Before slicing meat, check its internal temperature with a food thermometer rather than judging safety by the color you want. The USDA FSIS chart is U.S. consumer guidance; check local food-safety rules and package directions where you live. USDA FSIS safe-temperature chart

Check the temperature for the kind of meat

  • For whole beef, pork, veal, and lamb steaks, chops, and roasts, measure the thickest part. USDA FSIS gives 145°F (about 63°C), followed by at least a 3-minute rest. That rest is part of the safety guidance for these whole cuts.
  • Ground meat has a different minimum: 160°F (about 71°C). Poultry is 165°F (about 74°C), regardless of the cut or form. Do not apply the whole-cut temperature to ground meat or poultry.
  • Use a food thermometer in the thickest area. Appearance alone does not establish a safe temperature. Follow the package or local authority if it gives a different applicable instruction.

Keep resting separate from preferred doneness

The 3-minute rest is part of the USDA recommendation for the whole cuts listed above. A longer pause may suit serving preferences, but resting does not make an insufficient cooking temperature safe. Follow the stated safe internal temperature and rest time.

Find the grain and cut across it

Look for the long direction of the muscle fibers on the cooked surface, then slice across that direction into thin pieces. University of Minnesota Extension notes that slicing against the grain can make coarse cuts such as skirt steak easier to eat. Beef cuts and slicing against the grain If the direction is hard to see, cut one small piece first and use it to orient the remaining slices. This is a texture technique; it does not replace safe-temperature guidance.

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