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This is a reference page. The numbers come from FoodSafety.gov and the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), not from us: we are home cooks, and cooking temperatures are an area where published guidance beats kitchen folklore.
Why a thermometer, and not a guess
The US guidance is simple: FoodSafety.gov says to always use a food thermometer to check that meat has reached a safe minimum internal temperature. The UK FSA accepts visual checks when you have no thermometer (food steaming hot all the way through, no pink left in chicken, juices running clear) but also recommends a thermometer to be sure.
For a family kitchen, a digital probe thermometer is the single most useful food-safety tool you can own. It ends the “is it done?” guessing on chicken, sausages and burgers, which are exactly the foods children eat most.
The US chart
From FoodSafety.gov’s safe minimum internal temperature chart. Measure in the thickest part of the food.
| Food | Safe internal temperature | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken, turkey and all poultry (whole, pieces, mince, sausages, stuffing) | 165°F (74°C) | No rest time needed |
| Mince and sausages (beef, pork, lamb, veal) | 160°F (71°C) | Includes burgers and meatballs |
| Beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops and roasts | 145°F (63°C) | Then rest for 3 minutes |
| Fish | 145°F (63°C) | Or until opaque and it flakes with a fork |
| Egg dishes (frittata, quiche) | 160°F (71°C) | Plain eggs: cook until yolk and white are firm |
| Casseroles, and leftovers of any kind | 165°F (74°C) | When reheating |
| Raw ham | 145°F (63°C) | Then rest for 3 minutes |
The rest time matters. FoodSafety.gov explains that resting lets the innermost part of the meat finish cooking safely, so a steak or a pork chop taken off the heat at 145°F should sit for three minutes before you cut it.
The UK approach: temperature and time together
The FSA’s cooking guidance works slightly differently. The middle of the food should reach 70°C for 2 minutes, or one of these equivalent combinations:
- 60°C for 45 minutes
- 65°C for 10 minutes
- 70°C for 2 minutes
- 75°C for 30 seconds
- 80°C for 6 seconds
The two systems are not in conflict: both are designed to kill the same bacteria, and the UK version simply spells out that a lower temperature held for longer does the same job.
What can be pink, and what can’t
The FSA explains that whole cuts of meat such as steaks and joints (except poultry and pork) only carry bacteria on the outside surface. They can be served pink in the middle, as long as the outside is properly seared.
Mincing or skewering moves surface bacteria all the way through. So mince, burgers, sausages, kebabs, rolled joints and offal must be cooked through, and the FSA says burgers should not be served rare or pink at home. For children, that is the rule that matters most: it covers most of what they eat.
How to use a probe thermometer
- Push the tip into the thickest part of the food, which is the last part to heat through.
- Keep it away from bone, which conducts heat and gives a falsely high reading.
- For thin foods such as burgers and sausages, go in from the side so the tip sits in the centre.
- Check more than one piece in a batch: the pieces at the edge of a pan cook faster than those in the middle.
- Clean the probe after every use. The FSA points out that a dirty probe spreads bacteria from raw to cooked food.
Questions we get asked
Why do US and UK leftovers advice differ?
The US says to reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). The FSA says to reheat until steaming hot all the way through, and to reheat food only once. Doing both is the safest habit. Our leftovers guide covers how long cooked food keeps.
Do I need a thermometer for vegetables?
No. The charts are about meat, poultry, fish, eggs and reheated leftovers, where bacteria are the concern.
Is the pop-up timer in a turkey enough?
Check with a thermometer as well. The poultry figure is 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh and breast.
Where to go next
- How to defrost food safely
- How long leftovers last
- Family kitchen safety checklist
- Sausage rolls, where checking the filling matters
