What is the perfectly cooked meat temperature? Below is a meat temperature chart to guide you in cooking your perfect filet mignon or preferred meat. A word of advice, be sure to use an accurate meat thermometer.
When it comes to grilling, one of the most impactful things I have done to improve my cooks is to use an accurate meat thermometer. Sure most men who cook and grill a lot want to think we got this… can eyeball it or know when it’s ready. Certainly, many can do this with perfection, but I can say that my food off the grill is more ‘dialed in’ since I started using a thermometer consistently.
Meat Temperature Chart
Steak Cook Temperatures
| Remove at this Temperature (let rest for 3 min) | Final Internal Temp | |
| Rare | 118ºF | 120°F |
| Medium Rare | 125ºF | 130ºF |
| Medium | 136ºF | 140ºF |
| Medium Well | 143ºF | 150ºF |
| Well | 154ºF | 160ºF |
Grilled Burger Temperature – Ground Beef
Per the USDA, store-bought ground beef has a recommended cook temperature is 160°F. Burgers continue to cook once they are removed from the grill. You will want to pull your burgers from the grill at 155°F and let them rest for 5 minutes.
| Remove at this Temperature (let rest for 5 min) | Final Internal Temp | |
| Cook Temp | 155ºF | 160ºF |
Beef Brisket Cook Temperature
| Remove Brisket from the grill | 185°F |
| Desired internal serving temperature | 195°F |
The perfect internal temperature for a grilled beef brisket is 195°F. Remember that the brisket will continue to cook once you take it off the grill to rest. It could cook an additional 10 degrees, so remember to remove the brisket from the grill at around 185°F.
Pork, Roast, Steaks, and Chops
| Medium | Well Done | Ground Pork |
| 145°F | 160°F | 160°F |
Poultry Cook Temperatures
| White Meat Poultry | Dark Meat Poultry | Ground Poultry |
| 165°F | 175-180°F | 170°F |
Poultry such as chicken breast should be removed from the grill at 162°F as it will retain heat and continue cooking for 3 or so more degrees. Removing at 162°F will ensure the chicken retains moisture and does not get overcooked and dry.
Seafood Cook Temperatures
| Shrimp | 120°F |
| Salmon | 125°F |
| Lobster | 140°F |
| Scallops | 130°F |
Let’s be honest with ourselves. No one wants to go out and spend good money on a beautiful cut of meat, rack of ribs, or a nice brisket and then turn our backs or get busy only to come back to the grill and find we just overcooked that once-perfect filet mignon.
I have compiled this handy meat temperature guide to help give you a quick reference. These are temperatures recommended by the USDA.
Remember! The meat cooks for a few minutes while resting when you take it off the grill. You will want to cook the meat to 5 or sometimes 10 degrees under your desired finished temperature and then take it off the grill to rest. During the rest period, the internal temperature will continue to rise, so plan to meet your desired cook temperature.
ThermoWorks Meat Thermometers
I started researching meat thermometers when I got interested in perfecting my grilling. In doing so, I discovered ThermoWorks products. The product reviews were excellent, and they offer a wide arrange of options. Because I wanted to do more slow cooking and smoking, I purchased the Smoke. The Smoke is an alarm thermometer with both a base and a remote reader, which you can use up to 300ft away for remote monitoring your cook. In my case, I can keep an eye on the meat temperature while I am in the kitchen or working. This thermometer truly does keep you from overcooking any meat.
The Smoke also comes with two cable probes. One is for the meat, and the other is for monitoring the temperature of your pit or grill. You can also use the second channel if you have two different types of meat you are grilling and need to cook them to different temperatures. If you are not actively monitoring the cook, you can also set a low and high heat alarm for both channels.
The Smoke sells for $99; honestly, it is well worth the investment. You can purchase directly from Thermoworks here: The Smoke Remote BBQ Alarm Thermometer
Thermapen® Mk4 – Instant Read Thermometer
When not smoking meat or doing long cooks, my go-to thermometer is the Thermapan Mk4. It is incredibly quick and extremely accurate. It is perfect for hamburgers, chicken, pork, fish, and anything you want to cook to a perfect temperature.
The quality of the Thermapen is best in class. The Thermapen comes on when you extend the probe. The screen is backlit for easy reading. The thin sharp probe lets you get accurate temperature reads even on thinly sliced meats or food. You can purchase from Amazon using this affiliate link: Thermapen Mk4 Probe Thermometer from Thermoworks
