Meat and Poultry Roasting Temperatures

Food safety is something we talk about a lot in this business, and for good reason. One of the most important parts of it happens right in your kitchen: cooking meat and poultry properly.

For the most part, pork, lamb, chicken, and turkey need to be cooked thoroughly. No part of the meat should be left raw. You might see videos online of people eating raw chicken — please don’t do that.

Beef is a little different. It’s the one meat you can safely enjoy rare, medium-rare, medium, or well-done, depending on your preference.

The best way to know your meat is cooked safely is to use a thermometer. A simple meat thermometer is all you need — no batteries or smartphone required. Just insert it into the thickest part of the meat (without touching bone) and check the temperature.

Here’s a reliable reference guide to help you.

(Industry-recognized meat and poultry cooking temperature chart appears below.)