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What internal temperature for beef?
Steak medium-rare (canonical): 130-135°F (54-57°C). Rare: 120-125°F. Medium: 140-145°F. Well-done: 160°F+. Ground beef minimum (USDA): 160°F (71°C). Brisket + pulled beef: 195-205°F (90-96°C). Always pull 5°F below target; rest 5-10 minutes for carryover.
The full answer
The doneness spectrum
Beef temperature targets vary far more than chicken because beef has a wider safe range. Unlike poultry (which must hit 165°F to kill salmonella), beef pathogens (E. coli, etc.) are killed at lower temperatures — but ONLY surface pathogens in muscle meat, since interior of intact steaks is sterile. Ground beef is different because grinding spreads surface bacteria throughout — requires 160°F.
Steak doneness chart
| Doneness | Pull temp | Final temp (after rest) | Color | Texture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue rare | 105°F (40°C) | 115°F | Cool red center | Very soft, raw inside |
| Rare | 115-120°F | 125°F (52°C) | Cool red center | Soft, juicy |
| Medium-rare (canonical) | 125-130°F | 135°F (57°C) | Warm red center | Firm but yielding |
| Medium | 135-140°F | 145°F (63°C) | Warm pink center | Firm |
| Medium-well | 145-150°F | 155°F (68°C) | Slight pink | Slightly dry |
| Well-done | 155-160°F+ | 165°F+ (74°C+) | Brown throughout | Dry, firm |
Critical food safety notes
- Intact muscle meat (steak, roast): surface bacteria killed by searing. Interior is sterile from intact muscle structure. Medium-rare (130-135°F) safe.
- Ground beef: grinding distributes surface bacteria throughout — must reach 160°F (71°C) throughout to be safe. NO medium-rare ground beef.
- Mechanically tenderized beef (Jaccard-needled): treat as ground; needs 160°F.
- Pregnant women, immunocompromised, elderly, young children: USDA recommends 145°F minimum for steaks (medium temperature; not medium-rare).
- Sous vide: longer cook times at lower temps (~131°F for hours) achieve pasteurization at lower internal temps. Different rules apply.
Doneness by cut
| Cut | Best doneness | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Filet mignon | Medium-rare to medium | Lean; gets dry past 140°F |
| Ribeye | Medium-rare | Marbling melts at 130-135°F |
| Strip steak | Medium-rare | Best balance of tenderness + flavor |
| Skirt + flank | Medium-rare | Lean, gets tough past 140°F |
| T-bone + porterhouse | Medium-rare | Includes filet + strip — same target |
| Hanger steak | Medium-rare | Lean cut, can go rare |
| Tomahawk | Medium-rare | Large; needs reverse-sear technique |
| Brisket (BBQ) | 195-205°F internal | Collagen breaks down for tenderness |
| Chuck roast (pot roast) | 200-205°F internal | Connective tissue dissolves |
| Short rib (braised) | 200-210°F internal | Falls apart from collagen breakdown |
| Pulled beef | 200-205°F | Shreddable at this temp |
| Beef tartare (raw) | n/a — raw service | Quality meat + skilled prep + immediate service |
| Carpaccio | n/a — raw | Same as tartare |
| Ground beef (burger) | 160°F minimum | Food safety mandatory |
| Ground beef (meatballs in sauce) | 160°F | USDA requirement |
Why brisket needs 200°F+
Tough cuts like brisket, chuck, short rib, and beef cheeks contain massive amounts of collagen. Collagen begins breaking down at 160°F but only fully transforms into gelatin (the tender, succulent texture of pulled meat) at 195-205°F. This is why low-and-slow BBQ at 225-250°F oven for 8-14 hours is the canonical method — the meat passes through the "stall" (when collagen breakdown absorbs heat) around 165-175°F before finally rising to 200°F+.
Resting time + carryover
| Cut | Rest time | Carryover |
|---|---|---|
| Thin steak (1/2 inch) | 3-5 minutes | 2-3°F |
| Standard steak (1 inch) | 5-10 minutes | 3-5°F |
| Thick steak (1.5+ inch) | 10-15 minutes | 5-7°F |
| Roast (3-5 lb) | 15-20 minutes | 7-10°F |
| Whole tenderloin (7+ lb) | 20-30 minutes | 10°F+ |
Why measure at the THICKEST part
Just like chicken — thickest part is the slowest cooking. For steaks, insert thermometer from the side, parallel to the surface. For roasts, insert into the center, avoiding bone or fat pockets.
