamb
 

Roasts, Steaks & Chops

 

 

Rare

120 to 125 degrees F

center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion

Medium Rare

130 to 135 degrees F

center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion

Medium

140 to 145 degrees F

center is light pink, outer portion is brown

Medium Well

150 to 155 degrees F

not pink

Well Done

160 degrees F and above

steak is uniformly brown throughout

 

Ground Meat
 

 

160 to 165 degrees F
 

 

no longer pink but uniformly brown throughout
 

 


Poultry
 


Poultry (Chicken & Duck)


165 degrees F


cook until juices run clear

 

 

 

Turkey
NOTE: A 12-lb turkey can easily handle 60 to 90 minutes of resting. During that time, temperature can rise 30 degrees if not exposed to drafts.
 

165 degrees F

 

juices run clear - leg moves easily

 

 

 

 

Stuffing (cooked alone or in turkey)

165 degrees F

 

 


Pork
 

Roasts, Steaks & Chops

 

 

Medium

140 to 145 degrees F

pale pink center

Well Done

160 degrees F and above

steak is uniformly brown throughout

 

 

 

Pork ribs, pork shoulders, and beef brisket

160 degrees F and above

medium to well done

     

Sausage (raw)

160 degrees F

no longer pink

 

 

 

Ham

 

 

Raw

160 degrees F

 

Pre-cooked

140 degrees F

 



Seafood
 

Fish (steaks, filleted or whole)

140 degrees F

flesh is opaque, flakes easily

     

Tuna, Swordfish, & Marlin

125 degrees F

cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor

     

Shrimp

 

 

Medium-size, boiling

3 to 4 minutes

cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor

Large-size, boiling

5 to 7 minues

cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor

Jumbo-size, boiling

7 to 8 minutes

cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor

 

 

 

Lobster

 

 

Boiled, whole - 1 lb.

12 to 15 minutes

meat turns red and opaque in center when cut

Broiled, whole - 1 1/2 lbs.

3 to 4 minutes

meat turns red and opaque in center when cut

Steamed, whole - 1 1/2 lbs.

15 to 20 minutes

meat turns red and opaque in center when cut

Baked, tails - each

15 minutes

meat turns red and opaque in center when cut

Broiled, tails - each

9 to 10 minutes

meat turns red and opaque in center when cut

 

 

 

Scallops

 

 

Bake

12 to 15 minutes

milky white or opaque, and firm

Broil

 

milky white or opaque, and firm

 

 

 

Clams, Mussels & Oysters

 

point at which their shells open - throw away any that do not open