Welcome to the most important page on our website. Professional chefs know that cooking to temperature, not time, is the absolute key to safety, consistency, and delicious results. This temperature chart is your definitive guide to taking all the guesswork out of cooking. Bookmark this page. Whether you’re cooking poultry, pork, beef, or fish, these are the numbers you need to know. To get these precise readings, a reliable and fast digital thermometer is your most essential kitchen tool.
Before the Chart: Two Crucial Concepts
Understanding these two principles will elevate your cooking from good to great.
- Carryover Cooking: Large cuts of meat do not stop cooking the moment you pull them from the heat. The residual heat will cause the internal temperature to continue to rise by 5-10°F. For best results, you should always remove your meat from the oven or grill just before it reaches its final target temperature.
- Resting Your Meat: Letting meat rest for 5-15 minutes after cooking is essential. This allows the juices, which have been driven to the center by the heat, to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a much more tender and flavorful bite.
The Ultimate Meat & Poultry Temperature Chart
The temperatures below represent the final temperature after resting.
| Food Type | USDA Safe Minimum | Chef’s Recommended Target Doneness |
| Poultry | ||
| Chicken (Whole & Pieces) 1 | 165°F (74°C) | 165°F (74°C) – Not negotiable for safety. |
| Turkey (Whole & Pieces) 2 | 165°F (74°C) | 165°F (74°C) in the breast, 175°F in the thigh. |
| Beef | ||
| Ground Beef / Hamburgers 3 | 160°F (71°C) | 160°F (71°C) for safety. |
| Steak & Roasts 4 | 145°F (63°C) | Rare: 125°F <br> Medium-Rare: 135°F <br> Medium: 145°F <br> Medium-Well: 155°F |
| Beef Brisket 5 | 145°F (63°C) | 195-205°F for tenderness, when “probe tender.” |
| Pork | ||
| Pork Chops, Roasts, Loin 6 | 145°F (63°C) | 145°F (63°C) – A hint of pink is perfectly safe and juicy. |
| Pork Ribs 7 | 145°F (63°C) | 195-205°F for tenderness, when “probe tender.” |
| Ham (Pre-cooked) 8 | 140°F (60°C) | 140°F (60°C) – To reheat. |
| Ham (Fresh) | 145°F (63°C) | 145°F (63°C) |
| Fish & Seafood | ||
| Fish (Salmon, Tuna, etc.) 9 | 145°F (63°C) | 125°F for Medium-Rare (Tuna/Salmon) <br> 140-145°F for flaky fish (Cod, Halibut). |
The Rouuo Recommendation: The Tool for Temperature Perfection
This chart is your map, but a fast and accurate thermometer is the vehicle that gets you to your destination. The ROUUO Instant-Read Thermometer was designed to provide the pinpoint accuracy and 2-3 second speed you need to use this chart effectively. It gives you the confidence to cook any meat to its perfect temperature, every single time.
