Which meats must be cooked all the way through?
Poultry, pork, rolled joints, burgers, sausages, chicken nuggets, kebabs, kidneys, liver and other types of offal, and any meat or fish that has been minced or skewered. The reason is that with whole cuts of meat, any harmful bacteria will live on the outside only. But if meat has been minced or chopped up, the bacteria get moved around.
How do I check these meats are properly cooked?
When you pierce the thickest part of the meat with a fork or skewer, the juices should run clear. For a whole chicken or other bird, the thickest part is the leg between the drumstick and the breast
Cut the meat open with a clean knife to check it is piping hot all the way through – it should be steaming
How to use a meat thermometer?
A meat thermometer measures the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry, or any casseroles, to assure that a safe temperature has been reached and that harmful bacteria have been destroyed.
Poultry and pork products; minced meat or any type of product made from minced meat (e.g. sausages, burgers); and meats which have been rolled or de-boned or composed of reformed meat pieces, must be cooked to a core temperature of at least 70°C for 2 minutes or equivalent (75°C instantaneously i.e. the immediate temperature reading obtained on inserting a temperature probe into the centre of the food).
Whole fish may be cooked to preference, but products made of minced fish (e.g. fish cakes) should always be cooked to a core temperature of at least 70°C for 2 minutes or equivalent (75°C instantaneously).
Which meats can be eaten rare?
Beef steaks, whole joints of beef, lamb chops, whole joints of lamb.
These can be eaten rare in the middle because harmful bacteria can only be on the outside. Vulnerable people, including elderly people, babies and toddlers, pregnant women and people who are unwell, should avoid eating lamb or beef that is rare or pink.
http://www.safefood.eu/Food-safety/Cooking/Cooking-meat.aspx
Test steaks, roasts and burgers for doneness using a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer. It should be inserted through the side, with the tip in the center of the cut, not touching any bone or fat. Remove steaks and burgers from the heat when the thermometer registers 5°F lower than the desired doneness, and roasts 5-10°F lower, as the temperature will continue to rise while resting.
Degree of doneness in steak with pictures
https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/kitchen/doneness.php
Cooked Food and Leftovers
Any temperature between 40° F (4.4° C) and 140° F (60° C) is considered the "danger zone" for food. If food is left in this danger zone for too long, harmful bacteria can grow to levels that could cause illness.
Never leave food out of the refrigerator for over 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90° F (32.2° C), no more than 1 hour.
Keep hot cooked food at or above 140° F (60° C) if you aren't serving it right away. Or, if you're serving buffet-style. Slow cookers, chafing dishes, and warming trays are good for keeping food warm for serving, or use a warming drawer or the Keep Warm setting of the oven (usually between 150° F (65.5° C ) and 200° F (93.3° C).
Keep cold food at or below 40° F (4.4° C). Many refrigerators have a default setting of 45° -- so be sure to check the temperature to guarantee food safety.
Put leftovers in shallow containers so they will cool quickly. They must be refrigerated at 40° F (4.4° C) or below within 2 hours.
Reheat foods to a minimum internal temperature of 165° F (73.9° C), or until they are steaming hot. When using a microwave to reheat leftovers, cover the container and rotate so they will be heated evenly.
https://www.thespruce.com/meat-temp-chart-and-safety-tips-3056800
Remember, you can’t tell whether meat is safely cooked by looking at it. Any cooked, uncured red meats – including pork – can be pink, even when the meat has reached a safe internal temperature.
Why the Rest Time is Important
After you remove meat from a grill, oven, or other heat source, allow it to rest for the specified amount of time. During the rest time, its temperature remains constant or continues to rise, which destroys harmful germs.
3 minutes for Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork and Fresh Ham
https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/charts/mintemp.html
| Meat, poultry, eggs and fish | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Beef, veal and lamb (pieces and whole cuts) | |
| Medium-rare | 63°C (145°F) |
| Medium | 71°C (160°F) |
| Well done | 77°C (170°F) |
| Pork (for example, ham, pork loin, ribs) | |
| Pork (pieces and whole cuts) | 71°C (160°F) |
| Ground meat and meat mixtures (for example, burgers, sausages, meatballs, meatloaf and casseroles) | |
| Beef, veal, lamb and pork | 71°C (160°F) |
| Poultry (for example, chicken, turkey) | 74°C (165°F) |
| Mechanically tenderized beef (solid cut) | |
| Beef, veal | 63°C (145°F) |
| Steak (turn over at least twice during cooking) | 63°C (145°F) |
| Poultry (for example, chicken, turkey, duck) | |
| Pieces | 74°C (165°F) |
| Whole | 82°C (180°F) |
| Egg | |
| Egg dishes | 74°C (165°F) |
| Seafood | |
| Fish | 70°C (158°F) |
| Shellfish (for example, shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops, clams, mussels and oysters) (Since it is difficult to use a food thermometer to check the temperature of shellfish, discard any that do not open when cooked. Learn more.) | 74°C (165°F) |
| Others | |
| Others (for example, hot dogs, stuffing, leftovers) | 74°C (165°F) |
| Game | Temperature |
| Chops, steaks and roasts (deer, elk, moose, caribou/reindeer, antelope and pronghorn) | |
| Well done | 74°C (165°F) |
| Ground meat | |
| Ground meat and meat mixtures | 74°C (165°F) |
| Ground venison and sausage | 74°C (165°F) |
| Large game | |
| Bear, bison, musk-ox, walrus, etc. | 74°C (165°F) |
| Small game | |
| Rabbit, muskrat, beaver, etc. | 74°C (165°F) |
| Game birds/waterfowl (for example, wild turkey, duck, goose, partridge and pheasant) | |
| Whole | 82°C (180°F) |
| Breasts and roasts | 74°C (165°F) |
| Thighs, wings | 74°C (165°F) |
| Stuffing (cooked alone or in bird) | 74°C (165°F) |