Updated guidelines released yesterday by the USDA say that, finally, we can cook pork just a little bit less and not have to worry about it being undercooked. The guidelines lowered the "safe" temperature for pork to reach before being considered cooked down from 160 to 145 degrees, meaning pork can be slightly pink.


People have been skirting the temperature rule for years, but it was always with a slight sense of worry. The problem was that pork cooked at temperatures like 145 degrees just plain tasted better, but salmonella and trichinosis scares had forced regulators to hike it up to a crispy 160. A USDA spokesperson has now said that number "was probably overkill." Photo by Christopher Aloi.


Safety of Fresh Pork...from Farm to Table | USDA via USA Today