Goat internal temperature.
Goat follows the lamb rules: 145 F with a 3 minute rest for chops, rack, loin and leg, 160 F for ground. It is leaner than lamb, and USDA FSIS notes a goat carcass rarely has much fat to protect it from drying, so the tougher cuts are braised or stewed. A smoked goat shoulder for pulling goes to 195 to 205 F with a wrap for the second half.
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. 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.
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.
Goat by cut
| Cut | USDA minimum | Finish | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shoulder | 145 F + 3 min rest | 195 to 205 F, probe tender (craft) | Shoulder guide |
| Rack | 145 F + 3 min rest | Your doneness, at or above the minimum | Rack guide |
| Loin | 145 F + 3 min rest | Your doneness, at or above the minimum | Loin guide |
| Leg | 145 F + 3 min rest | 195 to 205 F, probe tender (craft) | Leg guide |
| Breast | 145 F + 3 min rest | 195 to 205 F, probe tender (craft) | Breast guide |
| Flank | 145 F + 3 min rest | Your doneness, at or above the minimum | Flank guide |
| Shank | 145 F + 3 min rest | 195 to 205 F, probe tender (craft) | Shank guide |
The tough cuts go higher
195 to 205 F, probe tender
Lamb and goat shoulder, shank and breast are collagen cuts. The American Lamb Board says shoulder benefits from slow cooking to break down connective tissue and shanks practically melt off the bone when slow cooked; FSIS says less tender goat cuts should be braised or stewed. For pulling, backyard convention finishes them probe tender around 195 to 205 F. Goat is very lean, so wrap early and keep the pit gentle.
Pit 225 to 275 F. roughly 1.5 hours per pound at 250 F for a bone-in shoulder. American Lamb Board braise guidance for shanks: 1 to 2 hours per pound. Approximate. Rest: 30 to 60 minutes.
Preference, with the minimum printed beside it
lamb industry
Chops, rack, leg and roasts. Pull temperature and final temperature after rest. Culinary preference, as published by the industry body cited below.
| Doneness | Pull at | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medium rare | 135 F | 145 F, rest 3 minutes | At or above the minimum. |
| Medium | 150 F | 160 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well | 160 F | 170 F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: American Lamb Board: pull 10 F below the target because the internal temperature keeps rising.
lamb goat convention
Chops and rack, restaurant convention, pull temperatures. Culinary preference, barbecue convention.
| Doneness | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 125 to 130 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium rare | 130 to 135 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium | 135 to 145 F | Below the minimum. Preference, not safety. |
| Medium well | 145 to 155 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well done | 160+ F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: 5 to 10 F on a rack or chop.
Rare, medium-rare and medium figures are culinary preference ranges that fall below the USDA FSIS safe minimum of 145 F with a 3 minute rest. USDA does not consider them safe. Where the two differ, the USDA minimum governs.
Where the thermometer goes
Chops and rack: through the side, away from bone. Leg: thickest part, two places. Shoulder: thickest meat away from the blade bone.
- 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 goat cut guide has every region, the woods and the mistakes. The full temperature chart has every animal and every source.