Safe Cooking Guidelines

Header Image: 
Four foil pouches on a baking sheet in an oven with a woman testing the temperature of one.

SAFE COOKING GUIDELINES


SAFE MINIMUM INTERNAL TEMPERATURES

as measured with a food thermometer

Beef, pork, veal, and lamb (roast, steaks, and chops)

145°F with a three-minute “rest time” after removal from the heat source

Ground meats

165°F

Poultry (whole, parts, or ground)

165°F

Eggs and egg dishes

160°F, but cook eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm; scrambled eggs should not be runny

Leftovers

165°F

Finfish

145°F

GUIDELINES FOR SEAFOOD

Shrimp, lobster, crabs

Flesh pearly and opaque

Clams, oyster, and mussels

Shells open during cooking

Scallops

Milky white, opaque and firm

Partnership for Food Safety Education 2016