Cooking Temperatures

Meat & Seafood Cooking Temperatures
Use this as a guideline for cooking your fresh meats and seafood.

Important: After desired cooking temperature is reached, remove meat from heat source and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving. The amount of time required for resting varies with the size of the cut of your meat. During this resting time, the meat continues to cook (meat temperature will rise 5 to 20 degrees after it is removed from the heat source) and the juices redistribute.

Beef and Lamb
Roasts, Steaks & Chops
Rare	120-125 degrees F	Center is bright red, pinkish toward the exterior portion
Medium Rare	130-135 degrees F	Center is very pink, slightly brown toward the exterior portion
Medium	140-145 degrees F	Center is light pink, outer portion is brown
Medium Well	150-155 degrees F	Not pink
Well Done	160 degrees F and above	Steak is uniformly brown throughout
Ground Meat
Ground Beef or Lamb	160-165 degrees F	No longer pink but uniformly brown throughout

Poultry
Poultry
Chicken & Duck	165 degrees F	Cook until juices run clear
Turkey
Whole Turkey	165 degrees F	Juices run clear - leg moves easily NOTE: A 12-lb turkey can easily handle 60 to 90 minutes of resting. During that time, temperature can rise 30 degrees if not exposed to drafts

Pork
Roasts, Steaks & Chops
Medium	140-145 degrees F	Pale pink center
Well Done	160 degrees F and above	Steak is uniformly brown throughout
Ribs, shoulders, and brisket
Medium to Well Done	160 degrees F and above
Ham
Raw	160 degrees F
Pre-cooked	140 degrees F

Seafood
Fish
Steaks, Filleted or Whole	140 degrees F	Flesh is opaque, flakes easily
Tuna, Swordfish, & Marlin	125 degrees F	Cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor
Shrimp
Medium-size, Boiling	3-4 minutes	Cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor
Large-size, Boiling	5-7 minues	Cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor
Jumbo-size, Boiling	7-8 minutes	Cook until medium-rare (do not overcook or the meat will become dry and lose its flavor
Lobster
Boiled, Whole - 1 lb.	12-15 minutes	Meat turns red and opaque in center when cut
Broiled, Whole - 1 1/2 lbs.	3-4 minutes	Meat turns red and opaque in center when cut
Steamed, Whole - 1 1/2 lbs.	15-20 minutes	Meat turns red and opaque in center when cut
Baked, Tails - each	15 minutes	Meat turns red and opaque in center when cut
Broiled, Ttails - each	9-10 minutes	Meat turns red and opaque in center when cut
Scallops
Bake	12-15 minutes	Milky white or opaque, and firm
Broil		Milky white or opaque, and firm

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