Internal Temperature Cooking Chart
for Meat & Seafood
Cooking/meat thermometers measure 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.
Cooking/meat thermometers take the guesswork and worry out of cooking, so use it everytime you prepare foods like poultry, roasts, hams, casseroles, meat loaves and egg dishes.
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.
Allow for a resting period when cooking meats. Once the desired cooking temperature is reached, remove the meat from the heat source and let it 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 & Lamb |
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Doneness |
Internal Temperature |
Description of Doneness |
Roasts, Steaks, and Chops |
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Rare |
120 to 125°F (49 to 52°C) |
Center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion |
Medium Rare |
130 to 135°F (54 to 57°C) |
Center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion |
Medium |
140 to 145°F (60 to 63°C) |
Center is light pink, outer portion is brown |
Medium Well |
150 to 155°F (66 to 68°C) |
Center and outer portion is brown (not pink) |
Well Done |
160°F (71°C) and above |
Uniformly brown throughout |
Ground Meat |
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Well Done |
160 to 165°F (71 to 74°C) |
No longer pink but uniformly brown throughout |
Poultry |
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Doneness |
Internal Temperature |
Description of Doneness |
Poultry (Chicken & Duck) |
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|
165°F (74°C) |
Cook until juices run clear |
Turkey |
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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°F (74°C) |
Juices run clear - leg moves easily |
Stuffing (cooked alone or in turkey) |
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165°F (74°C) |
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Pork |
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Doneness |
Internal Temperature |
Description of Doneness |
Roasts, Steaks & Chops |
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Medium |
140 to 145°F (60 to 63°C) |
Pale pink center |
Well Done |
160°F (71°C) and above |
Uniformly brown throughout |
Pork ribs, pork shoulders, and beef brisket |
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Medium to Well Done |
160°F (71°C) and above (71°C) |
Uniformly brown throughout |
Sausage (Raw) |
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Medium to Well Done |
160°F (71°C) and above (71°C) |
Uniformly brown throughout (no longer pink) |
Ham |
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Raw |
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Done |
160°F (71°C) |
Uniformly done throughout |
Precooked |
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Done |
140°F (60°C) |
Uniformly done throughout |
Fish & Seafood |
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Doneness or Size |
Internal Temperature or Cooking Time |
Description of Doneness |
Fish (steaks, filleted or whole) |
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Done |
140°F (63°C) |
Flesh is opaque, flakes easily |
Tuna, Swordfish, & Marlin |
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Done |
125°F (52°C) |
Cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor |
Shrimp |
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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 minutes |
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 |
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Boiled, whole - 1 pound |
12 to 15 minutes |
Meat turns red and opaque in center when cut |
Broiled, whole - 1 1/2 pounds |
3 to 4 minutes |
Meat turns red and opaque in center when cut |
Steamed, whole - 1 1/2 pounds |
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 |
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Baked |
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12 to 15 minutes |
Milky white or opaque, and firm |
Broiled |
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|
4 minutes |
Milky white or opaque, and firm |
Clams, Mussels & Oysters |
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Point at which their shells open - throw away any that do not open |
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