This safe cooking temperatures chart gives you a practical way to check chicken, meat, fish, eggs, casseroles, and leftovers with a food thermometer. Use the table as a quick reference, then follow the placement and reheating steps below for a more reliable result than judging doneness by color alone.
Overview
Cooking time is only an estimate. The final internal temperature depends on the food’s thickness, starting temperature, oven or pan, and whether it is covered. A thermometer measures the part that matters most: the coolest area inside the food.
For the temperatures below, use a digital food thermometer and read the temperature in the thickest part. The figures are minimum internal temperatures for common foods, expressed in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
| Food or scenario | Minimum internal temperature | Important check |
|---|---|---|
| Whole poultry, poultry pieces, and ground poultry | 165°F (74°C) | Check the thickest part, avoiding bone. |
| Ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal | 160°F (71°C) | Insert the probe into the center of a patty or meatball. |
| Beef, pork, lamb, and veal steaks, chops, and roasts | 145°F (63°C), then rest for at least 3 minutes | Measure in the thickest section. |
| Fish and shellfish | 145°F (63°C) | Check the thickest portion; flesh should be opaque and separate easily. |
| Egg dishes, casseroles, and foods containing cooked meat or poultry | 165°F (74°C) | Test the center, where heating is often slowest. |
| Cooked leftovers being reheated | 165°F (74°C) | Stir dense or microwaved food and test more than one spot. |
The temperature is not a target for every part of the food at every moment; it is the minimum reading to verify at the coldest point. For large roasts, the temperature may continue to rise during resting. Follow the recipe’s rest instructions, but do not rely on resting alone when poultry, ground meat, fish, casseroles, or leftovers have not reached their minimum temperature.
Checklist by scenario
Chicken and other poultry
- Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, thigh, or another meaty section.
- Keep the probe away from bone, the pan, and any cavity, since these can give misleading readings.
- Check more than one piece when portions vary in size.
- Continue cooking until the lowest reading reaches 165°F (74°C).
Color and clear juices can be useful observations, but they are not substitutes for a temperature check. This applies to quick weeknight dinners, roasted chicken, grilled pieces, and air-fryer poultry alike.
Steak, pork chops, and roasts
- Place the probe sideways into the center of a thinner chop or steak, or straight into the thickest part of a roast.
- For whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal, verify 145°F (63°C).
- Remove from heat and rest for at least 3 minutes before slicing.
- For ground meat, check the center of the thickest patty or meatball and use 160°F (71°C) as the minimum.
A browned exterior does not confirm that ground meat has reached a safe internal temperature. Conversely, a little pink color in a whole cut does not by itself prove that it is unsafe; the thermometer reading is the better guide.
Fish and shellfish
- Test the thickest section of the fillet or portion.
- Look for a reading of 145°F (63°C).
- For a thin fillet, insert the probe from the side so the sensing area reaches the center.
- Use texture as a secondary check: fish should generally be opaque and separate easily with a fork.
Leftovers, casseroles, and meal-prepped food
- Reheat leftovers until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Stir soups, rice, pasta, and saucy dishes during microwave heating so hot and cold areas blend.
- Allow a short standing period when the appliance or recipe calls for it, then check the center again.
- For a large casserole, test the middle rather than only the edge.
Temperature checks work alongside good storage practices. For timing and storage limits, see How Long Do Leftovers Last in the Fridge? and the freezer meal guide.
What to double-check
Thermometer placement
The sensing tip must reach the coldest part of the food. In a thin burger or chop, insert from the side. In a roast, aim for the center. Avoid touching bone, a metal pan, or a pocket of fat. If the food has an irregular shape, check two or three locations and use the lowest reading.
Thermometer accuracy and handling
Make sure the display is easy to read and the probe is clean before and after use. If readings seem inconsistent, compare the thermometer with the manufacturer’s instructions or replace it if it is damaged. Do not leave a standard instant-read thermometer in the oven unless it is designed for that purpose.
Cooking method and temperature conversion
An oven setting controls the surrounding heat; it does not guarantee the food’s internal temperature. The same principle applies to a skillet, grill, slow cooker, pressure cooker, or air fryer. If your recipe uses Celsius or a fan-oven setting, convert the oven temperature separately from the food’s internal safety temperature. The oven temperature conversion guide can help with that distinction.
Cross-contamination
Use a clean probe when moving from raw food to cooked food, and wash hands, boards, utensils, and plates that contacted raw meat or poultry. Never return cooked food to the unwashed plate that held it raw.
Common mistakes
- Checking only the surface: The exterior can brown well before the center is ready.
- Testing beside a bone: Bone can interfere with a representative reading.
- Checking one piece only: The smallest and largest portions may finish at different times.
- Trusting color alone: Pinkness, clear juices, and flaking are clues, not a complete safety test.
- Reading a casserole at the edge: The middle is often the slowest area to heat.
- Reheating without stirring: Microwaves can leave cold pockets in dense or uneven food.
- Confusing oven temperature with internal temperature: A recipe’s 400°F oven setting does not mean the food has reached 400°F inside.
- Slicing immediately: Resting whole cuts helps retain juices and gives the interior time to settle.
For repeatable meal prep, record the food’s final temperature alongside the cooking time and method. This makes it easier to adjust a recipe when you change portion size; a recipe converter can help scale ingredients, but the thermometer should still decide when the food is done.
When to revisit
Save this chart for any unfamiliar cut, new appliance, seasonal grilling session, or batch-cooking day. Recheck your thermometer when it has been dropped, gives noticeably different readings, or has been stored for a long time. It is also sensible to review the guidance when food-safety recommendations, appliance instructions, or your preferred thermometer’s documentation are updated.
Before serving, use this final workflow:
- Identify the food category and its minimum temperature.
- Place a clean thermometer in the thickest or coldest part.
- Check multiple spots when pieces or portions are uneven.
- Continue cooking or reheating if the lowest reading is below the target.
- Clean the probe and any surfaces that contacted raw food.
- For leftovers, store or freeze the food promptly according to a reliable storage guide.
Keep the chart near your cooking notes, not just bookmarked for emergencies. A quick temperature check is one of the simplest ways to make everyday dinners, meal-prep recipes, and reheated lunches more consistent.
