Safe Cooking Temperatures - You can't tell by looking ... use a food thermometer to be sure!
Recommended internal cooking temperature - PDF version (PDF 1 MB)
|
GROUND MEAT & MEAT MIXTURES
|
| Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb |
71ºC (160ºF) |
| Turkey, Chicken |
74ºC (165ºF) |
|
back to top
|
|
FRESH BEEF, VEAL, LAMB
|
| Medium- Rare |
63ºC (145ºF) |
| Medium |
71ºC (160ºF) |
| Well Done |
77ºC (170ºF) |
|
back to top
|
|
FRESH PORK
|
| Medium |
71ºC (160ºF) |
|
HAM
|
|
| Fresh (raw) |
71ºC (160ºF) |
| Pre-Cooked (to reheat) |
74ºC (165ºF) |
|
back to top
|
|
POULTRY
|
| Chicken & Turkey, whole |
85ºC (185ºF) |
| Poultry parts |
74ºC (165ºF) |
| Duck & Goose |
74ºC (165ºF) |
| Stuffing, cooked alone or in bird |
74ºC (165ºF) |
|
back to top
|
| SEAFOOD |
| Fin Fish |
70ºC (158ºF)
flesh is opaque |
| Shrimp, Lobster & Crabs |
74ºC (165ºF)
flesh is pearly & opaque
|
| Clams, Oysters & Mussels |
shells open during cooking |
| Scallops |
milky white or opaque & firm |
|
back to top
|
|
EGGS & EGG DISHES
|
| Egg dishes and casseroles, |
74ºC (165ºF) |
|
back to top
|
|
LEFTOVERS & CASSEROLES
|
| Reheated |
74ºC (165ºF) |
|
back to top
|
| Cooking temperatures provided by Health Canada |
Storage Chart
PDF version (PDF 426 KB)
| |
Refrigerator
4ºC (40ºF) |
Freezer
-18ºC (0ºF) |
|
FRESH MEAT
|
| Beef - Steaks, Roasts |
2-4 days |
10-12 months |
| Pork-Chops, Roasts |
2-4 days |
8-12 months |
| Lamb-Chops, Roasts |
2-4 days |
8-12 months |
| Veal Roasts |
3-4 days |
8-12 months |
| Ground Meat |
1-2 days |
2-3 months |
|
back to top
|
|
FRESH POULTRY
|
| Chicken, Turkey - whole |
2-3 days |
1 year |
| Chicken, Turkey - pieces |
2-3 days |
6 months |
|
back to top
|
|
FRESH FISH
|
| Lean fish (e.g., cod, flounder) |
3-4 days |
6 months |
| Fatty fish (e.g., salmon) |
3-4 days |
2 months |
| Shellfish (e.g., clams, crab, lobster) |
12-24 hours |
2-4 months |
| Scallops, Shrimp, Cooked Shellfish |
1-2 days |
2-4 months |
|
back to top
|
|
HAM
|
| Canned ham |
6-9 months |
Don't Freeze |
| Ham, fully cooked (half & slices) |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
|
back to top
|
|
BACON & SAUSAGE
|
| Bacon |
1 week |
1 month |
| Sausage, raw (pork, beef, turkey) |
1-2 days |
1-2 months |
| Pre-cooked, smoked links or patties |
1 week |
1-2 months |
|
back to top
|
|
LEFTOVERS
|
| Cooked meat, stews, egg or vegetable dishes |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Gravy & meat broth |
1-2 days |
2-3 months |
| Cooked poultry and fish |
3-4 days |
4-6 months |
| Soups |
2-3 days |
4 months |
|
back to top
|
|
HOT DOGS & LUNCH MEATS
|
| Hotdogs |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Hotdogs - Opened |
1 week |
|
| Lunch meats |
2 weeks |
1-2 months |
| Lunch meats - Opened |
3-5 days |
1-2 months |
|
back to top
|
|
DELI FOODS
|
| Deli meats |
3-4 days |
2-3 months |
| Store-prepared or homemade salads |
3-5 days |
Don't freeze |
|
back to top
|
|
TV DINNERS / FROZEN CASSEROLES
|
| Keep frozen until ready to serve |
|
3-4 months |
|
back to top
|
|
EGGS
|
| Fresh - in shell |
3-4 weeks |
Don't Freeze |
| Fresh -out of shell |
2-4 days |
4 months |
| Hardcooked |
1 week |
Doesn't freeze well |
| Egg substitutes |
10 days |
1 year |
| Opened |
3 days |
Don't freeze |
|
back to top
|
|
DAIRY PRODUCTS
|
| Milk |
Check Best Before date |
6 weeks |
| Milk - opened |
3 days |
|
| Cottage cheese |
Check Best Before date |
Doesn't freeze well |
| Cottage cheese - opened |
3 days |
|
| Yogurt |
Check Best Before date |
1-2 months |
| Yogurt - opened |
3 days |
|
| Cheese - Soft |
1 week |
Doesn't freeze well |
| Cheese - Semi-soft |
2-3 weeks |
8 weeks |
| Cheese - Firm |
5 weeks |
3 months |
| Cheese - Hard |
10 months |
Up to a year |
| Cheese - Processed |
Several months |
3 months |
Cheese - Opened
|
3-4 weeks |
Don't freeze |
| Butter - Salted |
8 weeks |
1 year |
| Butter - Unsalted |
8 weeks |
3 months |
| Butter - Opened |
3 weeks |
Don't freeze |
|
back to top
|
|
COMMERCIAL MAYONNAISE
|
| (refrigerate after opening) |
2 months |
Don't freeze |
|
back to top
|
|
VEGETABLES
|
| Beans, green or waxed |
5 days |
8 months |
| Carrots |
2 weeks |
10-12 months |
| Celery |
2 weeks |
10-12 months |
| Lettuce, leaf |
3-7 days |
Don't freeze |
| Lettuce, iceberg |
1-2 weeks |
Don't freeze |
| Spinach |
2-4 days |
10-12 months |
| Squash, summer |
1 week |
10-12 months |
| Squash, winter |
2 weeks |
10-12 months |
| Tomatoes |
Not recommended |
2 months |
|
back to top
|