Pork doneness
Pork used to be cooked to 71°C (160°F) or more, because of trichinella, a parasite modern farming has nearly wiped out. Now the USDA says whole cuts are safe at 63°C (145°F) with a 3-minute rest. Slight pink is fine.
Color is a poor guide
Pink cooked pork can be safe, and brown pork can still be undercooked. Smoking, curing, the age of the meat and the cooking method all shift its color. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part: 63°C (145°F) for chops.
Test yourself
Questions from the interactive lesson, with the answer and the why.
A thick chop reads 63°C (145°F) on your thermometer, and the middle is faintly pink. What now?
Rest it 3 minutes, then eat. 63°C (145°F) plus a 3-minute rest is safe for whole pork cuts.
True or false: Ground pork can be cooked only to the same 63°C (145°F) as a whole chop.
False. Grinding mixes surface bacteria all through the meat, so ground pork needs 71°C (160°F).
What went wrong? You fry pork chops until they're gray and hard, because pink meat looks unsafe to you.
Pink at 63°C (145°F) is safe, so they overcooked. Pork at 63°C (145°F) is safe and stays juicy.
Fill the blank: A pork chop at 63°C (145°F) counts as safe once it rests for about ___.
A pork chop at 63°C (145°F) counts as safe once it rests for about 3 minutes. The USDA asks for a 3-minute rest at 63°C (145°F).
A beef steak is safe at 63°C (145°F), but a burger needs 71°C (160°F). Why?
Surface bacteria get mixed through the meat. A steak's inside is mostly sterile. Grinding mixes surface bacteria into the inside.
