Proper Temperatures
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:
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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 indicates 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.
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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.
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Wireless Thermometers - Now these are simply luxuries. They take the hassle out of the process. Some do their job with infrared beams and others broadcast their data to convenient base units which can be located indoors or even next to your favorite cold drink!
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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Low
Grilling
|
fahrenheit |
300 |
Great for fish and vegetables or other delicate foods. |
| centigrade |
150 |
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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 |
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Medium Hot
Grilling
|
fahrenheit |
450 - 500 |
Most common grilling temperature. |
| centigrade |
232 - 260 |
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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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