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Pork Internal Temperature: 145°F / 63°C (Plus the 3-Minute Rest)

Cooking Guide

USDA-safe pork temperatures: 145°F / 63°C with a 3-minute rest for chops, loin, and roasts; 160°F / 71°C for ground pork. Why slightly pink pork is safe, with a cut-by-cut chart.

Quick Answer

Quick Answer

Cook whole cuts of pork — chops, loin, tenderloin, and roasts — to an internal temperature of 145°F / 63°C, then rest them for at least 3 minutes before carving or eating (USDA FSIS). Ground pork and sausages need 160°F / 71°C with no rest required. At 145°F a chop may still be faintly pink inside — that's safe and considerably juicier than the old 160°F standard.

Pork Safe Temperature Chart (USDA FSIS)

Minimum internal temperatures from the USDA FSIS Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart (FoodSafety.gov), measured with a food thermometer in the thickest part. Star (☆) marks our recommended setting.

CutSafe minimumRest
Pork chops (bone-in or boneless) 145°F / 63°C 3 minutes
Pork loin and tenderloin 145°F / 63°C 3 minutes
Pork roasts and fresh shoulder 145°F / 63°C 3 minutes
Fresh (raw) ham 145°F / 63°C 3 minutes
Ground pork, sausages, patties 160°F / 71°C None required
Fully cooked ham, reheated 165°F / 74°C (140°F / 60°C if packaged in USDA-inspected plants) None required

Always verify with a meat thermometer. Safe internal temperature: 145°F / 63°C whole cuts (3-min rest) · 160°F / 71°C ground.

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Other Internal Temperature Guides

Safe minimum temperatures for other proteins, on the same USDA FSIS sourcing.

Chicken Breast Internal Temperature

165°F / 74°C for all poultry
Ground Beef Internal Temperature

160°F / 71°C — same as all ground meats
Salmon Internal Temperature

145°F / 63°C for fish
How to Reheat Leftovers Safely

Leftover pork reheats to 165°F / 74°C

Tips for Safe, Juicy Pork

  1. 1

    Pull at temperature, then actually rest

    The 3-minute rest is part of the USDA FSIS safety standard for whole cuts, not just a chef's nicety — the temperature holds or keeps rising during the rest, finishing the pathogen kill. Tent loosely with foil and leave the meat alone.

  2. 2

    Probe the thickest part, away from bone

    Bone conducts heat differently and gives a false high reading. For chops, insert the thermometer horizontally through the side into the centre of the thickest section.

  3. 3

    Expect pink — it's not a doneness signal

    At 145°F / 63°C, pork loin and chops are often blush-pink inside. Colour is a poor indicator in both directions: pork can look done while undercooked, and safely cooked pork can look pink. Only the thermometer knows.

  4. 4

    Ground pork plays by different rules

    Grinding spreads any surface bacteria throughout the meat, so ground pork, sausages, and patties need 160°F / 71°C all the way through — the same rule as all ground meats on the FSIS chart.

  5. 5

    Store and reheat leftovers by the book

    Cooked pork keeps 3–4 days refrigerated at or below 40°F / 4°C (USDA Cold Food Storage Chart) and should be reheated to 165°F / 74°C.

Want every safe temperature in one place? See the printable USDA safe internal temperature chart — °F and °C for poultry, ground meat, steaks, fish, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to eat pork that's a little pink?
Yes — for whole cuts cooked to 145°F / 63°C and rested 3 minutes, a faint pink blush is normal and safe under USDA FSIS guidance. The exceptions are ground pork (160°F / 71°C, no pink expected) — and remember colour was never a reliable test in either direction.
Why did the safe pork temperature change from 160°F to 145°F?
In 2011 the USDA lowered the recommendation for whole cuts of pork from 160°F to 145°F with a 3-minute rest, putting pork in line with beef and lamb steaks and roasts. Modern pork production had made the old margin unnecessary, and the lower target gives juicier results with equivalent safety.
What temperature kills trichinella in pork?
Trichinella is destroyed at 137°F / 58°C, so the 145°F / 63°C-plus-rest standard comfortably covers it. Trichinosis from commercial pork is now extremely rare in any case — the 145°F rule exists for broader pathogen safety, not just trichinella.
What about slow-cooked pork like pulled pork?
Safety is passed long before doneness: pulled pork hits 145°F early in the cook but isn't shreddable until the collagen breaks down around 195–205°F / 90–96°C. That's a texture target, not a safety one — both are fine, because higher than the minimum is always safe.
How long can cooked pork sit out or keep in the fridge?
The 2-hour rule applies (1 hour above 90°F / 32°C). Refrigerated at or below 40°F / 4°C, cooked pork keeps 3–4 days per the USDA Cold Food Storage Chart; reheat leftovers to 165°F / 74°C.

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