You are ready to fire up the grill and start cooking but may not know the exact temperature the grill needs to be. Knowing what temperature to grill meat will determine whether the end product will be excellent or terrible.
It is also wise to know what temperature the meat should consider finished and safe to eat. This article will give you all the information you need to know about grilling temperatures when using direct heat to grill each cut of meat.
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Beef
What Temperature Do You Grill Ribeye?
Ribeye steaks contain a higher amount of fat content and have much more marbling in the meat. For a 1-inch thick ribeye steak, the grill will need to be maintained at 375 degrees.
It will need to be on the grill for 5 to 12 minutes to reach a safe temperature. The steak’s internal temperature should be at least 130 degrees for rare up to 165 degrees for well done.
What Temperature Do You Grill Filet Mignon?
Filet Mignon is from the tenderloin and will be a much leaner and dense cut of meat. For a 1-inch thick filet, the grill will need to be maintained between 360 and 400 degrees.
It will need to be on the grill for 3 to 9 minutes to reach a safe temperature. The steak’s internal temperature should be at least 130 degrees for rare up to 165 degrees for well done.
What Temperature Do You Grill Hamburgers?
Since hamburgers are ground meat, they usually are very fast to cook. If they are frozen or premade patties, they may take a bit longer. For a ½ inch thick hamburger patty, the grill will need to be maintained at 400 degrees.
It will need to be on the grill for at least 5 minutes to reach a safe temperature. The hamburger patty’s internal temperature should be at least 160 degrees to avoid any food born illness.
Of course, smoking temperatures are much lower so you will need a longer time to cook your hamburgers to a safe internal temperature. Smoking at 225 or slightly higher is a great place to start, but when in doubt, set your pellet grill ten degrees higher.
What Temperature Do You Grill Tri-Tip?
Tri-tip is a triangle-shaped cut from the bottom of the sirloin. It’s best to get a good sear on the roast first on all sides, then begin to grill the steak at a temperature of 300 degrees.
The tri-tip will take anywhere from 20-30 minutes on a covered grill to reach a safe temperature. The tri-tip’s internal temperature should be at 130 degrees for rare up to 165 degrees for well done.
What Temperature Do You Grill New York Strip Steak?
Strip steaks are from the loin and will have a fat strip on one side of the steak, so it may take longer to reach a suitable temperature. For a 1-inch thick New York strip steak, the grill will need to be maintained between 360 and 400 degrees.
It will need to be on the grill for 5 to 11 minutes to reach a safe temperature. The steak’s internal temperature should be at least 130 degrees for rare up to 165 degrees for well done.
Pork
What Temperature Do You Grill Pork Chops?
Pork chops come from the loin and can come with or without the bone. For a 1-inch thick pork chop, the grill will need to be maintained at 350 degrees.
It will need to be on the grill for about 8 minutes to reach a safe temperature. The internal temperature of the pork chop should be at least 145 degrees to avoid food born illnesses.
What Temperature Do You Grill Pork Tenderloin?
Pork tenderloin is a small cut that is very lean and tender. For a 1-pound tenderloin, the grill will need to be maintained at 400 degrees.
It will need to be on the grill for at least 15 minutes to reach a safe temperature. The internal temperature of the tenderloin should be at least 145 degrees to avoid food born illnesses.
What Temperature Do You Grill Pork Sausage?
There are many variations of pork sausage, but it is still all ground pork. The grill will need to be maintained at 225 degrees.
They need to be on the grill for about 20 minutes, turning them every 5 minutes. The internal temperature of the sausages should be at least 160 degrees to avoid food born illnesses.
Chicken
What Temperature Do You Grill Chicken Breast?
Chicken breast can come with the bone or skin on, but grilling works best if it is boneless and skinless. For a 4-ounce chicken breast that has been trimmed, the grill needs to be 350 degrees.
They need to be grilled on both sides for a total of at least 7 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken breast should be at least 165 degrees to avoid food born illnesses.
What Temperature Do You Grill Chicken Thighs?
Chicken thighs can come with the bone or skin on, but grilling works best if it is boneless and skinless. For a 4-ounce chicken thigh that has been trimmed, the grill needs to be 350 degrees.
