Meat Poultry Safety
6 indexed entriesPart of Grocery & Culinary Science.
Items
Beef Steak Temperatures
Chef recommendation vs USDA internal pull temperatures for beef steaks: Rare (120°F–125°F pull), Medium-Rare (130°F–135°F pull), Medium (140°F–145°F pull), Well Done (160°F+). Steaks rise 5°F–10°F during a 10-minute rest.
Eggs
Egg dishes like quiche, frittata, and casseroles are safe at a minimum internal temperature of 160°F held for 2 minutes, or 165°F instantly. Store shell eggs refrigerated at 40°F or below, where they keep 4-5 weeks beyond the pack date, and never leave egg dishes at room temperature more than 2 hours (30-60 minutes above 85°F).
Fish & Shellfish
USDA guidance sets a safe minimum internal temperature of 145°F (62.8°C) for fish with fins, or until the flesh turns opaque and separates easily with a fork. Shellfish like shrimp, lobster, crab, and scallops are done when the flesh becomes pearly white or opaque throughout.
Lamb
USDA guidance sets whole-cut lamb -- chops, roasts, leg of lamb -- at the same safe minimum internal temperature as beef and pork: 145°F (62.8°C), followed by a mandatory 3-minute rest before carving. Ground lamb requires a higher 160°F (71.1°C) with no rest time required.
Pork
USDA guidance sets whole-cut pork -- chops, roasts, tenderloin -- at a safe minimum internal temperature of 145°F (62.8°C), followed by a mandatory 3-minute rest before carving or serving. Ground pork, like other ground meats, requires a higher 160°F (71.1°C) with no rest time needed.
Poultry
USDA mandates 7D Salmonella reduction in poultry. While 165°F (74°C) achieves instant pasteurization (0 seconds), the same 99.99999% bacterial death rate is achieved at 150°F (65.5°C) held for 3.0 minutes, yielding juicier chicken breast.