Pork cooking temperature

The USDA has lowered the recommended temperature for pork to 145° from 160°! I know many people didn't bother reaching 160° anyway but now those that did can avoid drying out their pork.
USDA lowers pork temperature recommendation

[Robin Garr]

We've been having quite an extended discussion of this in The Louisville Kitchen forum:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=15586

The USDA has lowered the recommended temperature for pork to 145° from 160°! I know many people didn't bother reaching 160° anyway but now those that did can avoid drying out their pork.
USDA lowers pork temperature recommendation

I cook Boston Butts to a minimum of 185...preferably about 190.

I cook Boston Butts to a minimum of 185...preferably about 190.

Bet it is F.O.T.Butt.

I cook Boston Butts to a minimum of 185...preferably about 190.

Bet it is F.O.T.Butt.

You betcha. It's an inexact science (and one I'm still working to master) but yeah, basically I cook it to around 190 and then wrap it in foil. That usually results in the temp climbing to around 195. Once it's cool enough to handle, I get after it.

We don't eat a lot of pork other than ribs and Boston Butts, so I really can't comment on the 145...Other than to say that given it's some hard working, dedicated civil servants making this recommendation, I'd be inclined to believe it.

I cook Boston Butts to a minimum of 185...preferably about 190.

So do I But that's for a very different reason. Nobody would cook a pork chop or a pork tenderloin to a temperature anywhere near that high.

So do I But that's for a very different reason. Nobody would cook a pork chop or a pork tenderloin to a temperature anywhere near that high.

Obviously Mark, you've never seen me grill a hockey pu....errrrrr I mean pork chop. The drill goes something like this: Ya put the pork chop on, ya go back inside for that second beer, ya come back outside and....uhhhhhh-ohhhh.

[Obviously Mark, you've never seen me grill a hockey pu....errrrrr I mean pork chop. The drill goes something like this: Ya put the pork chop on, ya go back inside for that second beer, ya come back outside and....uhhhhhh-ohhhh.

Well when you're in Minnesota you had a secondary use for the hockey pu...., around here there isn't much use for them so maybe you should start drinking the second beer while you're eating them instead of cooking them!

I've always found it interesting that food safety requires a set amount of time at a temperature for it to be "safe".

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/sous ... icken.html

It's on the topic of chicken, but an interesting lesson nonetheless.

I just wish I had registered for an immersion cooker... (and had friends/family willing to shell out $700 for it)

I've always found it interesting that food safety requires a set amount of time at a temperature for it to be "safe".
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/sous ... icken.html
It's on the topic of chicken, but an interesting lesson nonetheless.
I just wish I had registered for an immersion cooker... (and had friends/family willing to shell out $700 for it)

Interesting article, I love this quote:

For those of you who don't know what a 7.0 log10 relative reduction is, it's the bacterial equivalent of sticking a stick of dynamite in an anthill. The vast majority of the baddies become harmless, dead, ex-baddies.