How to check your meat is cooked properly

Cooking meat to the correct temperature helps protect you from food poisoning. A meat thermometer is the safest and most reliable way to check that meat is fully cooked.

When cooking meat it’s important to check that it is cooked thoroughly to protect yourself and others from food poisoning.

All raw meats can carry food poisoning bacteria. In whole cuts of beef and lamb, these bacteria are usually found only on the outside surface of the meat. Once the outside is thoroughly cooked, the meat is safe to eat.

However pork, chicken, turkey and other poultry can have food poisoning bacteria all the way through the meat so need to be cooked to 75°C or over to be safe to eat. When meat is minced or skewered (burgers, sausages or kebabs) the food poisoning bacteria on the outside can end up on the inside so it must also be cooked to 75°C or over. Cooking these meats to 75°C kills the bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Cooking on a barbeque

The key to cooking on a barbeque is controlling the heat. If the outside is cooking too quickly, move the food to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking through. If your barbeque has a lid, close it to help the food cook more evenly.

The safe and reliable way to check meat is cooked is to use a meat thermometer. Check that the thickest part of the meat has reached at least 75°C before serving.

How to use a meat thermometer

Take your food off the heat
For meat like sausages and burgers, pork chops and pork loins slide the thermometer probe horizontally into the thickest part (usually the centre) of the meat.
The meat is fully cooked when the temperature reaches 75ºC or over.
Always make sure you wash the meat thermometer with hot soapy water after each insert.

See below for exactly where to place the thermometer for different types of meat.

What if I don’t have a meat thermometer?

If you don’t have a meat thermometer, there are 3 visual checks that must all be done to ensure the meat is safe to eat. Pierce the thickest part of the meat with a fork or skewer and check that: