ً What is Safe Cooking?

Cook to Proper Temperatures

Cooking food safely is a matter of degrees! Before delving into
these hot” food safety topics, check out the quiz below and see
how your safe cooking know-how measures up

Cook It Right . . .

Foods are properly cooked when they
are heated for a long enough time — and
at a high enough temperature — to kill
harmful bacteria that can cause
food borne illness. And these
temperatures vary, depending on
the food.

. . . And Keep It Hot
When serving up hot food buffet-style,
remember . . .

• On a buffet table, hot foods should be
kept at 140° F or higher. Keep food
hot with chafing dishes, crock pots,
and warming trays.
When bringing hot soup, chili, or crab
dip to an outdoor party . . .
• Keep it all piping hot before serving.
Before the party, place these foods in
insulated thermal containers. Keep
containers closed until party time.
“Eating Out” Tip of the Day
Choose menu items that are thoroughly cooked. If it
appears that any food, such as beef, pork, chicken,
fish, or eggs, has not been thoroughly cooked, return
the food for additional cooking.

To keep food safe, cook it thoroughly.
Always use a clean food thermometer
to check the internal temperature of the foods below.

Safe-Cooking
Temperature Chart
Beef/Pork
• Cook beef roasts and steaks to 145° F for
medium rare or to 160° F for medium.
• Cook ground beef to at least 160° F.
• Cook raw sausages to 160° F.
• Reheat ready-to-eat sausages to 165° F.
• Cook pork roasts, chops, or ground patties
to 160° F for medium, or 170° F for well done.
Poultry
• Cook whole poultry to 180° F.
• Cook chicken breasts to 170° F.
• Cook stuffing to 165° F.
Eggs
• Cook eggs until the yolks and whites are firm.
• Don’t use recipes in which eggs remain raw or
only partially cooked.
Fish
• Cook fish until it’s opaque and flakes easily
with a fork.
• For food safety reasons, avoid eating
uncooked oysters or shellfish. People with
liver disorders or weakened immune systems
are especially at risk for getting sick.
Leftovers
• When reheating leftovers, heat them

1. Thumbs Up for “ThermyTM”—
Use a clean food thermometer,
which measures the internal
temperature of cooked foods, to
make sure meat, poultry, egg
dishes, casseroles, and other foods
are cooked all the way through.
2. Microwave Musts — When
cooking in a microwave oven, make
sure there are no cold spots in food
where bacteria can survive. For best
results, cover food, stir, and rotate
for even cooking. If there is no
turntable, rotate the dish by hand
once or twice during cooking.
3. Shake, Rattle, and Roll —
Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to
a rolling boil when reheating.