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Proper Temperatures Page.


The Following Provides A
Complete Listing of Recommended Temperatures
for Your Outdoor Cooking

In order orchestrate fantastic outdoor cooking events, use of proper internal temperatures is a necessary must. The information provided in the charts below represents approximate internal temperatures for safely cooked foods as well as recommended cooking temperatures for smokers and grills.

Additionally, since we are serving international clientele, we have provided temperatures in both fahrenheit and centigrade.

In order to properly use these charts to prepare perfectly cooked foods, you need some decent thermometers.  At a minimum,we suggest you have both a Pit Thermometer as well as an Instant Read Thermometer.  We show several for your consideration:

Pit Thermometers
Pit Thermometers - These necessary thermometers are designed to read the internal temperatures existing inside the barbecue pit.  They are most often mounted either on the door or perhaps another part of the barbecue pit/grill.  It has 2" to 6" a probe that sticks into the cooking chamber and indicats the temperatures without having to open the door and letting the heat out.  They should be mounted so the probe will be at the same vertical location as is the meat.
Meat Thermometers
Meat Thermometers - In order to insure the meat is cooked to perfection, you need to check the internal temperature of the meat being cooked.  Not cooked enough could be dangerous, as with poultry, and cooked too much will be tough and dried out.  The instant read (or bi-therm) thermometers quickly test the meat's internal temperature.
Wireless Thermometers
Wireless Thermometers - Now these are simply luxuries.  They take the hastle out of the process.  Some do their job with infrared beams and others broadcast their data to convenient base units which can be llocated indoors or even next to your favorite cold drink!

 

Approximate Internal Meat Temperatures

Type of Cooking

Degrees

Comments


Cold
Smoking

fahrenheit 85 to 120 Used exclusively for preservation. We do not recommend for the backyard barbecuer!
centigrade 30 to 49

Very Rare
fahrenheit 130 Red Cool Center. Beef primarily.
centigrade 54

Fish
Done

fahrenheit 130 - 135 Fish will begin to flake and turn opaque. Best determined by testing fish for flaking.
centigrade 54 - 57

Rare
fahrenheit 140 Red Center. This is your basic rare cut of meat suitable to steaks and lamb. Pork should not be cooked rare.
centigrade 60

Medium
Rare

fahrenheit 145 - 150 Red Center. Medium rare is good for all beef.
centigrade 63 - 66

Medium
Done

fahrenheit 155 - 160 Pink Center. Medium done temperature is good for pork, beef and lamb. Hamburgers should be cooked to 160 degrees.
centigrade 68 - 71

Medium Well
Done

fahrenheit 165 Light Gray Warm Center. Pork will be all white center.
centigrade 74

Poultry
Done

fahrenheit 165 - 170 Turkey, chicken, etc done. Check near the thigh and breast bone to verify temperature.
centigrade 74

Well
Done

fahrenheit 170 - 180 With beef and lamb it's done! (and dead!) Pork is just done. Hot gray center. No pink.
centigrade 77 - 82

Approximate Grill and Smoker Temperatures

Type of Cooking

Degrees

Comments

Barbecuing
fahrenheit 225 Extended cooking over many hours time. Often confused with the term smoking which occurs at much lower temperatures.
centigrade 102

Low
Grilling

fahrenheit 300 Great for fish and vegetables or other delicate foods.
centigrade 150

Roasting
fahrenheit 325 Not intended for cooking to acquire a smoke flavoring. The meat will be done before significant smoke flavor is acquired. 1 to 3 hours usually.
centigrade 163

Medium Hot
Grilling

fahrenheit 450 - 500 Most common grilling temperature.
centigrade 232 - 260

Hot
Grilling

fahrenheit 550 + Great for mesquite cooking where wood is strongly flavored. Steaks should be cooked at around 700 degrees (385 degrees C.)
centigrade 288 +

 

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