At What Temperature Is My Meat Cooked?

Knowing about meat temperature is a vital aspect of cooking that shouldn’t be overlooked. Particularly in the season of giving when food consumption is at an annual high. Cooking temperature varies between meats, so it isn’t safe to assume that a set time frame will have the same effect on chicken as it will on beef, nor can cooking duration be relied on for two of the same type of meat. 

As a general guide, all meat should be cooked until they register at least 70°C internally. However, to ensure both food safety and perfect results, different meats should be cooked to differing internal temperatures. This article will cover all the bases, advise cooking durations and meat temperature, and highlight the usefulness of a digital meat thermometer. 

What happens if meat isn’t cooked?

If your ingredients don’t reach the recommended cooking temperature, you could be vulnerable to developing food poisoning or becoming ill due to the consumption of raw animal matter. Although it is generally safe to eat steaks and various red types of meat that are raw in the centre, the thorough cooking of white meats is essential to avoid illness. 

Pork, for example, can contain salmonella, E.coli, and Listeria. Three types of bacteria can cause abdominal cramps, fever, headaches, and nausea. Consumption of contaminated raw meat can cause you to develop sickness in as little as six hours after exposure but can take up to six days. For this reason, it is integral to pay attention to meat temperatures.

Most harmful bacteria in your meat can grow in conditions between 8°C and 60°C, which is why the ideal internal meat temperature is so high. Bacteria cannot survive in extreme temperatures and will die when in the oven for the correct amount of time.

Digital Meat Thermometers

Digital Meat Thermometers are incredibly useful little devices that detect the heat from the centre of your meat and determine its temperature. It does this using a strip of metal in the prong which bends or twists as a reaction to the surrounding heat. This metal strip will trigger a dial, which presents the temperature on the display and determines your meat temperature. 

Digital meat thermometers are incredibly accurate and show the temperature to the .0 degree. So with a digital meat thermometer, you can rest assured that your meat is cooked before serving. Investing in a digital thermometer not only increases your effectiveness in the kitchen, it ensures that you and your guests stay safe and well.

What temperature does my meat need to be?

Different types of meat will require different temperatures for varying durations of time to ensure they’re thoroughly cooked. The general rule is that all meats should be cooked until they’re at least 70°C, but the specifics below are far more accurate. 

Roast Chicken/ Turkey

Seasonal staples such as these should be analysed before cooking to ensure the task is completed safely. As is the case with any type of meat, the larger it is, the longer it will take to cook. So, you must first determine how heavy your meat is. 

The general rule is that for every kilogram of meat, you should set it in the oven for 45 minutes, plus 20 minutes, at a temperature of 200°C, 180°C fan, and gas mark 6. Finally, your chicken should be 75°C before it has reached its cooking temperature and is safe to eat. 

Roast Beef

The rules on beef aren’t as rigid as they are with other meats. The internal desired meat temperature depends entirely on the way you like to eat it, whether you’re partial to blue or well done at the other end of the spectrum. 

The lowest cooking temperature beef can be consumed at is 38°C, anything below this could expose you to potentially harmful bacteria. Although blue beef can be consumed after reaching a high of 38°C, rare beef should be 50°C, medium 60°C, and well-done 70°C. Minced meat such as burgers and sausages should be slightly higher, though, at 75°C. 

For medium rare, you should cook your beef for 20 minutes for every 500 grams. For medium, 25 minutes, and for well done, thirty minutes. 

Pork

We recommend you allow the pork to sit at room temperature for at least thirty minutes before you begin cooking. The even, neutral temperature of the meat will make it far easier for the pork to cook thoroughly and evenly. Rather than battling through cold spots. For fillets, your oven should be set at 160°C , and you should allow 45 minutes of cooking for every 500, plus 45 minutes to ensure the meat temperature reaches 60°C. 

Alternatively, if you’re cooking a leg joint, loin roast, shoulder, or pork rack, you should set your oven to 220°C and leave it to cook for 35 minutes per 500g, plus 35 minutes. Your meat temperature should be 70°C to be classed as cooked. 

Other types of meat

Generally, all meats should reach an internal cooking temperature of at least 65°C to be safely consumed. This includes all types of poultry, veal, lamb, ham, venison, rabbit, and bison.

Can you use a Digital Thermometer for Baking?

Absolutely. Professional bakers and chefs use digital food thermometers to test the internal temperature of baked goods. This is a foolproof, low-effort way of getting consistently great results. All-purpose food probe thermometers are ideal for baking, meat, and any kind of cooking where you need to check the internal temperature of food. 

They can be used to monitor the cooking temperature of a variety of food including:

– Meat and meat-based products

– Bread and other baked goods

– Soups, sauces and syrups

– Custard, cream and chocolate

What Temperature is Bread Done at?

Bread

While it may be true that experienced bakers can rely on the crust colour to determine optimum bake, you may want a little more scientific reliability. As a general guide, a loaf of 

bread is fully baked when it reaches 87-90°C at the centre. This will achieve baked, soft and moist bread. Going further than this may result in an over-bake, and mean a dry, tough loaf.

Cake

Similarly, some choose to use the ‘toothpick test’, whereby you stick a cake tester or toothpick into the middle of a cake. If it comes out clean, then the cake is done. However, another more accurate way to see if your cake is done is to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature. For most cakes, the centre should be around 98°C.

Brownies

Of course, the toothpick test isn’t foolproof. Gooey brownies or molten chocolate cakes can be done at a mere 74°C. At that temperature, the cake achieves food safety, but the gooey centre is preserved. So, the doneness cannot be accurately reflected in the toothpick method, which is why all good bakers use a digital food thermometer.

Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies should be pulled from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 82-85°C. With a good thermometer, you can play around with the doneness in order to find your preferred level of softness and perfect your cookies.

Kitchen and Bakery Equipment

Here at Creeds Direct, we supply a range of cooking equipment suitable for commercial, business and domestic use. We stock a selection of high-end and affordable digital food thermometers, including a variety of colour-coded thermometers for different purposes, to prohibit contamination in the kitchen. Our water-resistant digital pen thermometer is the most popular with our customers. For more information on each of these, explore our range.

Ensuring food safety in your kitchen has never been easier. Browse our vast selection of digital thermometers today and place your order for next-day delivery for orders placed before 1 pm.