Safe Cooking Times

By Joelene

Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures

Use this chart and a food thermometer to ensure that meat, poultry, seafood, and other cooked foods reach a safe minimum internal temperature.

Ingredients

• Remember, you can’t tell whether meat is safely cooked by looking at it. Any cooked, uncured red meats – including pork – can be pink, even when the meat has reached a safe internal temperature.
• Why the Rest Time is Important-
• After you remove meat from a grill, oven, or other heat source, allow it to rest for the specified amount of time. During the rest time, its temperature remains constant or continues to rise, which destroys harmful germs.

Preparation

Step 1

Category-Food Temperature (°F)
Ground Meat & Meat Mixtures
Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb 160
Turkey, Chicken 165
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb Steaks, roasts, chops 145
Poultry Chicken & Turkey, whole 165
Poultry breasts, roasts 165
Poultry thighs, legs, wings 165
Duck & Goose 165
Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird) 165
Pork and Ham Fresh pork 145
Fresh ham (raw) 145 3 minutes
Precooked ham (to reheat) 140
Eggs & Egg Dishes Eggs Cook until yolk and white are firm
Egg dishes 160
Leftovers & Casseroles Leftovers 165
Casseroles 165
Seafood Fin Fish 145 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.