Pork chop internal temperature.
A pork chop is done and safe at 145 F, read in the thickest part away from the bone, followed by a rest of at least 3 minutes. Fresh pork at 145 F can still be pink in the centre and is safe (FSIS). If you like it firmer, medium well is 150 to 155 F and well done is 160 F and up. Those are preferences. The 145 F rule is the floor.
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.
What this covers at the counter
| Cut | Methods | Finish | Notes | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pork chops (loin, rib, sirloin) | grill, sear | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | Pork Board: grill-mark then smoke; 145 F followed by a 3 minute rest. | Loin |
| Pork shoulder steak (blade steak) | grill, smoke | Your doneness, 145 F + rest USDA floor | St. Louis backyard classic. Grill to 145 F plus rest, or cook long until tender; both are legitimate. | Butt (Boston butt) |
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
Push the thermometer through the side of the chop to the centre, not touching bone. Thin chops cook fast, so start checking early. A thick bone-in chop reads cooler near the bone, so read the thickest meat, not the edge.
- Time:
- Loin roast: FSIS planning 20 minutes per pound at 350 F; Pork Board smoking about 1.5 hours. Chops: 45 to 60 minutes smoked. Approximate.
- Rest:
- 3 minutes is the safety rest; 10 minutes is better for a roast.
- Slice:
- Across the grain for chops and roasts.
- 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.
- 01Cooking loin or tenderloin to 160 F out of old habit; the minimum has been 145 F since 2011.
- 02Treating baby backs like spareribs on time; they finish sooner.
Cook it, then log it
The pork temperature page covers every cut. The loin cut guide has the woods, the mistakes and the recipes. Also: pork tenderloin internal temp, pork ribs internal temp, pulled pork internal temp, pork belly internal temp.