Safe internal temperatures
An instant-read thermometer takes the guesswork out of cooking and is the only reliable way to know food is safe. As general guidance, poultry is cooked through at 74C / 165F; ground meats at 71C / 160F; whole cuts of beef, pork, and lamb are safe at 63C / 145F with a short rest; and fish at 63C / 145F or until it flakes. These are food-safety targets — you may cook some cuts further for texture and preference.
Check temperature at the thickest part, away from bone, which conducts heat and reads higher than the surrounding meat. Remember that carryover cooking continues to raise the temperature a few degrees after you pull food from the heat, so it is wise to stop just short of your target for tender cuts.
The danger zone
Bacteria multiply fastest between roughly 4C and 60C (40F to 140F) — the so-called danger zone. The goal of safe handling is to move food through this range quickly and to limit the total time it spends there. Do not leave perishable food at room temperature for more than about two hours, or one hour in hot weather.
Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave — never on the counter, where the outside warms into the danger zone while the center is still frozen. Cool leftovers quickly by dividing them into shallow containers before refrigerating.
Cross-contamination and storage
Keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood away from ready-to-eat foods at every stage. Use separate cutting boards (or wash thoroughly between uses), never place cooked food back on a plate that held it raw, and wash hands, knives, and surfaces after handling raw proteins.
Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use them within three to four days, or freeze them for longer storage. When reheating, bring food back to a steaming 74C / 165F throughout. When in doubt, throw it out — no meal is worth a foodborne illness.
