Meat Doneness Temperatures
Safe internal temperatures for meat, poultry, and fish in °F and °C, plus steak doneness levels.
Click any row to copy its temperature. Values are USDA safe minimum internal temperatures.
Doneness is a personal choice, not a safety line. Steak temperatures below the USDA 145 °F (63 °C) minimum — rare and medium-rare — carry a higher risk of foodborne illness. They are lower-risk for whole-muscle beef seared on the outside, but never safe for ground meat or poultry.
Cook poultry to 165 °F (74 °C) and ground red meats to 160 °F (71 °C). Beef, pork, lamb, and veal steaks, chops, and roasts are safe at 145 °F (63 °C) with a 3-minute rest, as are fish and fresh ham. Egg dishes need 160 °F (71 °C).
How to use these temperatures
The only reliable way to know meat is done is an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone, fat, or gristle. The table above lists the USDA safe minimum internal temperatures — the point at which harmful bacteria are reduced to a safe level — for the meats students cook most often, in both °F and °C. Use the filter to find a cut, or switch to the steak doneness set to see the temperatures cooks aim for by preference.
Safe minimum versus doneness
A “safe minimum” is a food-safety threshold, not a taste target. Poultry, ground meat, and egg dishes should always reach their safe minimum. Whole cuts of beef, pork, and lamb are safe at 145 °F (63 °C) after a rest, but many people cook steak to a chosen doneness — rare through well-done — which is where the second set of temperatures comes in.
USDA safe minimum internal temperatures
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Measure with a thermometer in the thickest part.
| Food | °F | °C | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poultry — chicken, turkey (whole & ground) | 165 °F | 74 °C | All poultry, including ground |
| Ground meats — beef, pork, lamb | 160 °F | 71 °C | Ground red meats |
| Beef, pork, lamb, veal — steaks, chops, roasts | 145 °F | 63 °C | Then rest 3 minutes |
| Fish & shellfish | 145 °F | 63 °C | Flesh opaque and flaking |
| Ham — fresh or raw | 145 °F | 63 °C | Then rest 3 minutes |
| Ham — leftovers, casseroles | 165 °F | 74 °C | Reheat to this temperature |
| Egg dishes | 160 °F | 71 °C | Yolk and white firm |
Doneness is a choice, safety is not
The steak doneness levels — rare near 125 °F (52 °C), medium-rare around 130–135 °F (54–57 °C), up to well-done at 160 °F (71 °C) — describe colour and juiciness, not safety. Rare and medium-rare sit below the USDA 145 °F (63 °C) minimum, so they carry a higher risk of foodborne illness. That risk is lower for a whole, unpunctured cut of beef seared on the outside, because bacteria live on the surface, but it is never acceptable for ground meat or poultry, where surface bacteria are mixed throughout. Eating undercooked meat is a personal decision; the safe minimums exist to protect anyone who wants the lower-risk option.
Two habits improve every result: let meat rest so the temperature evens out and juices settle, and remember that a roast keeps cooking after it leaves the heat — carryover can add several degrees, so pull large cuts a little early.