Food Preparation and Cooking
Thawing and prep
Thaw under refrigeration at 41°F or below, under running potable water at 70°F or below, in a microwave only if the food is cooked immediately, or as part of the cooking process. Never thaw on a counter. Wash produce before cutting, use separate boards for raw animal foods, and never touch ready-to-eat food with bare hands.
Minimum internal cooking temperatures
- 165°F for 15 seconds: poultry (including ground poultry), stuffed foods, stuffing containing meat, dishes combining previously cooked TCS ingredients, and reheated food.
- 155°F for 17 seconds: ground meat, ratites, and injected or marinated meats.
- 145°F for 15 seconds: whole-muscle fish, meat, and pork, with a 3-minute rest for meats; shell eggs for immediate service.
- 135°F: commercially processed, ready-to-eat food that is hot held, and vegetables for hot holding. Roasts may alternatively reach 145°F for 4 minutes. Microwave cooking must hit 165°F with a 2-minute stand.
Cooling and reheating
Cool cooked TCS food from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours, then from 70°F to 41°F within 4 more hours - 6 hours total. Use shallow pans, ice baths, ice paddles, or blast chillers, and leave food uncovered until it reaches 41°F. Reheat for hot holding to 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours, once only.
Traps
Ground poultry is 165°F, not 155°F. The 2-hour and 4-hour cooling windows are separate - do not average them across 6 hours from the start.
Rule of thumb
Cool in two stages: 135→70 in 2, 70→41 in 4.