What temperature should beef be cooked to?

USDA minimums: ground beef 160°F (71°C); steaks/roasts 145°F (63°C) + 3 min rest. Chef-preferred doneness: rare 125°F · medium-rare 130-135°F · medium 140-145°F · medium-well 150°F · well 160°F+. Pull steak 5°F before target for carryover.

The full answer

Beef temperature is where USDA safety guidance and chef-preferred doneness diverge most. USDA recommends 145°F minimum + 3-min rest for steaks/roasts (E. coli pasteurization), but most steakhouses cook to 130-135°F medium-rare. Ground beef is stricter (160°F always) because grinding distributes surface bacteria throughout. Knowing the gap matters for both safety and texture.

**USDA + FDA official guidance:**

**Ground beef (all forms):** - **160°F (71°C) internal temperature** — non-negotiable per USDA - Includes hamburgers, meatballs, meatloaf, taco meat - E. coli + Salmonella distributed throughout (grinding spreads surface bacteria) - Don't deviate from this rule

**Steaks + roasts (whole muscle):** - **145°F (63°C)** with **3-minute hold time** after cooking - This is USDA's "safe" minimum - Considered "medium" by most chef standards - Below this requires careful sourcing + acceptance of slight pathogen risk

**Veal:** - Same as beef: 145°F steaks + 160°F ground

**The chef-preferred doneness chart:**

Restaurant + traditional cookbooks use these targets:

| Doneness | Pull temp | Final after rest | Color/texture | |---|---|---|---| | **Blue rare** | 110°F | 115°F | Almost raw center, warm-cool | | **Rare** | 120-125°F | 125-130°F | Deep red, warm center | | **Medium-rare** | 128-132°F | 132-135°F | Pink throughout, warm-juicy | | **Medium** | 138-142°F | 140-145°F | Light pink center, firm | | **Medium-well** | 148°F | 150-155°F | Faint pink, firmer | | **Well done** | 158°F+ | 160°F+ | No pink, fully cooked |

**The carryover principle:**

Beef continues cooking after removed from heat. Pull 5°F before target. Examples: - Want medium-rare 130°F final → pull at 125°F - Want medium 140°F final → pull at 135°F

Larger roasts have more carryover (up to 10°F for 4+ lb roasts).

**Rest time matters:**

Rest 5-10 minutes for steaks; 15-20 for roasts. Allows juices to redistribute (not pool out when cut) and final temperature to stabilize.

**By cut + cooking method:**

**Ribeye steak (premium cut, marbled):** - Best: medium-rare 130-135°F (chef standard) - Cooking method: high-heat sear + finish (cast iron or grill) - Pull at 128°F → rest → cut at 133°F internal

**NY strip steak:** - Best: medium-rare 130-135°F - Same method as ribeye - Leaner; care to not overcook

**Filet mignon (lean tenderloin):** - Best: rare to medium-rare 125-130°F - Lower temperature preserves tenderness - Sous vide ideal at 129°F

**Sirloin (lean, firmer):** - Best: medium-rare 130-135°F - Quick sear preferred - Slice against grain

**Tomahawk / bone-in ribeye (thick):** - Reverse-sear at 225°F oven → 115°F → sear at 600°F+ - Final medium-rare 130-135°F - 2-3 hours total

**Brisket (slow-cooked):** - 195-205°F internal (well past doneness) - Connective tissue breaks down to gelatin - Tenderness target, not safety - 8-14 hours at 225°F

**Pot roast / chuck roast:** - 195°F + (collagen breakdown) - 3-4 hours at 300°F - "Probe slides in like butter" test

**Skirt + flank + hanger (thin):** - High heat fast cook - Pull at 130-135°F medium-rare - Slice against grain

**Tri-tip:** - 130-135°F medium-rare - Reverse-sear method works - Slice against grain across the muscle direction

**Burgers / ground beef:** - 160°F mandatory (USDA) - Center should be no pink - Internal thermometer essential

**Meatballs / meatloaf:** - 160°F internal - Same rule as burgers

**Cooking method by target temperature:**

**Grill (high heat 500-600°F):** - Thin steaks (≤1"): direct heat 3-4 min/side - Thick steaks (1.5"+): two-zone or reverse-sear - Target: 128°F pull for medium-rare

**Cast iron pan-sear (high heat):** - Smoking hot pan + neutral oil + butter - 2-3 min per side - Finish in oven at 400°F to bring to temp

**Oven roast (low to medium):** - 325-375°F for roasts - Pull when internal hits target - Larger roasts cook longer

**Sous vide (precision):** - Set bath to exact target temp - No carryover needed (water = exact temp) - 1-4 hour hold for tender cuts - 4-8 hours for tough cuts (collagen breakdown)

**Smoker (low + slow):** - 225°F smoker temp - Pull at safe-eat for tender cuts (130-135°F medium-rare) - Pull at tender-eat for tough cuts (203°F for brisket point)

