Steak Doneness & Temperature Calculator
Pick your meat, doneness, and thickness for the exact pull temperature and carryover — with the USDA safe minimum shown first, always.
⚠️ This doneness finishes below the 145°F USDA safe minimum. That's a personal-risk culinary choice for an intact steak (its surface is seared); it is not safe for ground meat or poultry. Carryover is a quality aid — don't rely on it to reach a safe temperature.
Doneness temperatures are culinary preferences; the USDA minimum is the safety standard. See our food-safety note.
Doneness vs. safety
Doneness temperatures (rare, medium-rare, etc.) are culinary preferences. The USDA safe minimum is the food-safety standard: 145°F + a 3-minute rest for whole beef/pork/lamb steaks, 160°F for ground meat, 165°F for poultry. An intact steak can be eaten below 145°F because bacteria live on the surface, which a hot sear sterilizes — that's a personal-risk choice and never applies to ground meat or poultry.
Carryover is for quality, not safety: meat keeps rising 3–10°F after you pull it, so pull early to land on your target — but never pull a safety-critical meat below its minimum expecting carryover to finish it. Browse cuts and our food-safety note.