BBQ meat temperatures: safe core temperatures

FSA core temperature and time combinations

The FSA sets out time and temperature combinations for the centre, or thickest part, of the food. Any one of these combinations is treated as equivalent. The most commonly used is 70 °C held for 2 minutes.

Which foods must be cooked through

FSA advice is that burgers, sausages, chicken and other poultry, pork, kebabs and rolled joints must be cooked all the way through. Check that the meat is steaming hot throughout, that there is no pink meat when you cut into the thickest part, and that any juices run clear. The FSA advises that burgers cooked at home should be cooked thoroughly rather than served pink.

Whole cuts of beef or lamb, such as steaks and whole joints, are different. Bacteria sit mainly on the outside, so the FSA says these can be served pink or rare as long as the outside has been properly cooked. Minced or rolled meat mixes the outside into the middle, which is why burgers and rolled joints must be cooked through.

Our core-temperature table gives these figures in a quick lookup for use beside the grill.

Grill temperature is not food temperature

A lid thermometer tells you how hot the air inside the BBQ is. It does not tell you whether the food is cooked. A sausage over very hot coals can char outside while staying raw inside; a chicken thigh on a cooler zone can cook through safely while barely colouring. The only reliable check is a probe in the thickest part of the food, away from bone.

For thicker foods, a two-zone fire helps: sear over the hot side, then move to the cooler side with the lid closed to cook through. Our two-zone cooking guide shows how on gas, kettle and kamado BBQs. The FSA also suggests pre-cooking chicken in the oven and finishing it on the BBQ for flavour.

How to use a probe thermometer

Check your thermometer occasionally in boiling water, which should read close to 100 °C at sea level, or follow its own calibration instructions.

1. 1

   Insert the probe into the thickest part of the food, avoiding bone, fat and the grill bars.

2. 2

   For burgers and sausages, push in from the side so the tip sits in the centre.

3. 3

   Check several pieces, especially those at the cooler edges of the grill.

4. 4

   Wait for the reading to settle, then hold the food at temperature for the time in the table.

5. 5

   Clean and sanitise the probe between raw and cooked food.

Hygiene matters as much as heat

Most BBQ food poisoning comes from cross-contamination as well as undercooking. The FSA's barbecue advice includes these points.

• Wait until charcoal is glowing red with a powdery grey surface before cooking.
• Turn food regularly and move it around the grill so it cooks evenly.
• Keep raw and cooked meat apart, and use separate tongs, plates and chopping boards.
• Never put cooked food back on a plate that held raw meat.
• Wash hands after handling raw meat.
• Keep salads and cold foods in the fridge until needed, and do not leave food out in the sun.
• Cool leftovers quickly and put them in the fridge.

Note:Children, pregnant women, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system are more vulnerable to food poisoning. Follow FSA guidance carefully when cooking for them.

Planning a safer BBQ

Cook in batches you can manage rather than covering the whole grill. Give larger groups more grill space, or use a BBQ with a lid and enough area for a cool zone; our BBQ cooking area explained and how much BBQ food per person articles help with planning. If you are choosing a grill for family cooks, our best gas BBQs guide and best charcoal BBQs guide compare cooking areas.

See the best gas BBQs →

Frequently asked questions

What temperature should chicken be on a BBQ? FSA guidance is a core of 70 °C held for 2 minutes, or an equivalent combination, with no pink meat and clear juices.

Can burgers be pink in the middle? The FSA advises cooking burgers thoroughly at home, because mincing spreads bacteria through the meat.

Is a steak safe if it is rare? Whole cuts of beef or lamb can be served pink or rare if the outside is properly cooked, according to the FSA.

Is the lid thermometer enough to check food? No. It measures air temperature inside the BBQ. Use a probe in the food.