They need to be grilled on both sides for a total of at least 7 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken thighs should be at least 165 degrees to avoid food-borne illnesses.
What Temperature Do You Grill Chicken Drumsticks and Wings?
Chicken drumsticks and wings only come on the bone and therefore, will need to be on the grill longer. For 3-4-ounce chicken drumsticks and wings, the grill needs to be 350 degrees.
They need to be grilled on both sides for a total of at least 12 minutes. The chicken drumsticks and wings’ internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees to avoid foodborne illnesses. When checking the temperature, make sure the thermometer is placed next to the bone at the meat’s thickest part.
Seafood
What Temperature Do You Grill Salmon?
Salmon has a very high-fat content for a fish and can technically be eaten raw. There are many types of salmon, and the filets are cut to different thicknesses and sizes.
For a 1-inch thick salmon filet with the skin removed, the grill needs to be 450 degrees. They need to be grilled on both sides for a total of 8 minutes. The salmon’s internal temperature should be 125 degrees for medium-rare up to 145 degrees for well done.
What Temperature Do You Grill Scallops?
Scallops are very small, so they cook quickly, and they can be overcooked very easily and become tough. For large scallops (U-10’s), the grill needs to be 450 degrees.
Please make sure they are large diver scallops that have been removed from the shell and not the smaller bay scallops. They need to be grilled on both sides for a total of 4 minutes. The internal temperature of the scallops should be at least 140 degrees.
What Temperature Do You Grill Tuna Steak?
Salmon has a very high-fat content for a fish and can technically be eaten raw, but it is a steak-like fish and may need more time for well done. For a 1-inch thick tuna filet, the grill needs to be 450 degrees.
They need to be grilled on both sides for a total of 10 minutes. The internal temperature of the tuna should be at least 140 degrees.
What Temperature Do You Grill Trout?
Trout is a very thin fish and very lean. They can be cooked whole or with the head off and butterfly cut. The grill needs to be at least 400 degrees.
It should be cooked for at least 12 minutes for a whole trout and have an internal temperature of 140 degrees. For a butterfly cut, it will need to be grilled on both sides for a total of about 5 minutes.
What Temperature Do You Grill Shrimp?
Shrimp are very small and contain no fat, so they cook quickly, and they can be overcooked very easily and become tough. For large shrimp (U-15’s), the grill needs to be 450 degrees.
It’s best if they have been de-shelled and deveined before grilling them. They need to be grilled on both sides for a total of 4 minutes. The internal temperature of the shrimp should be at least 145 degrees to avoid food born illnesses.
Thermometers
There are a variety of thermometers available to check the temperature of your meat while cooking. Let’s take a minute to cover a few different thermometers.
Grill/Smoker Thermometer
Most Grills and smokers come with some form of a thermometer. The standard thermometers have two reoccurring issues position and accuracy.
A thermometer at the top of the lid will not give you a good idea of what the temperature is on the grilling surface. We recommend installing two additional thermometers about one inch above the grill and six inches from each corner on the front surface of your grill lid.
Wired Meat Probe Thermometer
While peaking in on your meat every two minutes sounds like a good way to check on its progress, it is not. Your best bet is to use a wired meat probe.
The probe will be placed in the middle of the thickest part of the meat and give you an inside look at your meat without opening the grill and letting out all the heat. you can consider a hybrid unit that has a probe attached to a sender while you sit in the house watching your show with the receiver.
Instant Read Meat Thermometer
Without a dought, our favorite thermometer is a simple Instant Read Meat Thermometer. They are extremely accurate and return a read quickly. The build-in magnets are a nice feature to keep it handy on a cool surface of your grill or smoker.
Also, our featured model is budget-friendly. We are sure there are other budget-friendly models but since we currently use this one we can speak firsthand of this Thermometer. Our only issue with this model is that you will need to open the grill, so work quickly.
Check out this Instant Read Thermometer on Amazon.com.
Conclusion
Grilling meats over an open flame or using direct heat is probably the best way to cook them. Knowing what temperatures to grill meats at and the internal temperatures they should finish will help you grill the correctly every time.
Grilling meats to the correct temperatures will help you to avoid food born illnesses as well. As long as you follow these rules, you will be able to enjoy delicious grilled meats every time.
