Until the juices run clear

"Until the juices run clear" is a doneness test for poultry, pork and sometimes burgers. You pierce the thickest part of the meat and look at the juice that runs out. If it is clear or pale yellow, not pink or red, the meat is said to be cooked. It is a useful sign, but a thermometer is the only way to be sure.

How to do it

1. Pierce the thickest part of the meat with a skewer or thin knife. For a whole bird, use the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone but not touching it.
2. Press gently next to the hole and watch the juice.
3. Check that the juice is clear, the meat is no longer pink in the middle, and it is steaming hot all the way through.
4. Confirm with a thermometer in the same spot.

How to tell it is done

Use internal temperature as the real test:

• Poultry, whole or in pieces, and ground poultry: 74°C (165°F).
• Ground beef, pork and lamb: 71°C (160°F).
• Whole cuts of pork: 63°C (145°F) with a 3-minute rest.

UK guidance accepts other time and temperature pairs, such as 70°C (158°F) held for 2 minutes, and asks that poultry, pork and minced meat be steaming hot with no pink meat and clear juices.

Why it works

Pink color in meat juices comes from a protein called myoglobin, which turns gray or brown as it heats. But the color change does not line up exactly with safe temperatures. Young chicken can stay pink near the bone even when fully cooked, and meat can look done before it is safe. That is why color alone is not enough.

Common mistakes

• Relying on color only. Always check the temperature, especially for chicken, burgers and stuffed meats.
• Testing the thin end. Check the thickest part, where it cooks last.
• Piercing over and over. Each hole lets juice escape. Test once or twice, near the end.
• Carving right away. Let it rest. Its temperature also rises a little as it rests.

In recipes

"Roast until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced" is common in older recipes. Newer ones usually give a temperature too.