Serves: 5

There is little debate in the right doneness temperatures for poultry and pork. But it's a different story for lamb, beef, and venison. We recommend the USDA temperatures for medium rare for all of our beef, lamb, and game meats, except burgers. Because ground meats contain so much surface area, where most bacteria take hold, it is very important to cook ground meat to 160°F for medium. For many meat eaters, the USDA temperatures for doneness seem rather high, but we believe these temperatures allow you to safely enjoy a delicious cut of meat without sacrificing flavor. Ultimately, the meat doneness choice is yours to make. If you prefer your meat cooked to a lower doneness temperature, you will need to adjust your grilling times down from those listed in each recipe. We suggest you invest in a good meat thermometer and let it be your guide.

One note on grilling beef: For beef roasts, we instruct you to remove the meat from the grill before it reaches the doneness temperature since the temperature of larger cuts will continue to rise as the meat rests. (The temperature of thick steaks will also increase slightly.) These resting times are important to give the juices a chance to redistribute themselves evenly throughout the meat. We suggest you use your trusty meat thermometer to check doneness at the end of the resting period.

Our recipes for small game birds give you visual doneness clues because getting an accurate thermometer reading on them is harder to do. Note that game bird juices will run a little pink even when safely cooked.

We've also included "Grilling Guides" in the Appendix. It will give you an idea of how long it will take to reach the USDA's recommended temperature for different degrees of doneness. Note that all times are approximate and your actual cooking times may vary according to weather conditions, type and brand of grill, as well as other factors. Ultimately, your best defense against an undercooked or overcooked feast is a good meat thermometer. Use it in good health!

From Weber’s Big Book of Grilling. Copyright © 2001 Weber-Stephen Products Co. All rights reserved. First published by Chronicle Books LLC, San Francisco, California.

More Recipes from the Weber's Big Book of Grilling Cookbook:
01-The Grilling Gospel According To Weber
02-The Birth Of American Grilling: Sparking A Passion
03-Choosing A Grill: Features Are A Grill's Best Friend
04-The Griller's Toolboox: The Right Stuff
05-Grilling And Food Safety: Be Careful Our There
06-Hot Pants Are Out: Lesson Learned
07-Mastering The Fire: Direct Cooking
08-Mastering The Fire: Indirect Cooking
09-Mastering The Fire: Charcoal Grilling
10-The Briquet Shuffle: Tricks Of The Trade
11-Mastering The Fire: Gas Grilling
12-Check Your Char-O-Scope: Free Your Inner Griller
13-Grilling In The Elements: Grillers In The Mist
14-Mastering The Fire: Smoke Cooking On The Grill
15-Tips For Beginners: Getting Started
16-Smoking Woods: Where There's Smoke, There's Flavor
17-A Match Made In Heaven: Beer And A Barbecue
18-Perfect Margaritas
19-Sippin' In The Shade: Summertime Lemonade
20-Which Wine? Drink What You Like
21-The Fifth Taste: Umami
22-Classic Iced Tea: With Lemon, Please
23-Life's A Party: What To Serve
24-What You Need To Know About The Recipes
25-Is It Done Yet? A Word Or Two About Doneness