Take the guesswork out of cooking! Here are tips for using a meat thermometer to ensure that the safe minimum internal temperature of meat is reached. That way, you know when it’s done, at peak flavor, and also safe for eating.
Are You Cooking Meat Safely?
Meat and poultry are cooked and juicy at certain temperatures but become dry and tough if cooked much longer. Traditionally, judging when a bird is done roasting has meant visually checking the interior color of the meat while it is cooking—the redder the color, the rarer the meat. But this involves guesswork, which is neither accurate nor safe!
Instead, it’s recommended that you use a meat thermometer to guage when your pork roast, chicken breast, or other cut of meat is truly ready to be served. According to the USDA, different meats must reach different temperatures to be considered safe. (Consult the chart below for minimum internal temperatures.)
How to Use a Meat Thermometer
To be certain, we recommend using an instant-read thermometer. Round-dial and digital instant-read thermometers are available from kitchen supply stores and hardware stores and cost from $12 to $20.
Instant-read thermometers give readings quickly, but they are not oven-safe and must not be left in the meat while it is cooking. Use the thermometer toward the end of the minimum cooking time and allow it to remain in the meat for only 15 seconds, at a depth of 2 inches or to the indicator mark on the thermometer’s stem.
Follow these guidelines for accurate thermometer readings:
- For roasts, steaks, and thick chops, insert the thermometer into the center at the thickest part, away from bone, fat, and gristle.
- For whole poultry (such as turkey or chicken), insert the thermometer into the inner thigh area near the breast but not touching bone.
- For ground meat (such as meat loaf), insert the thermometer into the thickest area.
- For thin items such as chops and hamburger patties, insert the thermometer sideways.
Minimum Internal Temperature Chart
| SAFE MINIMUM INTERNAL TEMPERATURES FOR BEEF, POULTRY, AND OTHER FOODS | |
|---|---|
| PRODUCT | MINIMUM FAHRENHEIT |
| Beef | |
| Ground | 160°F |
| Roasts, steaks, and chops | 145°F; allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
| Casseroles | 165°F |
| Chicken | |
| Ground | 165°F |
| Whole | 165°F |
| Breasts, roasts | 165°F |
| Parts (legs, thighs, wings) | 165°F |
| Duck (whole or pieces) | 165°F |
| Eggs and egg dishes | |
| Eggs | Cook until yolk and white are firm |
| Egg dishes | 160°F |
| Fish and shellfish | |
| Fin fish | 145°F or cook until flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork |
| Shrimp, lobster, and crabs | Cook until flesh is pearly and opaque |
| Clams, oysters, and mussels | Cook until shells open during cooking |
| Scallops | Cook until flesh is milky white or opaque and firm |
| Goose (whole or pieces) | 165°F |
| Gravies, sauces, and soups | Bring to a rolling boil when reheating |
| Ham | |
| Fresh or smoked (uncooked) | 145°F; allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
| Precooked (fully cooked, to reheat) | 140°F |
| Lamb | |
| Ground | 160°F |
| Roasts, steaks, chops | 145°F; allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
| Leftovers | 165°F |
| Pork | |
| Ground | 160°F |
| Roasts, steaks, chops | 145°F; allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
| Stuffing for poultry (cooked alone or in bird) | 165°F |
| Turkey | |
| Ground | 165°F |
| Whole | 165°F |
| Breasts, roasts | 165°F |
| Parts (legs, thighs, wings) | 165°F |
| Veal | |
| Ground | 160°F |
| Roasts, steaks, chops | 145°F; allow to rest for at least 3 minutes |
Do you use a meat thermometer? Share your safety tips in the comments below!
Reader Comments
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Thermometer
I use a thermometer in every meat item I cook for both food safety and the fact that a slight difference in food weight, humidity, or room Temperature will make a big change in cooking time. There are many oven and grill thermometers with probes that you can leave in the food while cooking. I have had five with different brands and price points and they all work great.
Best Meat Thermometer so far....
I started using a Meat thermometer when I realized that bacterias remain in a cooked food with the wrong temperature, finally, I have found amazing Thermometer very often and very satisfied with it
temperature conversions
°C to °F multiply by 9 divide by 5 then add 32.
°F to °C subtract 32 then multiply by 5 and divide by 9.
simples!
using a built in thermometer
I have a beautiful piece of middle topside of beef 2,5kg,,, I have a good quality oven with a built in theromoeter probe. The book advises to set the thermometer at 65 for medium rare cooking but what I get confused about is, when I put the probe in and plug it in I can select 65 but dont understand if I have to set the oven temperature dial as well, if I do, do I set it at normal 180 or do I have no need to set it at all.
thanks
using a built in thermometer
We highly suggest that you consult your manual. Otherwise, contact the company that made your oven.
Any suggestion where can i
Any suggestion where can i buy this? or is this available at amazon? i need this. thank you and good day. !
Meat Thermometers
Sorry, we don’t sell this product. Best bet is with Amazon!
Thank you for a straight
Thank you for a straight answer. I recommend this site to everyone. You give answers and I love that. I didn't have to sit here and try to figure on long It would he to cook my 33.35 lbs turkey...yum yum
I am doing bone broth and
I am doing bone broth and have a soup cooker that seems to cook things on the lowest setting below the safety level. Do you think it would be dangerous if the temperature was 156F for about four hours? When I put the bones in, I poured in boiling water first. The ingredients are really expensive and would hate to throw it out!
How do you guys work with the
How do you guys work with the imperial system?
Its so antiquated and has no logic.
I too would like to see a temperature scale in Celsius.
While you are at it can you change your date system as well? :-)
Thanks from Australia.
Leave the metrics to those in
Leave the metrics to those in the "old" world.
No disrespect, but can you
No disrespect, but can you imagine a pharmacy mixing Rx with oz.?? I don't know the Metric system, but we should have learned in school.
A quick suggestion . A lot of
A quick suggestion . A lot of countries now use the metric system
Printing both scales would be useful.
Divide FAH by 1.8 minus 32 will give you Celsius.
Gary
Thanks for adding this point.
Thanks for adding this point. We are a North American publication and reflect the system used by the readers who buy The Old Farmer's Almanac.
Your very interesting
Your very interesting publication came up on a google search for temperature of cooked meats, I too would have liked a metric also table
As an American, I also would
As an American, I also would like to see metric units. Spreading metric wherever possible is the only way we'll ever have a shot at leaving our antiquated system behind.
Gary, you got his wrong. You
Gary, you got his wrong.
You need to take the degrees Fahrenheit minus 32 and then divided by 1.8.
Kind regards, Steve