Safe minimum
internal temperatures
The USDA FSIS chart, in full. These are the numbers a food thermometer must reach — every timing page on this site defers to them.
| Food | Safe minimum | Rest time |
|---|---|---|
| Poultry — whole, parts, ground | 165°F | none |
| Ground meats (beef, pork, lamb, veal) | 160°F | none |
| Fresh beef, veal, lamb — steaks, chops, roasts | 145°F | 3 minutes |
| Fresh pork and uncooked ham — chops, roasts | 145°F | 3 minutes |
| Fully cooked ham (reheat, USDA-inspected plant) | 140°F | none |
| Fish and shellfish | 145°F | none |
| Egg dishes and casseroles | 160°F | none |
| Stuffing (cooked alone or in the bird) | 165°F | none |
| Leftovers — reheating | 165°F | none |
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service safe minimum internal temperature chart.
The three rules behind the chart
Whole cuts vs ground. Bacteria live on the surface of whole cuts, and the surface always cooks hottest — so a 145°F centre is safe. Grinding mixes the surface through the middle, which is why ground beef needs 160°F even though a rare steak from the same animal is a lower-risk choice.
Poultry is different. Salmonella can live deeper in poultry tissue, so every part of a bird — and anything stuffed inside it — must reach 165°F.
The rest is part of the cook. The 3-minute rest for whole cuts is written into the federal guideline: the temperature holds or keeps climbing after the heat stops, and that time counts toward safety.
Restaurant conventions like medium-rare beef (130–135°F) and medium salmon (125–130°F) sit below these guidelines. Millions of people eat them daily; that is a personal risk choice made with fresh, well-handled food — the federal chart above is the safety standard, and it is what this site recommends.