How to Check Pork Cookiness

Pork needs to be fully cooked to avoid stomach upset when eaten. In general, pork should always be cooked to a minimum temperature of 63 °C (145 °F) to be safe to eat (or 71 °C (160 °F) for ground pork), and use high heat. The thermometer is the best way to monitor the cooking temperature. If you don’t have a thermometer, there’s still a way to determine if the pork is fully cooked.

Table of Contents

Use a thermometer to measure the temperature continuously

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Make sure the pork is sliced at least 2.5cm thick. Pork needs to be thick enough that you can poke a thermometer in during cooking, so some slices of meat may not be suitable for continuous temperature monitoring. Meat slices 2 cm thick or more can measure the temperature. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Thin slices of meat are not suitable for inserting a thermometer during cooking.
The pork chops and bacon are too thin to use with a thermometer.

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Prepare the pork before cooking. To monitor the temperature during cooking, you will need to insert a thermometer into the meat, but you should do the cooking steps before inserting the thermometer. ^{[2] X Research Source}

You can insert the thermometer first, but it will interfere with the processing steps.

Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. It’s a good idea to stick a thermometer in the center of the slice, as that’s the last part to reach cooking temperature. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Avoid sticking the thermometer into the bone as this can affect the temperature reading.
If the slice is less than 2cm thick, you can insert the thermometer from the side, or from the top edge.

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Wait until the thermometer reading reaches at least 60 °C (140 °F). According to the United States Department of Agriculture, pork needs to be cooked to 63 °C (145 °F) – 71 °C (160 °F) to be safe to eat. However, you can take the meat out of the oven when the temperature approaches 63 degrees Celsius to avoid overcooking. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

The internal temperature of the pork will continue to rise after you take it out, regardless of whether you cook it in the oven or slow cooker.
Never eat pork whose internal temperature has not reached at least 63 °C (145 °F).
For ground pork, 71 °C (160 °F) is considered the minimum temperature instead of 60 °C (140 °F).

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Remove the pork from the oven and let it sit. Although you can take the meat out of the oven when the meat temperature is close to the recommended temperature, the heat from the outside will continue to flow in and cause the internal temperature of the meat to rise. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Wait 15 minutes before serving for pork slices 2.5 cm thick or more, but for thin slices, the waiting time will be less.
Monitor the thermometer to make sure it passes the 63 °C (145°F) mark before eating. If the temperature is not reached, you should continue cooking.

Use an instant thermometer to check for doneness

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Cook pork with an instant thermometer. The thermometer measures the temperature instantly without the need to poke the meat slice during the cooking process. Instead, you’ll periodically poke a thermometer into the meat to check the internal temperature. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Unlike thermometers that measure temperature continuously, each time you check you will poke and pull out the thermometer.
Do not measure instantaneous surface temperature as it does not reflect internal cooking temperature.

Remove the meat from the oven periodically to check the temperature. While some people like to check the temperature of meat without pulling the baking tray out of the oven, doing so is not safe. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Even if you’re not using an oven, remove the meat from the heat source before testing.
Checking the temperature while leaving the meat on the stove or in the oven can also affect the temperature readings.

Insert a thermometer into the center of the meat. Like a continuous thermometer, you should insert an instant thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Avoid poking the bone as this may affect the reading. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

If the meat is thinner than 2.5cm, you should poke the thermometer horizontally instead of from the top.
Remember to remove the thermometer from the meat before continuing to cook.

Check for doneness without using a thermometer

Check for water leaking from the meat. While using a thermometer is the best way to determine if pork is cooked, you can judge this by the color of the juices that ooze from the meat when you poke it with a fork or knife. ^{[11] X Research Source}

If the juices from the meat are clear or very pale pink, the pork is cooked.
If the water is not clear, you need to cook again and check again later.

Use a long knife to check if the meat inside is still tough. If you choose to cook slowly, the internal temperature of the meat will reach the desired temperature long before the meat has the desired tenderness. Use a long knife or skewer to pierce the center of the meat and assess the resistance as you press. ^{[12] X Research Source}

If the knife or skewer can go in and out easily, the center point of the meat is tender enough.
If the resistance is large, you should continue cooking and check again in a few minutes.

Cut into the meat to see if it’s opaque. For slices of meat that are not thick enough to measure with a thermometer, this method is the only way to assess doneness. Make a cut into the thickest part of the meat, then use a knife and fork to separate the meat to check the color inside. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Pork will have a uniform opaque color and may be slightly pink when cooked.
With very thin slices of meat like bacon, you can check without cutting.

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Compare the firmness of the meat with the palm of your hand. For large chunks of meat, you can gauge the doneness of the meat by pressing firmly with tongs or fingers. Cooked pork will feel firm and immediately return to its original shape once you stop pressing. The feeling of pressing your hand into cooked pork will be the same as when you touch the center point of the extended palm. ^{[14] X Research Source}

If there is water leaking from cooked pork, it should be clear.
If the meat feels soft to the touch, it needs to be cooked more.

Advice

Pork is considered “rare” at 63 °C (145 °F), “half-cooked” at 66 °C (151 °F) – 68 °C (154 °F), and “cooked” at 71 °C (160 °F).
Always wash your hands after handling raw or undercooked pork.
Digital thermometers are considered the most accurate way to measure the internal temperature of meat.

Things you need

Instantaneous or continuous temperature measurement
Heat resistant gloves
Grill rack or pan
Knife or skewers

Steps

Use a thermometer to measure the temperature continuously

Use an instant thermometer to check for doneness

Check for doneness without using a thermometer

Advice

Things you need

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