Check what’s in the package before choosing a cooking temperature. A pork chop needs a different minimum from ground pork, and poultry has its own minimum. You’ll also need to know whether the product is raw or fully cooked.
Use a food thermometer. A recipe’s cooking time helps you plan supper, but it can’t tell you when the center of your cut reaches the required temperature.
Choose a thawing method you can finish safely
The refrigerator is the simplest method when you can plan ahead. Keep it at 40°F or below and contain any drips. Large cuts and whole birds need more time than small packages, so move them from the freezer early enough for your recipe.
For faster thawing, submerge a leakproof package in cold tap water and replace the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately after thawing. Microwave thawing also requires immediate cooking. Do not use the countertop or hot water, even if the center remains frozen. USDA safe thawing guidance.
Choose the method before opening the package. If dinner plans change often, smaller packages can make refrigerator thawing easier to manage.
Match the temperature to the product
USDA’s consumer minimums are:
| Product | Minimum internal temperature |
|---|---|
| Pork, lamb or goat steaks, chops and roasts | 145°F, followed by a three-minute rest |
| Ground pork, lamb or goat; raw sausage made from those meats | 160°F |
| Chicken, turkey, duck and goose, including ground poultry and poultry sausage | 165°F |
| Leftovers | 165°F |
These are safety minimums. A shoulder intended for pulling or a tough braising cut may need additional cooking for the texture you want. The three-minute rest in the first row belongs with that specific recommendation; it is not a substitute for reaching the poultry temperature. FoodSafety.gov cooking chart.
Check the meat in sausage and ground products
Grinding can distribute surface bacteria throughout the meat, as USDA explains in its ground-meat guidance. A ground-meat instruction should not be borrowed from a whole chop. Ground poultry still requires the poultry minimum. A sausage’s flavor name—breakfast, Italian or another style—does not tell you which species it contains.
“Smoked” alone doesn’t tell you a product’s cooking requirements. Underground Processing is still reviewing which fully cooked products it can offer for custom-exempt orders; products supplied not fully cooked still need cooking. Read its handling and cooking directions. If the package does not answer the question, resolve it before preparing the meal.
Make the package work for your kitchen
Think about how many portions you normally thaw at once. A family that cooks two chops at a time may benefit from a different package size than one preparing large Sunday meals. Discuss your preferences when completing your cutting instructions.