This meat temperature calculator gives the target internal temperature for doneness and safety — chef doneness levels for steaks and roasts, USDA minimums where they rule — plus the carryover rest adjustment.

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Two Authorities, One Thermometer

USDA minimums answer “is it safe?”; chef doneness answers “is it good?” — they coincide for ground meats and poultry, and diverge knowingly for intact steaks. Quantities for the same meats live on our Meat Per Person Calculator. Part of our Food Calculators collection.

The Temperature Table (Verified Against USDA)

  • Beef/lamb steaks & roasts: rare 120–125, medium rare 130–135, medium 135–145, medium well 145–155, well 155–165 °F; USDA floor 145 + rest
  • Ground beef/pork/lamb: 160 °F. Pork chops/roasts: 145 °F + 3-min rest
  • Poultry (all forms): 165 °F. Fish: 145 °F USDA / opaque-flake test
  • Carryover physics: roasts gain 5–15 °F resting (mass-dependent); thin steaks 5 °F or less — pull targets here assume the middle of those ranges

Thermometer Craft

  • Probe the thickest point, centered, away from bone and fat seams (both read falsely).
  • Instant-read beats dial: 2–3 seconds vs 20 — the difference between data and history.
  • Resting isn’t optional theater: juices redistribute and carryover finishes the cook; cutting early spills both.
  • Calibrate in ice water (32 °F) if readings smell wrong; replace thermometers that drift >2 °F.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What temperature should beef be cooked to?

By doneness: rare 120–125 °F, medium rare 130–135, medium 135–145, medium well 145–155, well done 155–165 (pull ~5–10 °F early for carryover). The USDA minimum for intact beef is 145 °F with a 3-minute rest; ground beef is always 160 °F. This calculator returns doneness and safety framing together.

What temperature is chicken done?

165 °F in the thickest part — the USDA instant-read standard for all poultry, whole, parts or ground. Pulling at ~162 °F and resting tented lets carryover finish the job while keeping breast meat juicier; never serve below the line on a guess, probe instead.

Why can steak be rare but burgers can’t?

Bacteria live on surfaces. An intact steak’s interior is effectively sterile, so searing sanitizes what matters and the center can stay cool. Grinding folds the surface into the middle — every bite of a burger is “surface,” so the center itself must hit 160 °F.

What is carryover cooking?

After removal from heat, the hotter exterior keeps conducting inward: internal temperature rises 5–15 °F during rest (more for large roasts). Pulling at target guarantees overshoot; pulling 5–10 °F early and resting lands on target — and resting separately keeps juices in the meat instead of on the board.

Is pink pork safe?

At 145 °F + a 3-minute rest, yes — that’s the USDA standard since 2011. The old 160 °F rule predates modern trichina control in commercial pork. Blush-pink and juicy at 145 °F is compliant; gray and dry at 160 °F is merely traditional.

Is this meat temperature calculator free?

Yes — free, instant, no sign-up.