If an experienced eye is all you use to tell if meat, poultry, or egg dishes are cooked to a safe temperature, you're putting yourself and your family at risk of food-borne illnesses. Using a food thermometer is the only way to know if your food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy harmful bacteria.
The Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service has evaluated safe cooking temperatures for a variety of foods. Here are its recommendations:
1
Food |
1
Safe Cooking Temperatures |
---|---|
1
Ground Meat |
1
|
1
Beef, pork, veal, lamb |
1
160 degrees |
1
Poultry |
1
165 degrees |
1
Beef, Veal, Lamb (whole cuts) |
1
|
1
Medium-rare |
1
145 degrees |
1
Medium |
1
160 degrees |
1
Well-done |
1
170 degrees |
1
Poultry |
1
|
1
Whole birds |
1
180 degrees |
1
Breasts |
1
170 degrees |
1
Legs, thighs, wings |
1
180 degrees |
1
Pork (fresh) |
1
|
1
Medium |
1
160 degrees |
1
Well-done |
1
170 degrees |
1
Ham |
1
|
1
Fresh |
1
160 degrees |
1
Cooked |
1
140 degrees |
1
Fish and Shellfish |
1
145 degrees (at least for 15 sec) |
1
Egg dishes |
1
160 degrees |
1
Other |
1
|
1
Casseroles, combination dishes, stuffing, stews, leftovers |
1
165 degrees |
Source: Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, 2003
From: The Mayo Clinic and Food & Nutrition Center