Minimum inside temperatures
Probe the thickest part. The food must stay at the temperature for the hold time.
- Poultry (chicken, turkey), stuffed meat, fish or pasta, stuffing with meat, hunted game: 165°F, instant
- Ground meat and ground fish (burgers, sausage), eggs cooked to hold for later, injected or tenderized meat: 155°F for 17 seconds
- Steaks, chops, pork, fish, eggs cooked for right away: 145°F for 15 seconds
- Anything cooked in a microwave: 165°F, then cover, stir and let stand 2 minutes
- Fruits and vegetables cooked for hot holding: 135°F
Ground meat may also be 158°F instantly, 150°F for 1 minute, or 145°F for 3 minutes.
Sources: Food Code 3-401.11 · Food Code 3-401.12 · Food Code 3-401.13
Burgers: check every batch
- The Food Code minimum is 155°F for 17 seconds. The source protocols cook burgers to 160°F for a safety margin.
- Color is not a test. A brown center can still be under temperature.
- Push a thin-tip thermometer in from the side to the center of the thickest patty in each batch.
- Sanitize the probe between batches.
- Use clean tongs and a clean platter for cooked patties, never the raw-meat platter.
- Add cheese only after the patty is at temperature.
Sources: Food Code 3-401.11(A)(2) · Source protocols: how to cook hamburgers to temperature (160°F protocol target)
Whole roasts
Whole beef, pork, lamb or ham roasts can cook at a lower temperature if held there longer. Some pairs from the chart:
- 130°F for 112 minutes
- 135°F for 36 minutes
- 140°F for 12 minutes
- 145°F for 4 minutes
- 158°F instantly
The hold time may include the heat rise after the roast leaves the oven. Roasts cooked this way may be hot-held at 130°F or above.
Sources: Food Code 3-401.11(B) · Food Code 3-501.16(A)(1) · docs/source/research/buffet-and-dinner-service.md
Rare or undercooked on request
- A whole, intact beef steak may be served rare if the top and bottom are seared to 145°F with a cooked color on all outside surfaces. Not for highly susceptible groups.
- Anything else served raw or undercooked (burgers to order, soft eggs, raw fish) needs a written consumer advisory on the menu or a table tent.
- Never undercooked ground meat on a children's menu, and never for highly susceptible groups.
- Fish served raw or undercooked must be frozen first to kill parasites, with records, or come with the supplier's written freezing statement.
- Foods like aioli, Caesar dressing or meringue that aren't cooked use pasteurized eggs.
Sources: Food Code 3-401.11(C)–(D) · Food Code 3-603.11 · Food Code 3-402.11, 3-402.12 · Food Code 3-302.13
The rules behind it
- Cooking temperatures. Poultry 165°F, ground meat 155°F for 17 s (protocol 160°F), steaks/chops/fish 145°F, microwave 165°F and stand 2 minutes. Food Code 3-401.11, 3-401.12; R392-102-12(2)
- Whole roasts: cook chart and 130°F holding. Whole meat roasts reach a chart temperature and time (130°F for 112 minutes up to 145°F for 4 minutes, or 158°F instantly) in a preheated oven; roasts cooked this way may be hot-held at 130°F instead of 135°F. Food Code 3-401.11(B), 3-501.16(A)(1); docs/source/research/buffet-and-dinner-service.md · source
- Consumer advisory for raw or undercooked food. Animal food served raw or undercooked (burgers to order, rare meat other than seared whole-muscle beef steak, soft eggs, raw fish) needs a written disclosure and reminder on the menu or a table tent; never comminuted meat on a children's menu; never for highly susceptible people. Food Code 3-603.11, 3-401.11(C)–(D); docs/source/research/buffet-and-dinner-service.md; R392-102-15(3)(h) · source
- Parasite destruction for raw or undercooked fish. Fish served raw or undercooked is frozen first (-4°F for 7 days, or -31°F options) with records kept 90 days, or a supplier's written freezing statement. Not needed for fish cooked to 145°F. Food Code 3-402.11, 3-402.12; docs/source/research/buffet-and-dinner-service.md; R392-102-12(2) (Part 3-4) · source
- Pasteurized eggs in uncooked egg foods. Use pasteurized eggs in foods like aioli, mayonnaise, Caesar dressing, meringue, eggnog and ice cream unless they are cooked to Food Code temperatures. Food Code 3-302.13; docs/source/research/menu-items.md; R392-102-11(6)(d) · source