There’s something oh so satisfying about pulling apart a smoked pork shoulder that’s been smoldering all day on top of a heap of coal and wood chips. That first bite of crispy skin and oh so tender meat is like angels singing down from the meat heavens. Your smoker is good. The pork is good. And all is right with the world. Follow our tips on cooking temperatures, so you too can achieve pork nirvana.

Cooking thermometers take the guesswork out of cooking, as they measure the internal temperature of your cooked meat, poultry and seafood, thus ensuring a safe temperature has been reached, harmful bacteria have been destroyed, and your food is cooked perfectly.

Meats, poultry and seafood are properly cooked only when heated at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria that cause food-borne illnesses.

It’s important to note that you need to let your meat rest after it’s reached the desired cooking temperature. Remove meat from heat source and let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving. The amount of time required for resting varies with the size and the cut of your meat. During this resting time, the meat continues to cook (meat temperature typically rises 5 to 20 degrees even after it is removed from heat source), and the juices redistribute.

Below is a handy chart for the cooking temperatures of beef and lamb.

(chart here)

You can find out other cooking temperatures by checking out our other articles:

• Beef and Lamb Cooking Temperatures
• Poultry Cooking Temperatures
• Fish and Seafood Cooking Temperatures

Photo Source: Another Pint Please…