Doneness & Temps

Offal & Specialty Cuts

Offal Safe Cooking Temperatures

Also: organ meat safe temps, variety meat minimum temperatures, offal food safety

USDA and international food-safety minimums for kidney, heart, liver, tripe, and other organ meats.

Organ meats carry a higher pathogen load than skeletal muscle because blood, lymph, and metabolic waste pass through them continuously during the animal's life. Safe cooking temperatures for offal reflect this elevated risk: most organs must reach a verified internal temperature that neutralizes Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7, Campylobacter, and, for pork offal, Trichinella spiralis. Minimums range from 63°C (145°F) for some muscle-adjacent organs to 77°C (170°F) for poultry livers.

In photos

Offal Safe Cooking Temperatures at 63–77°C (145–170°F) depending on species and organ. At 63°C (145°F) the z-value for most enteric pathogens is reached with a 3-minute rest, destroying Salmonella and E. Visual cues: Liver: interior should show no glossy, translucent burgundy centre; fully cooked is pale tan-grey throughout (though many chefs prefer a just-pink 65–68°C for tenderness), Heart: juices run clear when pierced at the thickest point; firm spring-back rather than raw give, Kidney: chalky-white or tan interior, no glassy translucent core remaining.
Offal Safe Cooking Temperatures at 63–77°C (145–170°F) depending on species and organ. At 63°C (145°F) the z-value for most enteric pathogens is reached with a 3-minute rest, destroying Salmonella and E. Visual cues: Liver: interior should show no glossy, translucent burgundy centre; fully cooked is pale tan-grey throughout (though many chefs prefer a just-pink 65–68°C for tenderness), Heart: juices run clear when pierced at the thickest point; firm spring-back rather than raw give, Kidney: chalky-white or tan interior, no glassy translucent core remaining.
Offal Safe Cooking Temperatures in context — the stages just below and above, side-by-side. Organ meats carry a higher pathogen load than skeletal muscle because blood, lymph, and metabolic waste pass through them continuously during the animal's life. Target reference 63–77°C (145–170°F) depending on species and organ.
Offal Safe Cooking Temperatures in context — the stages just below and above, side-by-side. Organ meats carry a higher pathogen load than skeletal muscle because blood, lymph, and metabolic waste pass through them continuously during the animal's life. Target reference 63–77°C (145–170°F) depending on species and organ.
Offal Safe Cooking Temperatures in practice — Devilled kidneys. Many classic recipes — French chicken liver mousse, Scottish haggis filling, Venetian fegato alla veneziana — are intentionally served with a pink or just-set centre for optimal texture and flavour.
Offal Safe Cooking Temperatures in practice — Devilled kidneys. Many classic recipes — French chicken liver mousse, Scottish haggis filling, Venetian fegato alla veneziana — are intentionally served with a pink or just-set centre for optimal texture and flavour.

What happens

At 63°C (145°F) the z-value for most enteric pathogens is reached with a 3-minute rest, destroying Salmonella and E. coli populations to a 7-log reduction. At 71°C (160°F) the lethal dose is near-instantaneous. Myoglobin in liver and heart denatures above 65°C, shifting colour from deep burgundy to pale tan-grey. Collagen in tripe and tendon begins partial conversion to gelatin at 70°C but full softening requires extended time above 90°C — a separate culinary target distinct from safety.

What to look for

  • Liver: interior should show no glossy, translucent burgundy centre; fully cooked is pale tan-grey throughout (though many chefs prefer a just-pink 65–68°C for tenderness)
  • Heart: juices run clear when pierced at the thickest point; firm spring-back rather than raw give
  • Kidney: chalky-white or tan interior, no glassy translucent core remaining
  • Tripe: fully opaque white to cream; no slippery raw surface on cut edges
  • Sweetbreads (thymus/pancreas): creamy-white and firm-set, not gelatinous-raw in the centre

