Safe Temperature For Cooking Meat

By Ken Jorgustin

Safe cooking is essential in preventing foodborne illness. You can’t see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness, so cook all meat to these minimum internal temperatures to destroy germs and pathogens as measured with a food thermometer before removing food from the heat source:

All temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit.

GROUND: Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb (160)

GROUND: Turkey, Chicken (165)

BEEF: Steaks, Roasts, Chops (145)

CHICKEN: Whole, Breast, Wings, Thighs, Legs (165)

TURKEY: Whole, Breast, Wings, Thighs, Legs (165)

DUCK & GOOSE (165)

PORK and HAM (145)

VEAL and LAMB (145)

GAME ANIMALS: Venison, Elk, Bison (160)

LEFTOVERS and CASSEROLES (165)

SEAFOOD: Fish, Shellfish (145)

Don’t rely upon color or texture alone to tell if the meat is safe to eat. Using a food thermometer is the only way to determine if foods are fully cooked.