Do you really have to cook pork until 165-170 degrees internal?

Unknown

I hate overcooked meat, and for me, pork, at least the tenderloin, is over-done at 165-170 degrees. Everyone panics if they see pink pork, and I just want to know the dangers of "under-cooking." If my odds of getting something nasty, by cooking to only 155 degrees internal, are 1 in 1000, I think that I will take my chances. If the odds are more like 1 in 20, I will reconsider. Thanks.

JM3

David J,[p]If you cook to 155 internal and then wrap in foil or tent on a platter the meat will continue to cook to at least 160 or 165. The meat is then done and there are no concerns and the meat is not even pink.
We have a cultural fear of undercooked pork because we were all taught we would get trichonosis (spelling?) if we ate undercooked pork. This is not really a danger anymore.[p]Here is what my pork usually looks like and I cook it to 155.[p][p]John

fishlessman

David J,
i cook mine to 142

YB

David J,
I cook pork loins and tenderloins to 145°internal temp.Anything above 137° is safe.
Larry

dhuffjr

JM3,
This disease is still around but is most common in folks who consume wild boar and bear. Modern farming practices have pretty much eliminated it from the little piggies.[p]Dennis

Rumrunner

David J, echoing what YB said. The Pork Council and the USDA have determined that ALL harmfull bacteria is killed at 137° or above. That's a little too pink for my tastes (on pork anyway)and I like mine between 145-150°. Pork is raised different than it was wayyyyy years ago, also fed different, hence the lower safe temps. However, if you go to a public eatery, inside or outside, or a public fucntion, the local food gendarmes will NOT let this be served under 140°. As far as they are concerned ALL food must be served at 140° OR higher. For home you are OK

Mark Backer

dhuffjr,[p]good call on that. I cook my tenderloins to 145 and after the 10 minute rest, they're between 150 and 155 and perfect for us.[p]I did a little trichinosis research, and in either 2002 or 2003 (can't recall now) there were only 12 cases reported in the entire US. 10 of them were in alaska and 7 were from the same family who undercooked a wild bear that they'd bagged while hunting. [p]You're safe over 137, but find a level you and your family is comfortable with. It took me some time to convert my mom who was convinced that dry pork = done pork.[p]HTH

egghead2004

Mark Backer,
Speaking of moms and pork, mine used to take pork chops right out of the freezer and toss directly on the frying pan and cook til they were dried out and tough. This was the Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday night special for my whole life at home, served with either canned peas, corn, or apple sauce.[p] It took my wife nearly 3 years to convince me to even try pork chops again. Now I cook them all the time, they always come out juicy and tender, the thermapen helps too, I pull them off around 150 internal and let it rise to 157-160.

Mark Backer

egghead2004,[p]10-4 on that. My mom did the same thing. She (and my mother in law) caused me similar pains and trepidations with flank steak. They'd both just KILL it and wonder why I wouldn't eat it. After over a decade of this as an adult, I said no mas. [p]Then, thanks to mad max's flank steak rollups, I tried again and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. [p]next stop, without telling me, the wife egged a flank steak marinated nicely and cut thin and I ate about 3 pounds of beef that night. Now it's one of my favorite things to cook.[p]I love how, every day, the egg brings us all happiness, health, full bellies and sated appetites.[p]Thank you Big Green Egg.

BlueSmoke

Rumrunner,
I rely on carry-over cooking: take the pork off the fire at 135, and it's consistently 142 to 145 when ready to serve.[p]Ken

egghead2004

Mark Backer,
Flank steak is big here. We cut into thin strips and marinate in EVOO, garlic, salt, and pepper for 3-4 hours...thats it. Then cook over open flame 2-3 minutes per side...done. Sometimes we put them in fajitas with avacados, salsa, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, diced tomatoes.

Rumrunner

BlueSmoke, good point, Ken, I agree

Mark Backer

egghead2004,[p]ddaso af;oijt39h aslfnilwf pasufin nrqawurwf[p]sorry. I drooled quite a bit reading your post and my fingers were sliding all over the keyboard. [p]Say it loud and say it proud: [p]I LOVE FLANK STEAK!!

Unknown

Gentlemen,[p]Thanks for your responses. Thanks for helping reprogram my brain from the culinary brain-washing that I experienced throughout my life. [p]DJ