Pork internal temperature.
Pork chops, loin, tenderloin and roasts are safe at 145 F with a 3 minute rest, and safely cooked pork can still be pink. Ground pork is 160 F. Pulled pork is a different cook: the shoulder goes far past the minimum, to 185 to 205 F, until the bone slips out. That higher number is about tenderness, not safety.
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.
One cut? Pork chops internal temp, Pork tenderloin internal temp, Pork ribs internal temp, Pulled pork internal temp, Pork belly internal temp.
Pork by cut
| Cut | USDA minimum | Finish | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Butt (Boston butt) | 145 F + 3 min rest | 195 to 205 F, bone slip (craft) | Butt (Boston butt) guide |
| Loin | 145 F + 3 min rest | 190 to 203 F, bend test (craft) | Loin guide |
| Ham (leg) | 145 F + 3 min rest | Your doneness, at or above the minimum | Ham (leg) guide |
| Picnic shoulder | 145 F + 3 min rest | 195 to 205 F, bone slip (craft) | Picnic shoulder guide |
| Spareribs | 145 F + 3 min rest | 190 to 203 F, bend test (craft) | Spareribs guide |
| Belly | 145 F + 3 min rest | 190 to 200 F, fork tender (craft) | Belly guide |
| Hock | 145 F + 3 min rest | 195 to 205 F, bone slip (craft) | Hock guide |
The tough cuts go higher
195 to 205 F, bone slip
For pulled pork, backyard convention finishes shoulder at 195 to 205 F when the bone slips clean and the meat shreds. The National Pork Board's own smoking table gives 185 to 190 F with the bone-slip test. Both are above the 145 F minimum; the difference is texture, and Pit Log shows both.
Pit 225 to 275 F. National Pork Board: about 1 hour 15 minutes per pound. Backyard planning: 8 to 14 hours for an 8 lb butt at 225 to 250 F. Approximate. Rest: 1 hour minimum wrapped, held above 140 F, before pulling.
190 to 203 F, bend test
Ribs are done when they pass the bend test and the meat has pulled back from the bone ends, which usually happens somewhere between 190 and 203 F. The thermometer is unreliable on ribs because the meat is thin and close to bone; FSIS and the Pork Board both say 'until fork tender'.
Pit 225 to 250 F. National Pork Board: loin back ribs 3 to 5 hours; St. Louis and spareribs 5 to 7 hours at 225 to 250 F; times vary with thickness. Approximate. Rest: 10 to 15 minutes.
190 to 200 F, fork tender
Smoked pork belly is done at about 190 F or when fork tender when pierced with a skewer (National Pork Board). Burnt ends: cube around 165 F, sauce, and return uncovered until the cubes are tender and glazed.
Pit 225 to 250 F. National Pork Board: 4 hours in smoke, wrap, about 3 more hours. Approximate. Rest: 15 to 30 minutes for a slab; burnt ends are served from the pan.
Preference, with the minimum printed beside it
pork chops roasts
Chops, loin, tenderloin and whole-muscle roasts. Culinary preference, as published by the industry body cited below.
| Doneness | Internal temp | Vs. USDA 145 F |
|---|---|---|
| Medium (USDA minimum) | 145 F, rest at least 3 minutes | At or above the minimum. |
| Medium well | 150 to 155 F | At or above the minimum. |
| Well done | 160+ F | At or above the minimum. |
Carryover: National Pork Board: pull a smoked loin at 140 F and rest 10 minutes in a warm place until it reaches 145 F. Chops: 145 F then a 3 minute rest.
Where the thermometer goes
Chops: through the side to the centre. Loin and tenderloin: the thickest part. Shoulder: the thickest meat away from the blade bone. Ribs: between the bones, and trust the bend test more than the number.
- 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 pork cut guide has every region, the woods and the mistakes. The full temperature chart has every animal and every source.