Cooking Tips: Food thermometer temperatures

According to the USDA, using a food thermometer is the only way to tell if food has reached a high enough temperature to destroy harmful bacteria and that it is the desired doneness.

Beef, veal, and lamb roasts can be cooked to medium rare (145 degrees F), medium (160 degrees F), or well done (170 degrees F). Fresh ham and pork roasts should be cooked to medium (160 degrees F) or well done (170 degrees F). If fully cooked hams are reheated, a food thermometer should be used to be sure the meat reaches 140 degrees F.

Fresh game meats should reach 160 degrees F throughout to kill foodborne bacteria and parasites. Whole game birds as well as domestically raised ducks, geese, capons, Cornish hens, and other chicken should be cooked to the same temperatures as for turkey: 180 degrees F in the thigh of whole birds; 170 degrees F if roasting only the breast meat.

Submitted by: ChefMom

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