Can pork be medium rare

Picture this: You’ve pulled your beautifully prepared pork tenderloin off the grill.

What does undercooked pork look like

After letting it rest for a few minutes, you sharpen your knife and prepare to carve that first slice–only to find that the meat is still pink in the middle. Can pork tenderloin be pink and still be safe to eat?

As luck would have it, there’s no need to panic in this scenario.

As long as the meat has reached an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, it will still be safe to eat. Let’s find out why.

Can Pork Tenderloin Be Pink and Still Be Safe to Eat?

In a word, yes.

The pink color doesn’t mean that the meat is undercooked. In fact, when pork is cooked to the recommended internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s normal to see pink in the center. In fact, even when the pork is well done, it might still retain a hint of pink.

Pork Tenderloin in a Nutshell

The pork tenderloin is a long, cylindrical cut of meat that’s taken from the central spine region of the hog. The muscle doesn’t get much use, which contribute

is pork tenderloin pink when done

is pork tenderloin still pink when cooked