Recommended and Safe Internal Temperatures of Meat and Fish

A lot of us like some meat or fish to be served at room temperature under the recommended value defined by the USDA. A great example of this are medium-rare beef steaks, which are in general very popular, but at the same time the internal temperature is under the recommended safe serving temperature. How is this possible? Many people just believe that this is the best way to cook a steak.

My opinion is that partially rare beef steaks combine a whole spectrum of flavors which create a great gourmet experience. Great quality and properly cooked medium-rare steaks will always melt in your mouth and won’t have an unpleasant rubbery texture. A well done steak, on the other hand, will be a more one sided flavor wise. In the end even if cooked well, it will be more chewy than medium-rare steaks.

Another great example of breaking the defined rules of the minimum recommended safe serving temperatures is sushi since authentic sushi most often includes totally raw fish. I personally consider sushi to be one of my favorite meals, and I also think it is totally fair to say that many of us have had sushi at some point or are at least willing to try it one day. Since I’m coming from a European culture, partially raw or even fully raw meat or fish seems to me to be a perfectly normal alternative to cooked meat.

One of the generally most popular meals in Europe is steak tartare, which is finely chopped, totally raw pieces of beef (usually filet mignon) served with raw egg yolk. Another thing I find interesting: the typical average of food poisoning cases in my country is pretty much the same as in the US, where serving raw meat is generally less common.

If you decide to serve and eat partially or fully raw meat or fish, it is important to be especially careful. Buy only fresh and high-quality products from good sources. Some of these should be properly refrigerated and eaten soon after purchase (preferably the same or next day).

See minimum recommended safe internal temperatures recommended by the USDA as well as other common and popular internal temperatures:

Beef, Lamb, Venison (steaks, chops, roast)

The USDA minimum safe internal temperature is 145°F.
Popular serving temperatures:
110 – 120°F – Blue
120 – 130°F – Rare
130 – 135°F – Medium Rare (most popular, especially by chefs)
135 – 145°F – Medium
145 – 155°F – Medium Well
155°F and more – Well Done

Pork and Veal (steaks, chops, roast)

The USDA minimum safe internal temperature is 145°F.
Popular serving temperatures:
120 – 130°F – Rare
130 – 135°F – Medium Rare
135 – 145°F – Medium (most popular, especially by chefs)
145 – 155°F – Medium Well
155°F and more – Well Done

Ground Beef Burger Meat

The USDA minimum safe internal temperature is 160°F.
Popular serving temperatures:
120 – 130°F – Rare
130 – 140°F – Medium Rare
140 – 150°F – Medium (most popular, especially by chefs)
150 – 160°F – Medium Well
160°F and more – Well Done

Ground Meat other burgers (sausages, meatloaf, with the exception of poultry]

The USDA minimum safe internal temperature is 160°F.

The popular serving temperature is the same as the minimum serving temperature.

Poultry

The USDA minimum safe internal temperature is 165°F.

The popular serving temperature is the same as the minimum serving temperature.

Fish

The USDA minimum safe internal temperature is 145°F.
Popular serving temperatures:
110 – 125°F – Rare
125 – 140°F – Medium Fair
145 – 155°F – Medium

Shellfish

The USDA minimum safe internal temperature is 145°F.
The popular serving temperature is the same as the minimum serving temperature.

Temperature Carryover

When you are planning to cook meat or fish at the internal temperature you selected, be aware of carryover. After you stop cooking meat, it keeps cooking even after you have removed it from the pan (carryover). If you are cooking on a high temperature, carryover is even higher. Thicker slices and pieces of meat have larger carryover since they cool slower.

It is hard to say how big the carryover is in general since it depends on multiple factors. In general, steak can have a carryover of 1 – 2°F, and roasts or brisket can have a 5°F carryover or even more.

Food Thermometer

No matter what internal temperature you end up with as a target, you will need to use a reliable food thermometer. It will always provide you with accurate information and help you determine the end of the cooking time. When you measure the temperature of meat, always penetrate the thickest point with your food thermometer to get best results. Always make sure to clean and sanitize the thermometer after usage.

The Bottom Line

The decision of what temperature is best for your meat or fish is totally up to you. If you decide to follow safe temperatures recommended by the USDA, I would like to encourage you to not prepare meat or fish too much over that recommended temperature, so it does not become overcooked. Overcooked meat or fish means you lose taste, moisture, and the food can be rubbery and not very pleasant to eat.

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