Methodology: How Our Temperatures Are Chosen
What Norwegian and European cooking-temperature advice rests on, where the US USDA differs and why, and how time and temperature work together.
Two kinds of temperature
Every cut on this site has a recommended core temperature and a range. The recommended value is what we think gives the best eating quality. The range shows the span that cooks commonly use. For poultry, minced meat and pork, safety sets the floor. For whole cuts of red meat and for fish, quality decides, because the safety risk lies on the surface or is handled by freezing.
What European advice rests on
Norwegian advice comes from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet), building on risk assessments from the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). The logic is about where bacteria are:
- Intact whole muscle (steak, roast, fillet): bacteria are on the surface. Searing kills them, so the centre can be pink.
- Minced, rolled or needle-tenderised meat, and poultry: bacteria can be throughout the meat, so the centre must reach a lethal temperature. Mattilsynet calls this "cooked through" and defines it as at least 75 °C.
- Fish: the main concern in wild fish is parasites such as Anisakis, which are killed by freezing (−20 °C for 24 hours) or by heating to 60 °C.
Where the US (USDA) differs, and why
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA FSIS) publishes single "safe minimum internal temperatures" instead of describing practice. Its numbers are designed to be safe without the cook having to judge the cut or the source, so they are higher for whole cuts and fish than European kitchen practice.
| Food | Norway / Europe | USDA |
|---|---|---|
| Poultry (whole, parts, ground) | Cooked through; Mattilsynet defines this as ≥ 75 °C | 74 °C (165 °F) |
| Minced/ground beef, pork, lamb | Cooked through; ≥ 75 °C | 71 °C (160 °F) |
| Whole cuts of beef, lamb, veal | Pink or rare accepted when the surface is well seared | 63 °C (145 °F) + 3 min rest |
| Whole cuts of pork | Typically 65–70 °C; modern pork can be served slightly pink | 63 °C (145 °F) + 3 min rest |
| Fish | Often 45–55 °C for quality; freeze wild fish first if cooking below 60 °C | 63 °C (145 °F) or until opaque |
Differences are largest for rare whole-muscle beef and lamb, for fish, and for poultry, where USDA sets an instant 74 °C instead of describing time held at temperature. Where the difference matters for a specific cut, the cut's page will say so.
Time and temperature work together
Bacteria are not killed at a single magic temperature. The higher the temperature, the faster they die. A few seconds at 75 °C does roughly the same job as holding the meat for several minutes at a lower temperature. Mattilsynet notes that most bacteria are killed when food is held at 70 °C for a few minutes. This is why USDA pairs 63 °C for whole cuts with a three-minute rest, and why sous vide can safely cook chicken below 70 °C, as long as it is held long enough. The required time grows quickly as the temperature drops, so low-temperature cooking without exact control is a risk.
Resting and carry-over
The core keeps heating after the meat leaves the heat. On thin cuts this is 1–3 °C; on large roasts it can be 5 °C or more. Our values are the target after resting. Take the meat off a little before.
Practical safety advice is collected on the food safety page.