Find the right temperature for cooking pork is the most important part if you want to have juicy and soft meat. Today’s pork is very lean, so do not overcook it and follow the recommendations. For fresh cuts, the safe internal temperature is 145°F.
So that the pork be delicious, juicy and safe, fresh cuts must reach 145°F. That counts for various parts, as pork chops, roasts, loin and tenderloin. If you cook it until 145°F and leave it rest for three minutes, you will have the best eating experience. That is the minimal safe temperature suggested by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Safe Cooking Temperatures for Pork
Since 1950, cases of trichinosis in people have declined because of progress in the farming of pigs with grains. Now you can safely enjoy pork, when it reaches internal temperature of 145°F, measured with a thermometer. In 2011, the guidelines were simplified: 145 for whole meats, 160 for ground meats and 165 for all poultry.
But with ground pork is another stroy. Because ground pork has more surface area where bacteria can be, it requires higher temperature. Like this, ground pork must reach 160°F, and here rest is not necessary.
Likewise, organs and other parts as heart, kidney, liver, tongue and chitterlings also must be cooked until 160°F.
Lay the thermometer in the thickest part of the meat, because that place cooks most slowly. To get precise results, ensure that the thermometer does not touch the bone. Clean it with soap and water before and after every use.
When the pork reaches the target, remove it from the fire and leave it rest at least three minutes before you cut or eat it.
The ideal temperature depends on the part of the meat. Pork shoulder roasts are good at 160°F, but loins are more delicious between 135 and 140°F. For meats that you like pulled pork, the target is much higher. For perfect smoked pulled pork, internal temperature of 204°F works best.
Collagen becomes gelatin when the meat stays at 160°F for long time, and that liquid gelatin makes the meat soft and juicy.
People with weak immune systems or pregnant women should cook pork until 160°F. At that temperature, everything dies immediately. Even 120 degrees are considered safe, if the meat stays at that temperature for 21 hours. If you remove the pork around 140°F and leave it reach 150°F during rest, it will stay juicy.
Even so, cooking it entirely until 170°F commonly makes it too dry. This guideline about 160°F was decided already in 2011.