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Susan M. Morgan, CFCS
County Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Education
Bolivia, NC 28422
August 23 1999

September is National Food Safety Month and this year's theme is "Cook It Safely... It's a Matter of Degrees." Recipe directions often say to cook a food until "done." Exactly what does that mean? While we worry about a food being done enough for safety, we should also be concerned about a food being "too done" for quality. You can assure 100 percent safety if food is overcooked until it tastes and looks like cardboard -- and no one will eat it!

Here are some tests and temperatures to help you know when a food is "done."

1. COMBINATION DISHES
   Cook casseroles and other combination dishes to 160° F the first time. When reheating or when cooking casseroles containing previously cooked foods, heat thoroughly to 165° F. If you microwave it, be sure to let it stand for 2 minutes and/or stir to evenly distribute the heat. Use a food thermometer to remove the guesswork and be sure your thermometer is accurate. Take a lesson from food service personnel and calibrate your thermometer regularly.
2. EGGS
   Cook eggs thoroughly so both yolks and whites are firm, not runny. Don't use recipes where eggs remain raw or only partially cooked. While it is safest to throw away eggs with cracked shells due to the potential presence of salmonella, if you're so conservative you feel you must use them, be sure to use them in baked goods, breads, cakes and long-cooking dishes. Let me repeat, it is best to throw them out!!!
3. FISH AND SEAFOOD
   Cook FISH (whole fish, steaks and fillets) until they're opaque and flake easily with a fork. IF you use a thermometer, it should reach 145° F. SHRIMP, LOBSTER AND CRAB should turn red (it's actually bright pink) and flesh should become pearly opaque. SCALLOPS should turn milk-white or opaque and firm. Cook CLAMS, MUSSELS, AND OYSTERS until the shells open.
4. MEAT
   Cook ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork to an internal temperature of 160° F and ground poultry to 165° F. When you cut into thoroughly cooked GROUND meat, the color is no longer considered a reliable indicator of ground beef safety. USE A THERMOMETER.
   Large Cuts of Beef, Veal, Lamb: These can stay slightly pink in the center if they have reached at least 145° F. Steaks and roasts cooked to an internal temperature of 145 ° F are medium rare, 160° F are medium, and 170° F are well done.
   Pork and Game Meats: For safety and taste, the 1999 Food Code recommends cooking pork to a minimum internal temperature of 145° F. At this temperature, the center of pork roasts may be somewhat pink and pork chops may have just a trace of pink color. Ground pork, sausage, injected meats and commercially dressed game meats should be cooked to an internal temperature of 155° F. The recommended temperature for field-dressed game meat is 165° F. Again, using a thermometer is the only way to know if the center has reached the recommended temperature.
5. POULTRY
   Cook whole poultry to 180° F. When poultry is pierced with a fork, the juices should be clear, not pink. If you want to stuff your poultry, it is best to cook the stuffing and meat then stuff the food. Often a large cut with stuffing is hard to cook to the proper internal temperature, so it is best to cook separately.
6. REHEATING
   We all have a few leftovers once in a while, and the rule of thumb here is to reheat to an internal temperature of at least 165° F. This goes for any food that has been served, chilled and is being reheated to serve again.
7. COOLING
   Perhaps one of the most critical parts of food preparation is cooling foods quickly and safely. If the food is to be served cool, like potato salad, ham salad, etc. it is imperative that the food be cooled quickly by placing in a shallow pan (2 inches in depth or less) in the refrigerator and cool to 40° F or less within 4 hours or place the dish in a larger dish filled with ice and stir to get the temperature down before refrigerating. The thing to avoid here is leaving the food in the "danger zone" which is 40° F and 140° F any longer than 4 hours counting preparation and storage time.

1. USE A CLEAN THERMOMETER
   Use a clean food thermometer to ensure that food is cooked to the proper internal temperature. This also applies to food cooked or reheated in a microwave. To prevent cross-contamination, wash the thermometer probe (the part inserted into the food) as well as its sheath, with hot water and soap after each use or wash and sanitize it in a chlorine solution. Use 3/4 cup chlorine bleach per gallon of water, or 3 tablespoons per quart. Use the plain kind without added odors and don't put more bleach in or you may leave an odor or flavor of chlorine on your utensils or dishes.
2. FOOD THERMOMETER TYPES
   Food thermometers come in several styles. The two types most commonly used in the home kitchen are INSTANT-READ and OVENPROOF thermometers.
   
   • Instant-Read Dial and Digital Thermometers: Instant-read thermometers aren't meant to be left in food while it's cooking. They give a quick reading when they're used to check the internal temperature during cooking and after food is cooked. They can be used on larger foods and are the best choice for smaller items such as steaks, patties, chops, and poultry pieces. Leave an instant-read thermometer inserted for about 15 to 20 seconds to register an accurate temperature. Be sure you can calibrate the thermometer and do it regularly.
   • Oven-Proof Dial Thermometers: Place ovenproof dial thermometers into food at the beginning of cooking and leave them throughout the cooking period. Their temperature-sensing coil on the probe portion is between 2 and 2 1/2 inches long and relatively thick. They work best on foods 3 or more inches.
     
   • NOTE: The small, disposable T-Stick thermometers are intended for use for smaller thin cuts of meat such as hamburgers. Do not use these with thicker cuts where the temperature sensor won't reach the center--thick such as roasts and whole or large pieces of poultry.
3. PLACE THERMOMETER CORRECTLY
   As a general rule, insert the thermometer into the center of the thickest portion of the food. If a food is irregularly shaped, you may need to check the temperature in several places. Here are some examples of where to check temperatures:
   • WHOLE POULTRY: insert into the inner thigh near the breast, but not touching the bone.
   • THIN FOOD: insert an instant-read thermometer sideways, or at an angle for thin food such as patties.
   • LARGE ROASTS, STEAKS, CHOPS: insert in the center of the thickest part, away from bone and fat.
   • CASSEROLES AND EGG DISHES: insert in center or thickest area.

Susan Morgan is Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Education for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Brunswick County. For more information or questions, contact Susan at 253-2610 or P. O. Box 109, Bolivia, NC 28422.

The information presented is for educational purposes only. References to trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service is implied.

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Date Created 8/23/99
Last Revised 8/23/99