Whole cuts of pork must be cooked to the correct pork internal temperature to ensure food safety.
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USDA Updated Guidelines in 2011 In 2011, the USDA updated their recommendations. The USDA now lists 145 F as its recommended safe minimum cooking temperature for fresh pork.
Whole cuts of pork must be cooked to the correct pork internal temperature to ensure food safety.
A comprehensive article on food internal temperature. Why is it important to measure food internal temperature? How to do it? How to calibrate a…
Salmon is a very popular and versatile fish served in many dishes worldwide. It is a type of fish that can be eaten undercooked or rare and can be…
Leftovers can last up to three to four days when refrigerated and up to four months when frozen. Find out the recommended shelf-life dates of the…
You don’t need to subject your pork (or your taste buds) to this kind of high-heat torture. Pork should be cooked medium to medium-rare. Like steak. Like salmon. Like all the best stuff. Now, we pull pork from the heat at 135° and let the temperature rise to 145° as it rests, landing it right in the sweet spot: perfectly pink and USDA approved. (Yeah, the USDA changed its standards too.)
The pork chop in particular has a terrible reputation. And guess what. You can blame your parents for that. In the not-so-distant past, undercooked pork was considered to be extremely dangerous. Don’t get us wrong. Raw pork is not really something you should eat. But back in the day, the consensus, as backed by the USDA, was that pork should be cooked so that the interior was well-done, no pink in sight (read: 165° and bone dry). This was done to kill bacteria that caused a gnarly disease called trichinosis. But no one has had trichinosis for decades. Times have changed.
And when you cook your pork to medium-rare or medium (if you’re still holding onto old tendencies), it’s going to taste better. It’s going to be juicier, more flavorful, and less chewy. Sure, you can do this for your pork, to show that you respect it, that you have its best interests in mind. But really, do it for you. You deserve it.
Pork takes far too much abuse. It’s viewed as a second-class meat, beef’s little, less-admirable brother. But that’s not pork’s fault. It’s ours. At it’s best, pork is the most versatile, flavorful, texturally beautiful meat on the market. The problem is that we’ve been conditioned to think of pork as either this shred-y mess of barbecue, crispy piece of bacon, or tough, chewy chop.
Cook Pork Chops to Perfection: The Ultimate Guide to Internal Temperature
FAQ
Can you eat pork chops at 135?
Is 135 degrees safe for pork?
Is pork safe to eat at 130?
What temp is OK for pork chops?
Are pork chops safe to eat?
Be informed and confident in the kitchen with this guide to pork safety. Way back in the olden days (prior to May 2011), the USDA’s safe temperature guideline for pork chops was 160 degrees F°, which resulted in tough, dry shoe leather. As it turns out, pork used to carry a pathogen that caused trichinosis, a food-borne illness.
Why is pork not recommended to eat?
This is not true, some cuts like sirloin and pork rump steak, for example, are very healthy, even healthier than beef and chicken. Only the fattest cuts like bacon and crackling should be avoided.
What kind of pork chops do you eat?
The flavors are simply delicious and your chops will come out tender, juicy, and perfectly-cooked through. Pork Chops – Chose bone-in, center cut thick chops 1 ½ to 2-inches thick. You can find these in a supermarket or head to your local butcher for the freshly-cut chops of the best quality.
What temperature should a Pork Chop be cooked at?
You can rest assured that if your pork chop’s temperature is 145 degrees F, you’ll have safely-cooked meat that’s moist, juicy, and just slightly pink in the center. Whether the pork is boneless, bone-in, and regardless of the cooking method (i.e. grilling, roasting, frying, etc), the internal temperature should be the same.