Cross-reference: see /pages/what-temperature-for/sear-steak for searing temperatures + /pages/how-long-does/steak-rest for resting times + /pages/how-long-does/marinate-chicken for marinating discipline.
Time ranges by condition
| Condition | Duration | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 120-125°F (49-52°C) | — |
| Medium-rare (canonical) | 130-135°F (54-57°C) | — |
| Medium | 140-145°F (60-63°C) | — |
| Medium-well | 150-155°F (66-68°C) | — |
| Well-done | 160°F+ (71°C+) | — |
| Ground beef (USDA mandatory) | 160°F (71°C) | — |
| Brisket / pulled beef | 195-205°F (90-96°C) | — |
| Pull early (carryover) | 5-7°F below target | — |
What changes the time
- Cut thickness. Thin (1/2 inch): less carryover, 2-3°F. Standard (1 inch): 3-5°F. Thick (1.5+ inch): 5-7°F.
- Cooking method. Reverse sear: precise control. Direct sear: more carryover. Sous vide: zero carryover.
- Cut type (lean vs marbled). Marbled cuts (ribeye) tolerant of medium-rare upper range. Lean cuts (filet, flank) dry above 140°F.
- Whole muscle vs ground. Whole muscle: 130-135°F medium-rare safe. Ground: 160°F mandatory.
- Diner safety (high-risk groups). Pregnant + immunocompromised + young + elderly: USDA recommends 145°F minimum
- Sous vide vs traditional. Sous vide pasteurizes at lower internal temps over time; different rules apply for safety.
Common questions
Why is medium-rare safe for steak but not for ground beef?
Bacteria on raw beef live primarily on the SURFACE. When you cook a whole steak, the surface temperature exceeds 160°F during searing — killing surface bacteria. The interior stays at 130-135°F (medium-rare) but is naturally sterile because it was never exposed to outside air during muscle development. With ground beef, grinding DISTRIBUTES surface bacteria THROUGHOUT the entire meat. To kill them, the ENTIRE volume must reach 160°F. That's why burgers must be medium-well minimum, but steaks can be medium-rare safely.
What's the difference between rare and medium-rare?
Rare: 120-125°F internal (after rest). Center is COOL red, very soft, slightly bouncy. Medium-rare: 130-135°F. Center is WARM red, firm but yielding to gentle pressure, juices run clear-red. Medium-rare is the canonical "steakhouse" doneness — best balance of tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Rare is for very high-quality cuts (ribeye, filet) where extreme tenderness is desired. Both are food-safe for intact muscle meat.
How do I tell doneness without a thermometer?
The "finger test" — press your thumb to different fingers and feel the thumb base. Pinky touching thumb = well-done firmness. Ring finger = medium-well. Middle = medium. Index = medium-rare. Open hand = rare. Press your steak; matches the firmness of the corresponding finger position. But this is imprecise — a $30 thermometer gives 100x more accuracy. Recommended: invest in a Thermapen ($99) or ThermoPro TP19 ($30). Eyeballing doneness is unreliable; the same cut from different butchers cooks differently.
Sources
We cite primary research, expert practice, and authoritative reference. Higher-tier sources weighted heavier. See methodology.
- T1USDA FSIS Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures — Government safety reference for all meats
- T2America's Test Kitchen, "Cook's Illustrated Meat Book" — Tested doneness temperatures across all major beef cuts
- T3J. Kenji López-Alt, "The Food Lab" — Scientific explanation of steak temperatures
- T3Harold McGee, "On Food and Cooking" — Beef protein chemistry + collagen breakdown stages
- T1USDA FoodData Central — Beef composition + nutritional reference
Cite this page
de Vries, P. (2026). What internal temperature for beef?. AskedWell. Retrieved 2026-05-21, from https://askedwell.com/pages/what-temperature-for/internal-beef
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