Internal meat temps when cooking?

[Miniman]

Could someone please put upo a list of the temps to cook meat to for the different degrees of doneness.

[Lefty]

BEEF
120 - 125 F Rare (bright red center, pinkish near exterior)
130 - 135 F Medium Rare (very pink center, slightly brown near exterior)
140 - 145 F Medium (center is light pink, brown near exterior)
150 - 155 F Medium Well (not pink)
160 - up F Well Done (uniform brown throughout)

LAMB
135 F Rare
140 - 150 F Medium Rare
160 F Medium
160 - up F Well Done (recommended for ground beef)

CHICKEN
165 - 175 F

TURKEY
165 - 175 F (juices run clear, leg joint moves easily)

PORK
140 - 145 F Medium (pale pink center)
160 - up F Well Done (uniform brown throughout)

SAUSAGE
160 F (no longer pink)

FISH (Steaks, Fillets or Whole)
140 F (opaque, flakes easily)

TUNA, SWORDFISH, MARLIN
125 F

SCALLOPS
cook until milky white/opaque and firm

CLAMS, MUSSELS, OYSTERS
cook until shells open, do not use any that are unopened

LOBSTER
cook until /exterior turns red and meat is opaque
Technique
Season: available year-round

[GotGarlic]

TIP: I made a one-sheet reference of meat doneness temps and taped it to the inside of the cupboard door near the stove, so it's always easily available.

[FryBoy]

Cook's Illustrated says this, which I find to be a good guide:

[joec]

Also keep in mind that once meat is removed from the oven and allowed to rest it will continue to cook so internal temperatures will climb for awhile. With practice you should be able to guess pretty close the temperatures increase while resting and I use the listed temperatures as the finish point not when to remove meats. For example say you have a roast (type doesn't matter) and want it serve it at say 140°, depending on the size I might remove it say at 130° to 132° allowing it to rest. If a piece of meat is within a couple of degrees +- isn't going to make a great deal of difference either way, except with perhaps thinner cuts such as steaks, chops etc.

[Blues Man]

Great list Lefty............

Originally Posted by Lefty

BEEF
120 - 125 F Rare (bright red center, pinkish near exterior)
130 - 135 F Medium Rare (very pink center, slightly brown near exterior)
140 - 145 F Medium (center is light pink, brown near exterior)
150 - 155 F Medium Well (not pink)
160 - up F Well Done (uniform brown throughout)

LAMB
135 F Rare
140 - 150 F Medium Rare
160 F Medium
160 - up F Well Done (recommended for ground beef)

CHICKEN
165 - 175 F

TURKEY
165 - 175 F (juices run clear, leg joint moves easily)

PORK
140 - 145 F Medium (pale pink center)
160 - up F Well Done (uniform brown throughout)

SAUSAGE
160 F (no longer pink)

FISH (Steaks, Fillets or Whole)
140 F (opaque, flakes easily)

TUNA, SWORDFISH, MARLIN
125 F

SCALLOPS
cook until milky white/opaque and firm

CLAMS, MUSSELS, OYSTERS
cook until shells open, do not use any that are unopened

LOBSTER
cook until /exterior turns red and meat is opaque
Technique
Season: available year-round

[QSis]

Great list, Lefty! Very thorough!

I cook my pork loins and chops to 140-145. I know that a lot of sources, including Doug's CI list, don't recommend that, but it's the way I like it.

Lee

[joec]

Me too Lee but then there hasn't been a case of the worm common in pigs since the late 30's in the US accept with wild game.

[BamsBBQ]

and remember to test your thermometers on a regular basis

i have bought brand new digital therms and they have been off as well..

check them in boiling water

[joec]

My Induction oven has a probe in it that is as close to dead on as I've seen.

[Adillo303]

A chef that I ride the train with told me that he likes his pork on the reare side. I asked him about Trichinosis and he said they feed the pigs antibiotics that kill the bug now.

One opinion http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/04/t...ange-pigs.html

This article also points to other sources.

[joec]

145° up and allowed to rest will probably get to 155° to 160° max. internal before it starts to cool down especially under a tin foil tent. That is more medium well than medium rare.

[FryBoy]

Originally Posted by QSis

Great list, Lefty! Very thorough!

I cook my pork loins and chops to 140-145. I know that a lot of sources, including Doug's CI list, don't recommend that, but it's the way I like it.

Lee

I like it that way, too. I grew up with pork chops thoroughly cooked, considered necessary in the olden days. But now I like them on the pink side in the middle -- juicier, much tastier, much better texture. However, as with poultry, I don't care for the texture if pork is undercooked -- although that may be a residual fear of trichinosis, something that's too rare to be of much concern these days. According to the CDC, there was an average of only 12 cases per year reported during the period 1997 - 2001, most of which were from eating wild game.