Is Smoked meats safe during pregnancy?
Hot, freshly smoked BBQ cooked to safe temps is fine. Treat cold sliced smoked meats like deli meat — reheat to 165°F.
What the sources say
Smoked meats are safe when cooked to USDA minimums (whole cuts 145°F with a rest, ground 160°F, poultry 165°F) and eaten hot. Ready-to-eat smoked sausages and cold sliced smoked meats fall under CDC's deli-meat and hot-dog advice: heat to 165°F or until steaming hot in pregnancy. Uncooked smoked ham should reach 145°F; fully cooked ham is reheated to 140°F or 165°F (USDA). No special restriction while breastfeeding (CDC).
Common alternatives
Also listed as
smoked meat, smoked brisket, bbq brisket, barbecue, smoked sausage, kielbasa, andouille, smoked turkey, smoked turkey legs, smoked ham, smoked pork shoulder, burnt ends
Sources
- USDA/FSIS: Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart
- CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women
- CDC: Preventing Listeria Infection
- CDC: Maternal Diet and Breastfeeding
Last reviewed . This is general information, not medical advice. Ask your doctor or midwife about your own situation.