Steak internal temperature guide

Steak doneness temperatures

Whole-muscle steaks are often finished by preference, not a single safety number. Common home targets: rare ~125°F (52°C), medium-rare ~135°F (57°C), medium ~145°F (63°C), medium-well ~150°F (66°C), well-done ~160°F (71°C). Pull a few degrees early if you rest thick cuts—carryover keeps climbing.

Ground beef and smash burgers are different: treat them like other ground meats and verify a safe center, typically ~160°F (71°C).

Where to probe

Slide the tip in from the side toward the geometric center of the thickest part. Avoid bone and large fat seams. On bone-in steaks, check the meatiest section away from the bone.

Wait ~2–3 seconds for a stable reading. Use Hold if the grill lid heat makes the screen hard to read up close.

Probe the center from the side—bone and fat seams lie.

Carryover and rest

Thick steaks can rise several degrees after you pull them. Rest on a warm plate, then recheck if you are chasing a precise finish. Cutting early dumps juices onto the board instead of into the bite.

For grill-side habits—lid open, spot-checks, Hold away from coals—see Meat thermometer for grilling.

Reverse sear and thick cuts

Low-and-slow then sear methods need more probes: watch the climb toward your pull temp, then confirm again after the hard sear. Uneven thickness means check more than once.

Whole steak vs ground

A pink center on a whole steak can be intentional. A pink center on a burger is not a safe cue. Pair this page with the ground-beef guide when you cook both on the same cookout.