Minimum Cooking Temperatures PDF Print

You need to check the temperature when you cook. Do you know how hot your food needs to get? Foods aren't cooked completely until they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness. Use this quick guide to find out how hot your food needs to get.

Source: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (foodsafety.gov).

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

160°

Fresh ham (raw)

160°

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°