Meat Doneness Calculator
USDA safe internal temperatures for 18 meats, fish and dishes, plus steak and pork doneness targets, the pull temperature to allow for carryover, rest times and a live thermometer check in °F or °C.
How it works
Doneness is a temperature, not a time · pull temperature = target final temperature − carryover rise (about 3–15°F depending on size and heat) · °C = (°F − 32) × 5 ÷ 9
The USDA minimums are the internal temperatures at which the relevant pathogens are destroyed quickly: 145°F plus a 3-minute rest for whole cuts of beef, veal, lamb, bison, goat and pork; 160°F for ground meats, raw sausage, venison, rabbit and egg dishes; 165°F for all poultry, stuffing, casseroles and leftovers; and 145°F for fish. Pick the food and the calculator shows its USDA number and where to put the thermometer. For steaks, lamb, veal and pork you can also pick a doneness, from blue to well done, and it works out the pull temperature: meat keeps rising for a few minutes after it leaves the heat, about 3°F for a thin steak and up to 15°F for a large roast in a hot oven, so you take it off early and let the rest finish the job. Turn on the thermometer check to type your current reading in °F or °C and see how many degrees are left. The higher-risk option lifts any below-USDA choice back to the safe minimum.
Worked example
For a 1½-inch ribeye cooked medium-rare, the target is 135°F (57°C). A thick steak rises about 5°F while it rests, so pull it at 135 − 5 = 130°F (54°C) and rest it 5–10 minutes. If the thermometer reads 118°F, there are 12°F (7°C) still to go. A pork chop aimed at the USDA 145°F comes off at 140°F and rests 3 minutes; a burger has no such allowance and must read 160°F in the center before it leaves the grill.
Sources: USDA — Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart · FoodSafety.gov — Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures · ThermoWorks — Chef-recommended temperatures and carryover
Frequently asked questions
Why do ground meats need higher temperatures?
Bacteria live on meat surfaces, and searing handles surfaces. Grinding folds the surface into the middle, so the middle must reach a killing temperature — 160°F for ground beef, pork and lamb, 165°F for ground poultry.
Is medium-rare steak safe?
An intact steak’s interior is essentially sterile, so a well-seared 130–135°F steak is a modest, widely accepted risk for healthy adults. USDA still advises 145°F, and higher-risk groups (pregnant, elderly, immunocompromised) should follow it — turn on the higher-risk option to apply it.
What is carryover cooking?
The outside of a steak or roast is hotter than the center when it comes off the heat, and that heat keeps moving inward. The center typically climbs 3–5°F in a thin steak, about 10°F in a roast and up to 15°F in a large roast cooked hot. Sous vide and slow-cooked meat have almost none.
What does resting actually do?
Two things: carryover heat finishes the last few degrees of cooking, and the muscle fibers relax so less juice runs onto the board when you slice. USDA asks for 3 minutes on whole cuts; for juiciness, rest steaks 5–10 minutes and big roasts 15–30.
Where should I put the thermometer?
In the thickest part, away from bone, fat and gristle, which read hotter or cooler than the meat. For burgers, push the probe in from the side to the center; for whole birds, check the innermost thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast.
Related calculators
Temperatures follow USDA FSIS guidance for food safety. Doneness levels below the USDA minimum carry some risk and are not recommended for pregnant people, young children, older adults or anyone with a weakened immune system.