Meat and Poultry Roasting Charts (2024)

FAQs

What temperature should meat and poultry dishes be cooked? ›

Note: There are three important temperatures to remember when cooking meat or eggs at home: Eggs and all ground meats must be cooked to 160°F; poultry and fowl to 165°F; and fresh meat steaks, chops and roasts to 145°F. Use a thermometer to check temperatures.

Raw meat and poultry should always be cooked to a safe minimum internal temperature. When roasting meat and poultry, use an oven temperature no lower than 325 °F. Use a food thermometer to assure that meat and poultry have reached a safe minimum internal temperature.

When roasting meat and poultry, set the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C) or higher. Explore the charts below to learn how to get great results every time you cook.

All poultry: Cook poultry (ground or whole) to an internal temperature of 165 F as measured with a food thermometer.

For tender, fall-off-the-bone meat and soft skin, roast whole chicken at 325°F (162°C) for 1 ½ to 2 hours, depending on the weight. For firm, juicy meat and crisp, golden-brown skin, roast whole chicken 425°F (218°C) oven for 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours, depending on size.

What happens if you bake at 350 instead of 400? It's just going to take a little longer. From our conversion chart above, 350F instead of 400F will take 1.14 more time. So something that takes 30 minutes at 400F will take 34 minutes at 350F.

Yes, absolutely. Generally, when you cook, or specifically bake something at a lower temperature, you are essentially increasing the cooking time as well. The good thing about this method is you can cook the food more evenly, especially on the inside.

40-140-4 Rule for Meat

If you are planning to smoke or grill meat, you should know about the 40-140-4 rule; The idea behind this rule is that meat should increase the temperature from 40°F to 140°F within 4 hours. It will reduce the bacteria growth to a great extent.

How long does it take for a roast to cook in the oven at 350? ›

At 350 degrees you should count on 20-25 minutes per pound for a 3 to 8 pound chicken. As with all meats, check the temperature 15-20 minutes before the time it should be done. You never know how accurate your oven is, and you don't want to overcook and dry out the chicken.

Raw meat and poultry must be heated to at least 145°F (63°C) for whole cuts or steaks of pork, lamb, and veal. Ground meats, on the other hand, must be cooked at 160°F (71°C) and poultry at 165°F (74°C).

Cook all raw ground beef, pork, lamb, and veal to an internal temperature of 160 °F. Cook all poultry (whole, pieces & ground) to an internal temperature of 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat & poultry to higher temperatures.

From a food safety perspective, washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb or veal before cooking it is not recommended as the safest method. If you wash meat or poultry, some bacteria can be splashed on the surfaces of your kitchen, which can make you sick if not properly cleaned and sanitized.

The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recommends cooking whole chicken and parts of chicken (like the breasts, legs, thighs, wings and giblets), ground poultry, and stuffing to 165 degrees F.

Recommended internal temperatures are 165 degrees F for ground poultry and 160 degrees F for ground meats. When making casseroles with bite-size pieces or ground meat or poultry, the final temperature of the dish should be checked prior to serving. The internal temperature should reach at least 165 degrees F.