The best place to take the temperature of shredded pork in a hot holding pan is in the center of the food after stirring. This spot will give a more accurate picture of the overall temperature of the product in the pan as a whole. Measuring in multiple places is sometimes also recommended to ensure even temperature throughout.
For hot holding, the internal temperature should be kept above 135°F to ensure food safety, ideally around 140-160°F, but temperature measurement should focus on the center or thermal middle of the pork in the pan to reflect the true holding temperature.
Thus, thermometers should be inserted in the center of the shredded pork mass in the hot holding pan, ideally after stirring to evenly distribute heat, to ensure safe and safe-to-serve temperature monitoring.
