Cooking meat to the proper internal temperature is one of the most important food safety practices. Undercooked meat can harbor harmful bacteria, but reaching the right temperature ensures your food is both safe and flavourful.
The most reliable way to confirm your meat is cooked thoroughly is by using a food thermometer. It takes only a few seconds to check, and that small step helps guarantee every meal you serve is delicious, safe, and perfectly cooked.
How to use a food thermometer:
- Insert the thermometer correctly: Place the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, where it takes the longest to cook. Push the probe into the centre of the cut, avoiding any bone as this can give a false reading.
- For burgers and ground meat: Insert the food thermometer through the side of the patty, not through the top.
- Check each piece of meat separately: If you’re cooking multiple pieces of meat (such as chicken breasts or steaks), check the internal temperature of each piece individually.
- Use a digital thermometer for accuracy: Digital thermometers tend to give faster and more precise readings than dial types.
Safe Internal Cooking Temperatures
| Meats and Seafood | Internal Cooking Temperature (ºF) |
|---|---|
| Ground meats | |
| Ground beef, lamb and pork | 71ºC (160ºF) |
| Ground turkey and chicken | 74ºC (165ºF) |
| Fresh beef, veal or lamb | |
| Medium rare | 63ºC (145ºF) |
| Medium | 71ºC (160ºF) |
| Well done | 77ºC (170ºF) |
| Fresh pork | |
| Pieces and cuts, pork or ham | 71ºC (160ºF) |
| Poultry | |
| Chicken, turkey pieces | 74ºC (165ºF) |
| Chicken, turkey whole | 82ºC (180ºF) |
| Duck and goose, whole | 82ºC (180ºF) |
| Seafood | |
| Fish | 70ºC (158ºF) |
| Shellfish* | 74ºC (165ºF) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Egg dishes and casseroles | 74ºC (165ºF) |
| Reheated leftovers, casseroles | 74ºC (165ºF) |
| stuffing, cooked alone or in bird | 74ºC (165ºF) |
| Hot dogs | 74ºC (165ºF) |
| Game Meat | |
| Ground meat and sausage | 74ºC (165ºF) |
| Large and small game | 74ºC (165ºF) |
| Note: *discard any shellfish that do not open when cooked. Scallops should be opaque and firm |
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