The World's Tallest Chef

Safe Food Temperature Guide

Safe Minimum Temperatures + Steak Doneness

Always use a food thermometer and check the thickest part of the food. Do not rely only on color, texture, or cooking time.

Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures

Food	Safe Temperature
Poultry: chicken, turkey, duck, goose	165°F
Ground poultry: ground chicken or turkey	165°F
Stuffing cooked inside poultry	165°F
Ground meats: beef, pork, lamb, veal, bison	160°F
Sausage, beef/pork/lamb	160°F
Whole cuts: beef, pork, lamb, veal steaks, chops, roasts	145°F + 3-minute rest
Fresh ham, uncooked	145°F + 3-minute rest
Fully cooked ham, reheated	165°F
USDA-inspected fully cooked ham, reheated	140°F
Fish	145°F
Shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops	Cook until pearly/opaque and firm
Clams, mussels, oysters	Cook until shells open
Oysters Rockefeller	145°F
Eggs	Cook until yolk and white are firm
Egg dishes: quiche, frittata, custards	160°F
Casseroles	165°F
Stuffing / dressing	165°F
Leftovers	165°F
Soups, stews, sauces with meat/poultry/seafood, reheated	165°F
Rabbit / venison	160°F

Steak / Beef Doneness Temperatures

These are common doneness temperatures for steak and whole cuts of beef. For food safety, USDA recommends whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and veal reach 145°F with a 3-minute rest. Ground meats should reach 160°F, and poultry should reach 165°F.

Doneness	Temperature
Rare	120°F–125°F
Medium rare	130°F–135°F
Medium	140°F–145°F
Medium well	150°F–155°F
Well done	160°F+

Holding Temperatures

Holding / Storage	Temperature
Cold holding	40°F or below
Hot holding	140°F or above
Danger zone	40°F–140°F

Danger Zone Note

The danger zone is 40°F–140°F. This is the temperature range where bacteria can grow quickly on food. Keep cold foods at 40°F or below and hot foods at 140°F or above. Do not leave perishable foods sitting out too long.

Final Safety Note

Use a clean food thermometer and check the thickest part of the food, away from bone, fat, or gristle. When reheating leftovers, casseroles, soups, stews, and sauces with meat, poultry, or seafood, heat to 165°F.

Kitchen Safety & Cross-Contamination Guide

Knives, Equipment, Raw Foods, Gloves & Cleaning

Knife Safety

• Use a sharp knife. A dull knife can slip and cause injury.
• Knives should be cleaned, dried properly, stored safely, and kept sharp.
• Keep knives sharp by using a sharpening steel, honing rod, knife sharpener, or a professional sharpening service.
• Some hardware stores, kitchen stores, butcher shops, or places like Ace Hardware may offer knife-sharpening services.
• Use the correct knife for the job.
• Cut on a stable cutting board.
• Keep fingers tucked back and away from the blade.
• Do not rush.
• Do not try to catch a falling knife. Step back and let it fall.
• Wash and dry knives carefully after use.
• Store knives safely in a knife block, rack, safe drawer space, or knife sheath if possible.

Cutting Safety

• Always use a stable cutting board.
• Keep your fingers tucked back and away from the blade.
• Do not cut food while holding it in your hand if it can be placed safely on a cutting board.
• Avoid cutting toward your body. Whenever possible, cut away from yourself.
• When filleting fish or trimming meat, angle the knife and cutting motion away from your body.
• A sharp knife is safer than a dull knife because it requires less force and is less likely to slip.

How to Wash a Knife Safely

1. Wash one knife at a time.
2. Hold the knife by the handle with the blade facing away from your body.
3. Use a sponge or cloth carefully, keeping the sharp edge controlled and visible.
4. Wipe from the back/spine of the knife toward the cutting edge, not toward your hand.
5. Never leave sharp knives loose in a sink full of water where someone can reach in and get cut.
6. Rinse carefully.
7. Dry the knife immediately with a towel, keeping your fingers away from the edge.
8. Store the knife safely in a knife block, sheath, rack, or safe drawer space.