How to check

  • Insert a thin-probe instant-read thermometer into the geometric centre of the organ or its thickest cut section
  • For sliced liver, probe through the side of the slice, not the flat face, to reach the true centre
  • For whole kidneys, insert at the thickest lobe, avoiding the central fat column which reads lower
  • For tripe, a temperature check confirms pasteurisation but texture doneness requires time — both criteria must be met
  • Rest organ meats 3 minutes at target temperature before cutting to complete pathogen kill

Food safety

USDA FSIS mandates 160°F (71°C) for ground meat products and recommends 160°F for pork offal due to Trichinella risk; whole pork kidney and heart may be held at 145°F (63°C) with a 3-minute rest per the whole-muscle pork rule. Poultry livers must reach 165°F (74°C) — Campylobacter survives in undercooked poultry liver and has caused documented outbreaks from restaurant pâtés cooked to only 63°C. Lamb and beef offal: 160°F (71°C) recommended for kidney and liver. Raw liver should never be served to pregnant individuals, immunocompromised persons, or children. Foie gras is frequently served at 62–65°C (143–149°F) as a deliberate culinary choice; operators must weigh consumer-advisory obligations.

Carryover & resting

Dense offal (whole calf liver, whole heart) carries over 2–4°C after resting due to residual thermal mass. Pull 2–3°C before target and rest loosely tented. Thin-sliced liver (under 1.5 cm) has negligible carryover and should be pulled at target temperature directly.

The science behind it

  • Pathogen Kill Curves

    Time-at-temperature tables (USDA FSIS Appendix A) govern how long each temperature must be held to achieve 7-log reduction

  • Trichinella spiralis

    Pork-associated parasite destroyed at 137°F (58°C) for 2 minutes or 145°F (63°C) instantly; freezing at -15°C for 20 days also effective

  • Campylobacter in Poultry Liver

    Responsible for documented UK and US outbreaks from pink-centre chicken liver parfait; requires 74°C to eliminate

  • Carryover Cooking

    Residual heat in dense organs continues pasteurisation after removal from heat

  • Collagen Melt Temperature

    Tenderness target for tripe/tendon (90°C+) is separate from and higher than the safety minimum

Appears in

Devilled kidneysChicken liver parfaitFoie gras torchonMenudo (tripe soup)HaggisCalf liver with onions and sageStuffed heart (lamb or ox)

References

  1. 1.USDA FSIS Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart (FSIS, 2023)
  2. 2.On Food and Cooking — Harold McGee (Scribner, 2004)
  3. 3.The Food Lab — J. Kenji López-Alt (W. W. Norton, 2015)
  4. 4.USDA FSIS Appendix A: Compliance Guidelines for Meeting Lethality Performance Standards for Certain Meat and Poultry Products (FSIS, 1999, rev. 2017)
  5. 5.Public Health England: Campylobacter in Chicken Liver — Outbreak Investigation (PHE, 2016)

Confidence: high

Notes

The Pink Liver Problem

Many classic recipes — French chicken liver mousse, Scottish haggis filling, Venetian fegato alla veneziana — are intentionally served with a pink or just-set centre for optimal texture and flavour. This creates genuine tension with food-safety guidance. Professional kitchens that serve pink liver should use consumer advisories and source from high-welfare, inspected suppliers. The 65°C 'pasteurising pink' zone (where Salmonella is killed over 1–2 minutes) offers a partial middle ground but is not endorsed by USDA for vulnerable populations.

Species and Organ Matrix

Beef and lamb kidney, heart, liver: 71°C (160°F). Pork kidney, heart, liver: 71°C (160°F) minimum; some regulatory bodies accept 63°C/3-min for whole pork kidney. Poultry liver (chicken, duck): 74°C (165°F). Tripe (bovine rumen/stomach): 74°C (165°F) or pre-blanched safe; extended braising to 90°C+ for texture. Sweetbreads (thymus): 71°C (160°F). Blood (morcilla, black pudding): ensure casings reach 74°C throughout.