Slow Cooker Food Safety
General guidance based on commonly published food safety advice. Always check your local authority’s current recommendations.
Use a thermometer, not the clock
Cooking time alone does not prove food is safe. Slow cookers vary, and ingredients start at different temperatures. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the food, away from bone.
| Food | Minimum safe internal temperature |
|---|---|
| Poultry (chicken, turkey), including ground poultry | 165°F (74°C) |
| Ground beef and pork | 160°F (71°C) |
| Whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb and veal | 145°F (63°C), then a short rest |
| Egg dishes such as casseroles | 160°F (71°C) |
| Leftovers and reheated food | 165°F (74°C) |
Some dishes need more than the safety minimum to become tender. Pulled pork, for example, is safe at 145°F but only shreds well at roughly 195 to 205°F (90 to 96°C).
Thaw meat and poultry first
Do not put frozen meat or poultry in a slow cooker. It spends too long in the temperature danger zone as it warms up. Thaw it in the refrigerator before cooking.
Dried beans
Dried beans, especially red kidney beans, contain natural compounds that can make you ill if the beans are undercooked. A slow cooker may not get hot enough to remove them. Soak dried beans, drain them, then boil them in fresh water for at least 10 minutes before adding them to the slow cooker. Canned beans are already cooked and can go straight in.
Cooling, storing and reheating
- Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking. Divide large batches into shallow containers so they cool quickly.
- Most cooked leftovers keep 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, or longer in the freezer.
- Do not store leftovers in the slow cooker insert, and do not use the slow cooker to reheat them, because it heats too slowly. Reheat on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C).
- Do not leave cooked food on the Warm setting for many hours. Warm is for short holding only and should keep food at 140°F (60°C) or hotter.
If the power goes out
If you are not home and the power was interrupted, do not eat the food. When in doubt, throw it out.