Proper Equipment

• Use proper kitchen equipment for the task.
• Use oven-safe pans, bowls, and ramekins when placing items in the oven.
• Use heat-safe utensils near hot pans and broilers.
• Use a stable cutting board.
• Use a food thermometer for meats, poultry, seafood, casseroles, and reheated foods.
• Improper equipment can be dangerous and may increase the risk of burns, cuts, breakage, or food-safety problems.

Cross-Contamination

Cross-contamination happens when germs from raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, or dirty surfaces spread to ready-to-eat foods.

• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs separate from ready-to-eat foods.
• Use separate cutting boards for raw proteins and produce/bread.
• Do not place cooked food back on a plate that held raw food.
• Wash hands, knives, cutting boards, counters, and utensils after handling raw products.
• Store raw meat, poultry, and seafood in sealed containers so juices do not drip onto other foods.

Safe Handling of Raw Products

• Keep raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs cold until ready to use.
• Wash hands before and after handling raw products.
• Use gloves if desired, but change gloves when switching tasks.
• Gloves do not replace handwashing.
• Cook foods to safe internal temperatures.
• Do not taste marinades, sauces, or mixtures that touched raw meat unless they are boiled or cooked safely.

Cleaning Sinks, Knives & Work Areas

• Wash knives, cutting boards, utensils, and counters with hot, soapy water after preparing each food item.
• Wash sinks and surrounding counter areas after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
• Dry knives carefully and store them safely.
• Do not leave sharp knives loose in a sink full of water.
• Sanitize surfaces when needed after cleaning.

Raw Poultry & Sink Safety

Washing or rinsing raw poultry is generally not recommended because it can spread bacteria through splashing. However, if you feel you need to rinse poultry, do it as carefully as possible to reduce mess and cross-contamination.

A safer method is to place the poultry in a large separate bowl or roasting pan, away from other foods. Gently pour cold water over the poultry instead of spraying it directly under running sink water.

After rinsing:

1. Carefully discard the water.
2. Keep the water from splashing onto counters, dishes, or other foods.
3. Wash and sanitize the bowl or pan.
4. Clean and sanitize the sink if any water or raw poultry touched it.
5. Wash hands well.
6. Clean and sanitize nearby counters, faucet handles, knives, cutting boards, and any utensils used.

Use gloves if desired, but remember that gloves do not replace handwashing. Change gloves after handling raw poultry.

Soap, Chemical & Cleaner Safety

• Keep food away from soap, cleaners, sanitizers, chemicals, and cleaning sprays.
• Do not place food directly in a sink that has soap, cleaner, or chemical residue.
• Rinse and clean food-safe surfaces before using them for food prep.
• Store cleaning products away from food, cookware, utensils, and prep areas.
• Do not spray cleaners near uncovered food.
• If soap, cleaner, or chemicals get on food, discard the food.
• Use only food-safe sanitizers on food-contact surfaces, and follow the label directions.
• Never mix soap, bleach, ammonia, vinegar, or other cleaning chemicals together. Mixing cleaners can create dangerous fumes.
• If using diluted bleach or sanitizer, follow the label directions, use proper ventilation, and keep it away from food.

Hot Food, Cold Food & Hand Sanitizer Safety

• Keep hot food hot and cold food cold.
• Hot foods should be held at 140°F or above.
• Cold foods should be held at 40°F or below.
• Do not let perishable foods sit in the danger zone, which is 40°F–140°F, for too long.
• Handwashing with soap and water is best before handling food.
• Hand sanitizer should not replace proper handwashing when preparing food, especially if hands are greasy, dirty, or have touched raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
• Alcohol-based hand sanitizers may leave an alcohol smell or residue on the hands. Let hands dry completely before handling food if sanitizer is used.
• Do not handle ready-to-eat food with wet sanitizer still on your hands.
• If soap and water are available, wash hands properly instead of relying only on sanitizer.
• Gloves can be used, but gloves do not replace handwashing. Wash hands before putting gloves on and after removing them.

Glove Safety

• Gloves can help protect hands and reduce mess.
• Wash hands before putting gloves on.
• Change gloves after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs.
• Change gloves if they tear, get dirty, or if you touch your face, phone, trash, sink, or anything unclean.
• Wash hands after removing gloves.

Final Kitchen Safety Note

Clean, separate, cook, and chill. Wash hands and surfaces often, keep raw foods separate, cook foods to safe temperatures, and refrigerate promptly.