**Air fryer:** - 400°F for 8-12 min total (steaks) - Flip halfway - Pull at 5°F before target

**Reverse-sear (premium method for thick steaks):**

1. **Oven at 225°F:** cook until internal hits 110-115°F (45-90 min) 2. **Remove, rest 10 min** 3. **High-heat sear:** cast iron 500°F+, 60-90 sec per side 4. **Final temp:** 128-130°F medium-rare 5. **Result:** edge-to-edge pink + perfect crust

**The internal thermometer:**

**Instant-read digital thermometer (e.g., Thermapen):** - ~$100 investment, professional-grade - 1-2 sec reading time - Precise to ±1°F - Cheaper alternative: ~$15 Lavatools Javelin or similar

**Leave-in probe thermometer:** - For roasts in oven (alarm at target temp) - ~$20-50 - Wireless models broadcast to phone

**No-thermometer methods (less reliable):**

- **Touch test** (compare to palm — varies by hand size) - **Visual cues** (color when cut — but you've already cut into it) - **Time-based** (5 min per side for 1" steak) — varies wildly with grill temp - **Use a thermometer — it's the only reliable method**

**Beef color after cooking (NOT a reliable doneness indicator):**

- Cooked beef can appear pink at 165°F+ (well done) due to: - Young animal (high myoglobin) - Smoking (nitric oxide reaction) - Marinades with vinegar/lemon (acid affects color) - Always use temperature, not color, for doneness

**The "blue" vs "rare" distinction:**

- **Blue rare:** 110-115°F — center cool, almost raw. Unsafe per USDA. Restaurant specialty only. - **Rare:** 120-125°F → 125-130°F final. Pink center, warm.

**Cooked beef and food safety nuance:**

USDA's 145°F + 3-min hold is a pasteurization-time equivalent: high enough temperature for long enough time kills bacteria. Lower temperatures with longer hold times also pasteurize: - 130°F: 2-hour hold (sous vide territory) - 134°F: 51 min hold - 140°F: 11 min hold

Sous vide at 130°F + 2 hours = safe + medium-rare. Quick pan-sear at 130°F = restaurant-style but technically below USDA pasteurization. Sourcing matters — high-quality beef from trusted source is safer below 145°F.

**Don't:** - Eat ground beef under 160°F (don't deviate) - Trust touch-test over thermometer - Cook by time alone (varies with grill temp + meat thickness) - Skip the rest (juices haven't redistributed) - Press steak with spatula (releases juices) - Pierce with fork (releases juices)

**Common mistakes:**

- **Cooking ground beef to medium-rare:** UNSAFE — must be 160°F+ - **Pulling too late:** carryover overshoots target - **No thermometer:** doneness becomes guesswork - **Eyeballing color:** unreliable for cooked beef - **Skipping rest:** dry, less tender result

**For ground beef specifically (the strict rule):**

Ground beef MUST reach 160°F internal because: 1. Surface bacteria get distributed throughout during grinding 2. Pathogens (E. coli, Salmonella) need higher temp to kill in bulk 3. No safe lower-temperature option (unlike steaks where time-temp pasteurization works)

This applies to: hamburgers, meatballs, meatloaf, taco meat, ground-beef chili, Bolognese with ground beef. Always 160°F+.

**Cross-reference:** see /pages/what-temperature-for/grilling-steak for grill-specific temperatures + /pages/what-temperature-for/sous-vide-steak for sous vide approach + /pages/how-to-convert/celsius-to-fahrenheit for temperature conversion.

Most published references (USDA FSIS, J. Kenji López-Alt "The Food Lab", Cook's Illustrated, "Modernist Cuisine" by Nathan Myhrvold, Meathead Goldwyn "Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue") converge on 130-135°F as medium-rare chef standard, 145°F + 3 min as USDA safety floor, and 160°F as the non-negotiable ground beef minimum.

Time ranges by condition

What changes the time

• Cut form. Ground beef 160°F mandatory; whole steaks/roasts 145°F+ chef-flexible
• Doneness preference. Chef-medium-rare 130-135°F; USDA-safety 145°F+3min; gap is normal
• Carryover cooking. Pull 5°F before target; larger roasts 10°F carryover
• Rest time. 5-10 min steaks; 15-20 min roasts; juices redistribute
• Cut thickness. Thin <1" needs direct heat fast; thick 1.5"+ needs reverse-sear or two-zone

Common questions

Sources

We cite primary research, expert practice, and authoritative reference. Higher-tier sources weighted heavier. See methodology.

1. T1USDA Food Safety + Inspection Service — Official US beef cooking + safety temperatures
2. T3J. Kenji López-Alt, "The Food Lab" — Scientific framework for beef doneness + pasteurization
3. T2Cook's Illustrated — Tested doneness temperatures across cuts with sensory + thermal ratings
4. T2Meathead Goldwyn, "Meathead: The Science of Great Barbecue" — Comprehensive temperature reference for beef cooking methods

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