Is 145 degrees safe for pork ?

[red sled]

We were at the local meat counter a while back and asking the manager about safe internal temp. for cooking the pork we just purchased. He said 145 is safe, and too many people ( like my wife and I ) over-cook pork to 160 and complain that it's dry and tough.

Is 145 safe ? What are your opinions ? Thanks in advance.

 

[markh024]

Yes it is. It's not an opinion, its a fact. With that said, I still like my pork in the 150 range just out of personal preference.

 

[Bearcarver]

The safe Temp used to be 160°, which was definitely too dry.

Then about 6 years ago the USDA & other authorities changed the safe temp to 145°, so yes 145° is safe.
Personally I take my Pork products to between 145° and 150°, but no higher, because I don't like Dry Pork, unless I'm making Jerky.

Bear

 

[chopsaw]

Here ya go ,,,
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/porta...e-minimum-internal-temperature-chart/ct_index

 

[Gwanger]

The safe Temp used to be 160°, which was definitely too dry.

Then about 6 years ago the USDA & other authorities changed the safe temp to 145°, so yes 145° is safe.
Personally I take my Pork products to between 145° and 150°, but no higher, because I don't like Dry Pork, unless I'm making Jerky.

Bear

I like my P. roast pulled at 140* and usually ends up at 145* w/risidual cooking.I leave thermo in it after wrapping in foil while I am mashing potatoes and making gravy and temp will usual climb to 145*I don't like a dry pork roast,Just past pink

 

[Geebs]

I also like the 145 range, 160 is too done for the other white meat.

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

The safe Temp used to be 160°, which was definitely too dry.

Then about 6 years ago the USDA & other authorities changed the safe temp to 145°, so yes 145° is safe.
Personally I take my Pork products to between 145° and 150°, but no higher, because I don't like Dry Pork, unless I'm making Jerky.

Bear

Yup this is true

 

[gmc2003]

Yep smoke it to 140, take it off and let the carry over bring it up to 145.

Chris

 

[SonnyE]

Pork used to be a source for Trichinosis.
So the accepted practice of the day was to cook the worms to death. So dry, well done Pork Chops was the rule of the day.
Since my Mom basically burned water, over cooked everything was normal for us growing up.
After finding out it was basically the way hogs were farmed, and changing those ways, pork is a safer meat source.

My Auto Shop teacher in the 1960's was dieing of Trichinosis. Because at the time there was no cure available to him.
I don't know if there is now or not.
But he was the only known case I personally have ever come across.

 

[johnmeyer]

You can actually go lower than 140, if you use sous vide. All safety temps at the CDC site are designed for normal cooking methods and assume that you want to kill the bad organisms almost instantly. However, you can kill them at somewhat lower temps if you keep the food at or above those temps for a long enough time. Read about it here:

Recommended Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Temperatures

As you will see, you can get pork safe at a temperature as low as 130 degrees. For those who think that might not taste good, you will be very surprised. I have not done pork very often, but I now cook chicken, using sous vide, to a done temp of 142 degrees, which is way below the 165 that is usually cited as the safe temp for poultry (sometimes 160, but never lower). The 142 degree chicken is so much better, in every way, compared to 165 chicken, that I will never do another chicken breast for chicken salad using any method other than sous vide.

[edit]This read, from the same site, may actually be more to the OP's original question:

The Case For Pink Pork

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

I’m at 145 on my chicken John and my wife still isn’t happy with the texture.

Believe when I did it at 148 she liked it. I’ve been everywhere between 140-152 in the past year and a half. 145 works for me. Hopefully it comes with a divorce lawyer.

Scott

 

[johnmeyer]

I use a home-built sous vide, and since my temperature accuracy isn't quite as good as the pro models (what do you expect for a $5 build?), I usually cheat a little on the high side, so I too am probably closer to 145. I'm surprised that three extra degrees made that much of a difference (148 vs. 145). No matter what, anything in that range beats 165 for taste and texture.

 

[SmokinAl]

I pull mine at 138 & with a 20 minute rest it will cruise up to 145, which is perfectly safe to eat.
And it's much more juicy and tender at that temp!
Al

 

[Bearcarver]

Yep smoke it to 140, take it off and let the carry over bring it up to 145.

Chris

A lot depends on the Temp you're smoking at:
When I Smoke my Prime Ribs, if I stop my Prime Rib at 140° IT, it will only carry-over to 141° or 142°, but that's because my Smoker was only smoking at 220°. If you're using 350° or higher oven temp, it could carry-over 6°, 8°, or I guess even 10°.

That's why when I do Pork, I just let it get to 145° IT before I cut the heat, becuase it will only go another degree or 2.

Bear

 

[biaviian]

I take my pork to 140 though I know that would make many people squeamish and possible upset that I even posted it.