It's something chefs (and The Kitchn!) have been saying for years: 160 degrees is overdoing it for pork. Today the USDA announced they agreed and set a new benchmark for a safe cooking temperature for the meat. But did they go low enough?
Today, the USDA cooled their previous recommended cooking temperature for pork by 15 degrees. They now recommend that pork be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Citing problems of overcooking pork under the old standard of 160 degrees, the USDA's change of tune is closer to what many chefs have known and practiced for some time. Many would even like the standard to be lowered another 10 degrees.
Food writer Michael Ruhlman tells the Los Angeles Times:
"It's a good thing they lowered the temperature because the 160 degrees is not only ridiculous, it is inaccurate and therefore harmful," he said. "But 145 degrees still doesn't make sense to me because it fails to include time. I cook my pork to 135 degrees because that is the point at which its flavor and texture are best."
Is this news to you or are you already cooking pork less than the old USDA guidelines?
• Read more: USDA changes guidelines for cooking pork at the Los Angeles Times
Related: Recipe: Simple Rosemary-Rubbed Pork Chops
(Images: Flickr user thebittenword.com licensed for use under Creative Commons)
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Well, it's not like the USDA is going to bust down your door for choosing to cook your pork loin to 135 instead of 145. I'm glad they lowered it, but it's still the USDA, and they still have to balance safety with personal preferences, and it's still just a "guideline"
We already were only cooking ours to 140 because we preferred a little pink and never had a problem. When my husband saw the new guidelines yesterday, he said "Now we can stop even lower!"--135 here we come!
The thing to worry about with pork is Trichinae, a parasitic worm that can make you sick or even kill you. Pigs get this by eating other meat, in particular dead rodents. This isn't a big problem with stock-yard pigs, but "free-range" pigs have a significantly increased risk of getting the worm.
Trichinae is killed at a temperature of 137 degrees F. Providing your thermometer is relatively accurate the 145 is safe, but most people do not have a working thermometer that has been calibrated.
Knowing this I would say that 135 isn't smart, and 137 isn't even that smart unless you're positive you have an accurate thermometer.
Michael Ruhlman isn't a biologist or food scientist, so I would hesitate to follow his advice when it comes to this.
finally - i've been telling people they're overcooking their pork for years. pork is the best when it's a little pink. this article will be emailed to most of my friends!
Trichinosis does not exist in farm raised pigs in the united states. If you eat pork that has been rooting around a lot there is a very small chance it would be affected. That said it is one of the few parasites that can get through the blood brain barrier, and everyone knows brain worms are gross.