Internal temperature chart for meat and fish

Below are the internal temperatures for every type of meat and fish on this site in one overview. For each cut you see the temperature for rare, medium rare, medium and well done, and how long it should rest afterwards. The values are the best-rated submissions from our visitors; click a cut to see the alternatives and tips.

What do rare, medium and well done mean?

Rare: deep red inside and cool to lukewarm. Only for whole cuts of beef and some fish.
Medium rare: pink to red and warm in the centre. The favourite for most steaks.
Medium: pink in the centre, light brown elsewhere.
Well done: cooked all the way through, no pink left.

🐷 Pork

Cut	Rare	Medium rare	Medium	Well done	Rest time
Pork chop	–	–	63°C	71°C	3 min
Pork tenderloin	–	–	62°C	70°C	4 min
Pork belly slice	–	–	–	75°C	3 min
Pork collar	–	–	65°C	72°C	8 min
Spare ribs	–	–	–	92°C	10 min
Pork roast	–	–	65°C	72°C	12 min
Pulled pork	–	–	–	93°C	45 min

🐄 Beef

Cut	Rare	Medium rare	Medium	Well done	Rest time
Steak	50°C	55°C	60°C	68°C	5 min
Ribeye	52°C	56°C	61°C	69°C	6 min
Beef tenderloin	48°C	53°C	58°C	65°C	5 min
Roast beef	48°C	54°C	60°C	68°C	15 min
Picanha	50°C	55°C	60°C	68°C	10 min
Brisket	–	–	–	95°C	60 min
Burger	–	–	–	70°C	2 min
Côte de boeuf	50°C	55°C	60°C	68°C	12 min
Flank steak	50°C	54°C	58°C	–	8 min

🐔 Chicken

Cut	Rare	Medium rare	Medium	Well done	Rest time
Chicken breast	–	–	–	74°C	3 min
Chicken thigh	–	–	–	75°C	4 min
Whole chicken	–	–	–	74°C	15 min
Chicken leg	–	–	–	78°C	5 min
Chicken wings	–	–	–	80°C	3 min
Chicken skewers	–	–	–	74°C	2 min
Chicken roulade	–	–	–	75°C	10 min

🐟 Fish

Cut	Rare	Medium rare	Medium	Well done	Rest time
Salmon	42°C	46°C	50°C	60°C	2 min
Tuna	40°C	45°C	50°C	60°C	2 min
Cod	–	–	55°C	63°C	2 min
Trout	–	–	55°C	60°C	2 min
Sea bass	–	–	52°C	58°C	2 min
Halibut	–	–	50°C	55°C	2 min
Mackerel	–	–	55°C	62°C	2 min
Prawns	–	–	–	55°C	1 min
Scallops	–	–	50°C	55°C	1 min

How to measure the internal temperature

Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, right in the centre.
Stay away from bone and fat: bone conducts heat and reads too high, fat reads too low.
For a large piece, measure in two places and go by the lower reading.

Take the meat off the heat a few degrees before the target temperature: the internal temperature keeps rising while it rests. How much exactly is explained in Resting meat: how long and why.

A dash in the chart means that level of doneness is not usual for that cut. Always cook poultry and minced meat all the way through.