What temperature should food be cooked to? Below is a food temperature chart you can easily refer to. Save it or print it; just make sure it’s to hand when cooking in the kitchen. Use this guide to ensure each dish is cooked to its prime.
Meat temperatures
Poultry 74°C
Fish 60°C
Beef, Lamb, Veal (Rare) 52°C
Beef, Lamb, Veal (Medium) 60°C
Beef, Lamb, Veal (Well Done) 71°C
Pork Roasts, Steaks & Chops (Medium) 63°C
Pork Roasts, Steaks & Chops (Well Done) 71°C
Sausages 71°C
Baking temperatures
Rich Dough 77°C
Lean Dough 88-93°C
Sourdough 97°C
Sponge Cake 95-98°C
Fruit Cake 98-100°C
Yeast (Water temp.) 41-46°C
Butter (Softened) 18-19°C
Jam (Setting Point) 105°C
CONFECTIONERY temperatures
Syrup (Thread) 110-112°C
Fondants, Fudge & Pralines 112-116°C
Caramel (Firm Ball) 118-120°C
Divinity & Nougat (Hard Ball) 121-130°C
Taffy (Soft Crack) 132-143°C
Brittles, Lollipops & Hardtack (Hard Crack) 149-154°C
Flan & Caramel Cages 160-177°C
REHEATING temperatures
All reheated foods 75°C
All reheated foods, whether thats precooked meat or vegetables, should reach and maintain a temperature of 75°C for 30 seconds before consumption.
There are a number of reasons for using temperature as a guide when cooking meat, baking, creating confectionery and reheating food.
- With some foods like chicken, ground meat and foods that have been pre-cooked, it's crucial to heat them to a specific temperature in order to be safe to consume.
- Steaks and red meat roasts can be tricky to cook to your desired finish. Cooking to a specific temperature is the only way to ensure they are spot on, every time.
- For baked goods, monitoring the temperature of your ingredients will help you create consistency. Using temperature as a guide is key to getting that perfect rise.
- Temperature is crucial to confectionery, many processes such as caramel, jam and Italian meringue rely on precise temperatures for the ideal consistency.