Where do you put the thermometer in a steak?

Insert the probe horizontally into the thickest part of the steak, avoiding bone and fat. Make sure the tip is in the center of the meat - a few millimeters off can give a misleading reading. For thick steaks, checking multiple points confirms consistent temperature throughout.

Should I pull meat off the heat before it reaches my target temperature?

Yes. Carryover cooking continues to raise the internal temperature after you remove the heat source. Pull steaks and roasts 3-5 degrees below your target temperature and let them rest. The temperature continues to rise during resting, and juices redistribute throughout the cut.

Meat Thermometer Guide: How to Cook Every Protein to the Right Temperature

A reliable instant-read thermometer is the most important tool in a meat-focused kitchen. It removes guesswork, prevents overcooking expensive cuts, and ensures food safety for ground meats and poultry. Here are the temperatures that matter.

Beef and Lamb

Whole muscle cuts (steaks, roasts, chops) can safely be cooked to varying levels of doneness because the interior of an intact muscle does not contact the surface where pathogens live:

Rare: 120-125F. Center is red and cool. Only recommended for very fresh, high-quality beef from a trusted source.
Medium-rare: 130-135F. Center is red to pink and warm. The target for most quality steaks - balances flavor, tenderness, and juiciness.
Medium: 140-145F. Center is pink. The USDA recommends 145F as the minimum safe temperature for whole muscle beef. A few minutes of rest after pulling elevates the temp another 5 degrees.
Medium-well: 150-155F. Pink fading to light pink. Some moisture loss beginning.
Well-done: 160F+. Gray throughout. Significant moisture loss - often a waste of a quality steak.

Ground beef: Always 160F minimum. Ground meat mixes surface pathogens throughout the interior - safe handling requires full temperature throughout.

Pork

The USDA revised pork guidelines in 2011. Whole muscle pork can be safely cooked to 145F with a 3-minute rest - lower than the old 160F standard, allowing for a pink center:

Pork chops and loin: 145F (slightly pink) - the current USDA recommendation
Pork shoulder and butt (for pulling): 195-205F - collagen converts and fat renders at this range for fork-tender pulled pork
Ground pork and sausage: 160F minimum
Whole fresh ham: 145F for bone-in, 160F if stuffed

Poultry

Chicken and turkey: 165F minimum throughout - no exceptions. Salmonella requires this temperature to be destroyed.
Duck breast: Can be served at 145F like other whole-muscle poultry cuts - duck breast at 145F has a pink, juicy center that is excellent. Duck leg and thigh benefit from cooking to 165F+.
Ground poultry: 165F minimum

Venison and Wild Game

Venison backstrap and loins: 130-135F for medium-rare. Best result for this lean cut.
Elk and antelope steaks: Same as venison - 130-135F for medium-rare
Wild pork (feral hog): 145F minimum - wild pork carries higher Trichinella risk than farmed pork
Bear: 165F throughout - bear has the highest Trichinella risk of any commonly hunted species
Ground wild game: 160F minimum

The best butcher shops can help you select the right cuts for your cooking goals. Find a local butcher near you on Butcher Bud.