Internal Temperature Cooking Chart





Learn how to read and use an Internal Meat and Cooking Thermometer.

Cooking thermometers take the guesswork out of cooking, as they measure the internal temperatures of your cooked meat, poultry, seafood, baked goods, and/or casseroles, to assure that a safe temperature has been reached, harmful bacteria have been destroyed, and your food is cooked perfectly. Always follow internal cooking temperatures to be safe!

What is the Perfect Cooking Temperature for

Beef – Pork – Poultry – Fish and Seafood – Baked Goods?

Great cooks use a cooking thermometer as their guide – NOT a clock.

A cooking or meat thermometer should not be a sometime thing. A cooking thermometer can be used for all foods, not just meat. It measures the internal temperature of your cooked meat, poultry, seafood, breads, baked goods, and/or 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) has 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. Use it every time you prepare foods like beef, pork, poultry, roasts, hams, casseroles, meat loaves, egg dishes, and even your baked goods. If you don’t regularly use a thermometer, you should get into the habit of using one.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, internal temperature is the only way to gauge whether food is sufficiently cooked. USDA research reveals that the “color test” can give consumers misleading information about the safety of the foods they are preparing, since cooked color varies considerably. For example, freezing and thawing may influence a meat’s tendency to brown prematurely.

This is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking. I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. To learn more about this excellent thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click on the underlined: Thermapen Thermometer.

Internal Temperature Chart: The following Internal Temperature Cooking Charts are a work in progress. I have been researching and testing recipes for many years to come up with the perfect cooking and baking internal temperatures. Remember – Great cooks use a cooking thermometer as their guide – not a clock. I welcome any help, suggestions, and advice that you could contribute on internal cooking temperatures. Please e-mail me (just click on the underlined): Linda Stradley. Thank you in advance for your help!

Beef, Veal, and Lamb Internal Temperature Chart:

Fahrenheit and Celsius Cooking Temperatures For roasts of lamb, beef, or veal: place the thermometer midway inside the roast away from bone. Residual Heat or Carry-Over Cooking: Remember, the steak will continue to cook as it sets. The temperature will rise 5 degrees F. to 10 degrees F. internal temperature. So, pay attention to how long you let the cooked meat sit before serving. Carry-over cooking is caused by residual heat transferring from the hotter exterior of the meat to the cooler center. As a general rule, the larger and thicker the cut of meat, and the higher the cooking temperature, the more residual heat will be in the meat, and the more the internal temperature will rise during resting due to carry-over cooking. This means the meat must be removed from the heat at an internal temperature lower than your desired final internal temperature, allowing the residual heat to finish the cooking.



Roasts – Steaks – Chops Degree of Doneness Internal Core Temperature Internal Description Extra-rare or Blue (bleu) 80 to 100 degrees F

26 to 38 degrees C

deep red color and barely warm feels soft and squishy Rare 120 to 125 degrees F

49 to 51 degrees C center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion, and warm throughout soft to touch Medium Rare 130 to 135 degrees F

55 to 57 degrees C center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion, and slightly hot yields only slightly to the touch, beginning to firm up Medium 140 to 145 degrees F

60 to 63 degrees C center is light pink, outer portion is brown, and hot throughout yields only slightly to the touch, beginning to firm up Medium Well 150 to 155 degrees F

65 to 69 degrees C mostly gray-brown throughout with a hint of pink in the center firm to touch Well Done 160 degrees F and above

71 degrees C steak is uniformly brown or grey throughout firm or hard to touch Brisket 165 to 175 degrees F

74 to 79 degrees C If the meat pulls apart easily, the brisket is ready to serve. Pot Roast 180 degrees F

82 degrees C If the meat pulls apart easily, the pot roast is ready to serve. Also called fork tender. Ground Meat Patties - Meatloaf - Meatballs 160 to 165 degrees F

71 to 74 degrees C For hamburger patties, insert the digital food thermometer through the side of the patty, all the way to the middle . <

Poultry Internal Temperature Chart:

Fahrenheit and Celsius Cooking Temperatures Place the thermometer at the innermost portion of thigh and wing, and in the thickest part of the breast, checking the temperature at each of these locations. Remember that the chicken will continue to cook after it’s removed from the heat and the internal temperature will rise about 5 to 10 degrees F. in the first few minutes it’s off the heat. Internal Core Temperature Internal Description Whole Chicken or Duck









160 to 165 degrees F.

71 to 74 degrees C.







Insert it in the inner thigh area near the breast of the bird, but not touching the bone. Cook until juices run clear Dark meat 160 to 165 degrees F.

71 to 74 degrees C. Breast meat 160 to 165 degrees F.

71 to 74 degrees C. Thighs, Wings, and Legs 160 to 165 degrees F.

71 to 74 degrees C. Whole Turkey - Oven Roasted Turkey



Deep Fried or Cajun Fried Turkey 165 degrees F.

74 degrees C.



170 degrees F. (in the breast)

76 degrees C. Juices run clear and leg moves easily. Ground Poultry (Chicken and Turkey) 160 to 165 degrees F.

71 to 74 degrees C. For patties, insert the digital food thermometer through the side of the patty, all the way to the middle. Turkey Stuffing

(cooked alone or in turkey) 165 degrees F.

74 degrees C. For the stuffing inside of a turkey, duck, or chicken: place the thermometer to the center of the stuffing.

