Ground beef internal temperature.
Ground beef is done at 160 F, measured food thermometer through the side of a patty to the centre. That is higher than the 145 F a steak needs, and the difference is not fussiness. A steak's bacteria sit on the outside, where the heat of the pan kills them. Grinding mixes that surface through the whole patty, so the centre has to reach a safe temperature too. One in four hamburgers that look done may not be safely cooked (FSIS). Cook it to the number, not to the colour.
160 F (71.1 C)
Ground meat, burgers, sausage mixtures, meat loaf, and organ or variety meats. Food thermometer through the side of a patty to the centre. This is a food safety floor, not a preference. Where any other number on this page is lower, this one governs.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, page updated 2025-04-14, read 2026-09-02.
145 F (62.8 C), then rest at least 3 minutes before carving or consuming
Steaks, chops and roasts (whole muscle). Food thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone, fat and gristle, read before removing from the heat source. This is a food safety floor, not a preference. It is printed here for the comparison, and it does not apply to the cuts this page is about.
Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, page updated 2025-04-14, read 2026-09-02.
What this covers at the counter
| Cut | Methods | Finish | Notes | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground chuck | grill | 160 F (USDA) | 160 F, no exceptions. | Chuck |
Where the thermometer goes
Through the side of the patty into the centre, so the probe sits in the middle of the meat rather than passing out the far side. Meatballs and meat loaf get the same treatment: the thickest part, away from the pan.
- The danger zone. Bacteria grow fastest between 40 F and 140 F, doubling in as little as 20 minutes. Never leave food out of refrigeration more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the air is above 90 F. Hold hot food at or above 140 F and cold food at or below 40 F.
- Where the probe goes. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food, not touching bone, fat or gristle. For thin foods insert through the side. Check large or irregular pieces in several places. For a whole bird check the innermost thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.
- Colour is not doneness. Appearance and colour are not reliable indicators of safety or doneness. A burger can be brown and unsafe or pink and safe. Pork at 145 F can be pink. Smoked chicken can stay pink at the bone at 165 F.
- The 3 minute rest is part of the 145 F rule. For whole-muscle beef, pork, lamb, goat and veal the safety rule is 145 F AND a rest of at least 3 minutes before carving or eating. The rest is not optional and it is not the same thing as the long barbecue rest.
Cook it, then log it
The beef temperature page covers every cut. The chuck cut guide has the woods, the mistakes and the recipes. Also: tri-tip internal temp.