Two numbers decide whether meat is cooked: the temperature of the oven, grill or fryer, and the temperature inside the meat itself. Only the second one makes it safe to eat.
This page collects both. The chart below gives the safe minimum internal temperature for every kind of meat and poultry, and the sections after it link to a specific answer for each cut, weight and oven setting.
Poultry 165°F · Ground meat 160°F · Whole cuts 145°F
Whole cuts of beef, pork, veal and lamb also need a three-minute rest before carving or eating.
Safe internal temperatures
| Food | Safe minimum internal temperature | Rest time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken and turkey — whole, parts, ground, stuffed | 165°F (74°C) | None |
| Ground beef, pork, veal and lamb | 160°F (71°C) | None |
| Beef, pork, veal and lamb — steaks, chops, roasts | 145°F (63°C) | 3 minutes |
| Ham, fresh or smoked (uncooked) | 145°F (63°C) | 3 minutes |
| Ham, fully cooked (to reheat) | 165°F (74°C) | None |
| Egg dishes and casseroles | 160°F (71°C) | None |
| Leftovers, reheated | 165°F (74°C) | None |
Temperatures on this page follow the USDA Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service. Always measure with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the food, away from bone, fat and gristle.
Chicken
Chicken has no safe pink stage. Whether it is a whole bird, a boneless breast or wings in an air fryer, the thickest part has to reach 165°F.
Beef and steak
Beef is the one place doneness is a matter of taste as well as safety. A whole steak or roast is safe at 145°F, so rare through well done are all legitimate choices above that line.
Pork
Pork no longer needs to be cooked grey. USDA lowered whole-cut pork to 145°F with a three-minute rest in 2011, which leaves the centre faintly pink and far juicier.
Turkey
Turkey follows the same 165°F rule as chicken, but the mass of a whole bird makes timing harder. Check the innermost thigh, the innermost wing and the thickest part of the breast.
Ground meat, burgers and ribs
Grinding spreads surface bacteria all through the meat, so a burger cannot be cooked like a steak. Ground beef, pork, veal and lamb need 160°F throughout; ground poultry needs 165°F.
How to use a meat thermometer
An instant-read thermometer is the only reliable test. Colour is not: ground beef can turn brown well before 160°F and can stay pink well after it.
Push the probe into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bone, fat and gristle. Bone conducts heat and will read higher than the meat around it.
For thin cuts, insert the probe sideways so the tip sits in the centre rather than passing straight through.
Frequently asked questions
What is the safe internal temperature for chicken?
All poultry is safe at 165°F (74°C), measured in the thickest part and away from bone. This is the same for whole birds, parts, ground poultry and stuffing cooked inside the bird.
Do steaks and roasts also need to reach 165°F?
No. Whole cuts of beef, pork, veal and lamb are safe at 145°F (63°C) followed by a three-minute rest. The 165°F figure applies to poultry, reheated leftovers and fully cooked ham.
Why does ground beef need a higher temperature than steak?
On a whole steak the bacteria stay on the outside, which is the part that sears first. Grinding mixes that surface through the entire batch, so a burger has to reach 160°F all the way through.
Does resting meat change the internal temperature?
Yes. Heat keeps moving inward after the meat leaves the heat source, so the centre continues to rise for several minutes. USDA counts the three-minute rest as part of reaching a safe temperature for whole cuts.
Can I judge doneness by colour or by clear juices?
No. Both tests are unreliable and have been dropped from official food safety guidance. A calibrated food thermometer is the only way to know a piece of meat is safe.