Meat Cooking Chart
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°F
center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion
Medium Rare
130° to 135°F
center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion
Medium
140° to 145°F
center is light pink, outer portion is brown
Medium Well
150° to 155°F
not pink
Well Done
160°F and above
steak is uniformly brown throughout
Ground Meat
160° to 165°F
no longer pink but uniformly brown throughout
table end
Poultry
Poultry (Chicken & Duck)
165°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°F
juices run clear
leg moves easily
Stuffing (cooked alone or in turkey)
165°F
Pork
Roasts, Steaks & Chops
Medium
140° to 145°F
pale pink center
Well Done
160°F and above
steak is uniformly brown throughout
Sausage (raw)
160°F
no longer pink
Ham
Raw
160°F
Pre-cooked
140°F
table end
table with 3 columns and 7 rows
Seafood
Fish (steaks, filleted or whole)
140°F
flesh is opaque, flakes easily
Tuna, Swordfish, and Marlin
125°F
cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor
Shrimp
125°F
cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor
Lobster
125°F
meat turns red and opaque in center when cut
Scallops
125°F
milky white or opaque, and firm
Clams, Mussles & Oysters
125°F
point at which their shells open - throw away any that do not open
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Created on ... June 02, 2007