Reference
Safe cooking temperatures and leftover storage guide
This is for home cooks who want a quick, trustworthy answer to two questions: how hot does this need to get, and how long can I keep it. Choose a food to see the minimum internal temperature published by the US Department of Agriculture, and optionally type what your thermometer says. The tables underneath cover the danger zone and leftovers.
Worked example (shown when scripts are off): chicken, turkey and other poultry need to reach 165 °F (about 74 °C) in the thickest part. A reading of 160 °F means keep cooking.
Before you rely on it
A thermometer is the only reliable way to know. Colour and juices are not. If you are cooking for babies, older adults, pregnant people, or anyone with a weakened immune system or a medical condition, follow the guidance of their doctor and the official food-safety agency in your country, which may be stricter.
Minimum internal temperatures
| Food | Minimum internal temperature | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Poultry (whole, pieces, ground) and stuffing | 165 °F (73.9 °C) | Check the thickest part of the breast, thigh and wing |
| Ground beef, pork, veal and lamb | 160 °F (71.1 °C) | Grinding mixes surface bacteria through the meat |
| Steaks, chops and roasts of beef, pork, veal and lamb | 145 °F (62.8 °C) | Rest at least 3 minutes before carving |
| Fish and shellfish | 145 °F (62.8 °C) | Flesh turns opaque |
| Egg dishes | 160 °F (71.1 °C) | Casseroles, quiche and baked custards |
| Leftovers and casseroles | 165 °F (73.9 °C) | Reheat all the way through |
The rest time matters. The temperature keeps working during the rest, so the 3 minutes is part of the safety rule for whole cuts, not just a way to keep the juices in. Put the probe into the thickest part, away from bone, fat and the pan, and check in a second spot if the piece is irregular.
The danger zone and the two-hour rule
Bacteria multiply fastest between 40 °F and 140 °F (about 4 °C to 60 °C). Keep cold food at 40 °F or below and hot food at 140 °F or above. Perishable food should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour when the air temperature is above 90 °F, such as at a summer picnic. This also applies to food that has been sitting on a warming plate or in a slow cooker that was switched off.
Storing leftovers
| Step | Rule |
|---|---|
| Cool quickly | Get food to 40 °F or below as fast as possible. Hot food can go straight into the refrigerator, or sit in an ice or cold water bath first. Shallow containers cool faster than a deep pot |
| Refrigerator | Keep leftovers 3 to 4 days at 40 °F or below |
| Freezer | Freeze at 0 °F or below; leftovers keep their best quality for about 3 to 4 months |
| Thaw | In the refrigerator, in cold water, or in the microwave. Never on the counter |
| Reheat | To 165 °F, hot all the way through |
Freezing stops bacteria growing but does not kill them, so frozen food is safe indefinitely at 0 °F while quality slowly declines. The 3 to 4 months is about taste and texture, not a safety cliff. Label containers with the date you cooked, because nobody remembers whether the chili was Tuesday or last Friday. When in doubt about leftovers, throw them out: a smell test does not detect the bacteria that make people ill.
What this does not cover
Raw meat storage times, canning, home preserving, pregnancy-specific food advice and safe handling during an illness outbreak or power cut each have their own official guidance. Look those up from the USDA or your national food-safety agency rather than relying on a general page. This page is general information, not medical advice.
Where this comes from
The temperatures, the danger zone, the 2-hour and 1-hour rule, the leftover storage times and the thaw and reheating rules come from the US Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service: its safe minimum internal temperature chart and its pages on leftovers and food safety, the danger zone and steps to keep food safe. We confirmed these figures through search summaries of those pages, because the official pages would not open directly for us. Check the current chart on the USDA site if a number matters to you. Other countries publish slightly different figures.