Thermapen's internal meat cooking temperatures chart. A chart of meat temperatures you can rely on for succulent yet safe food
We have created a food temperature chart for UK cooks. This food and meat temperature chart enables you to easily refer to the temperature of cooked chicken, cooked sausages and beef based on your preference, as well as the internal temperature of cakes, jams and confectionery.
The number one meat cooking temperature chart.
Meat cooking temperatures
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
Turkey Meat temperatures
Defrosted Turkey -1 to 4°C
Top Tip: Remove the turkey from the oven when it reaches 67°C. As it rests, the turkey meat temperature will rise to a safe and succulent 74°C.
Monitor the turkey as it cooks with a leave-in turkey thermometer, like the DOT. It will alert you when the temperature of your turkey is spot-on.
Double-check the internal temperature all over with an instant-read thermometer, such as the Thermapen ONE. Temperatures can vary in big pieces of meat, so ensure it's safe to eat throughout.
best turkey Thermometers
- Red meat roasts and steaks can be tricky to cook to your desired finish. Cutting into the meat to check if it's done will spoil it, and removing it from the heat a few minutes too soon or too late can leave you with an inedible meal. Cooking times will never guarantee you a perfect finish. For roasts like beef and lamb, we recommend using a leave-in meat thermometer to ensure you get it spot on. Always place the probe into the thickest part of the meat.
- Pork temperature charts are useful to have for pork roasts and cuts of pork like steaks and pork chops. You can cook pork to a medium or well-done temperature depending on your preference.
- Poultry is one of the most important foods to cook to temperature for food safety. Whether you're preparing chicken breasts, chicken thighs or turkey, always cook to temperature using a food thermometer. When chicken cooks, all of the harmful bacteria is destroyed at an internal temperature of 74 °C.
- Like chicken, cooking burgers and ground meat to a certain temperature is important for food safety. Beef burger patties should be cooked to 71 °C to be safe to consume. Cooking medium rare burgers at home isn't usually recommended because ground meat can contain harmful bacteria, so to create perfect burgers cook to the safe burger temperature of 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
Soft Ball (Fudge) 112 - 116 °C
Soft Crack (Butterscotch) 132 - 143 °C
Firm Ball (Caramel) 118 - 120 °C
Hard Ball (Nougat) 121 - 130 °C
Hard Crack (Toffee/Lollipops) 149 - 154 °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.
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. We have also included a pork temperature chart above and the safe to consume, well done chicken temp. Its important both pork and chicken are cooked to the correct internal temperature for both safety and quality reasons.
- 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.