Safe Internal Temperature Chart for Meat, Poultry, Fish and Eggs
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Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, seafood and egg dishes, following the food-specific guidance below.
USDA safe minimum internal temperatures
| Food | Minimum internal temperature | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Beef, pork, veal and lamb — whole cuts | 145 °F | At least 3 minutes |
| Ground meat | 160 °F | — |
| Poultry (all parts, including stuffing) | 165 °F | — |
| Fresh or uncooked ham | 145 °F | At least 3 minutes |
| Fully cooked ham, reheated | 140 °F if packaged in a USDA-inspected plant; 165 °F otherwise | — |
| Egg dishes | 160 °F | — |
| Fish | 145 °F | — |
| Leftovers and casseroles | 165 °F | — |
Use a food thermometer to verify that food reaches the minimum shown. Poultry is 165 °F, including any stuffing.
Read the chart correctly
The values are internal food temperatures, not oven settings or minutes-per-pound estimates. For whole cuts and fresh ham, the listed 3-minute rest begins after the food reaches 145 °F. Reheating fully cooked ham is a separate case: use 140 °F only for ham packaged in a USDA-inspected plant; otherwise use 165 °F.
Why the rest time matters
Whole cuts of beef, pork, veal and lamb, and fresh ham, need a 3-minute rest after reaching 145 °F. The rest is part of the safety recommendation. Do not apply that rest rule to ground meat or poultry; those have their own minimum temperatures in the chart.
Source
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart.