How to Record a Safe Cooking Temperatures Video for Your Food Safety Management System

Safe cooking is the critical control point where heat destroys bacteria and makes food safe for consumption. Get it wrong and bacteria survive; get it right and you've eliminated the hazard. This video will train your team to cook food to scientifically proven safe temperatures, use probes correctly, and handle the high-risk foods that cause most cooking-related food poisoning incidents.

Step 1: Set the scene and context

Start your video by explaining why cooking temperatures matter and what the numbers actually mean. This context helps staff understand they're not following arbitrary rules—they're applying food science.

It is important that foods are cooked to a time and temperature combination that has been scientifically proven to reduce bacteria to a safe level for human consumption. These combinations aren't guidelines or preferences—they're the result of laboratory testing that determines exactly how long bacteria take to die at different temperatures.

Consumers may develop food borne illnesses if unsafe food is ingested. The cooking step is often the last line of defence—if food is undercooked, there's no subsequent process to make it safe. Some foods and cooking methods require extra care and diligence in order to avoid problems.

Explain the core principle: higher temperatures kill bacteria faster, lower temperatures need more time. The combinations are equivalent in terms of safety—75°c for 30 seconds achieves the same bacterial reduction as 70°c for 2 minutes. Staff should understand that the figures below are minimum time/temperature combinations—these are critical limits. Longer periods or higher temperatures represent good practice.

Film your opening at your main cooking station, showing your probe thermometer and the range of cooking equipment your team uses.

Step 2: Plan what to record versus what to write down

Cooking temperature control involves both visual demonstration of probing technique and documentation of temperature records. The video shows how to check; the records prove you checked.

Record on video:

• The three time/temperature combinations and when to use each
• Correct probe sanitisation before and between uses
• Where to probe different food types (thickest part, centre, away from bone)
• How to read and interpret probe readings
• Separation technique on grills and griddles (raw left, cooked right)
• Pre-heating equipment before cooking
• Specific techniques for high-risk foods: chicken livers, burgers, rolled joints, poultry
• What "sealed on the outside" looks like for whole cuts served rare
• What "juices run clear" actually means
• The bone removal technique for checking poultry

Document in written procedures:

• Your standard time/temperature combination (typically 75°c for 30 seconds)
• The monitoring record format for random temperature checks
• Which menu items can be served rare (whole cuts only) and which cannot
• Probe calibration and maintenance schedule
• Equipment maintenance and cleaning schedules
• Corrective action procedures when temperatures aren't reached
• Training records for cooking staff

The video shows HOW to cook safely and check temperatures. The written documents specify WHAT to record and provide the product-specific rules.

Step 3: Core rules and requirements

Structure your video around the critical elements of safe cooking. Each requires specific understanding and consistent application.

The time/temperature combinations

These combinations have been scientifically proven to reduce bacteria to a safe level. Staff must understand all three:

75°c for 30 seconds - This is the standard target for most cooking. It's the most commonly used because 30 seconds is practical to verify—by the time you've probed and read the temperature, 30 seconds has typically elapsed.

70°c for 2 minutes - Used when lower temperatures are acceptable or necessary. Important: if any combination lower than 75°c is used, for the purposes of due diligence you must indicate on the monitoring sheets both the temp/time reading. Example: 70°c / 2 mins.

80°c for 6 seconds - The highest temperature option. Useful when you want to verify safety very quickly or when equipment naturally reaches higher temperatures.

These combinations rely on staff checking that the whole of the product has been cooked thoroughly throughout the food at the required temperature for the required time. A surface temperature reading doesn't prove the centre is safe.

Probing technique and hygiene

Random temperatures during each service period should be taken with a disinfected probe thermometer and recorded in the daily monitoring records. The probe itself can transfer bacteria between foods if not properly sanitised.

Key probing principles:

• Sanitise the probe before first use and between different foods
• Insert into the thickest part of the food, away from bone
• Wait for the reading to stabilise before recording
• Probe multiple items from the same batch, not just one

Equipment preparation

It is good practice to always preheat ovens, ranges, grills, griddles, fryers and any other hot equipment before use. Manufacturer's instructions may be affected when equipment has not been previously pre-heated effectively. Cold equipment means slower cooking, which can result in food spending longer in the danger zone.

Separation on cooking equipment

If grills, salamanders, griddles or barbeques are used, do not mix raw, cooking and cooked foods. Cooked or cooking foods can become re-contaminated with bacteria when raw foods are added to the equipment for cooking.

Good practice is to move foods from left to right—raw meats should be placed on the left and cooked meats removed from the right. Do not allow the juices/blood from raw products to drip onto cooked or cooking foods under any circumstances.

Equipment misuse

Bain-maries or any other type of hot holding equipment cannot and must not be used for anything other than hot holding and must never be used for cooking. Adequate temperatures for the destruction of pathogenic bacteria cannot be achieved by this method. Food must always be thoroughly cooked by conventional methods before placement into hot holding equipment.

Defrosting before cooking

Ensure all foods are thoroughly defrosted before cooking takes place unless manufacturer's instructions state otherwise that they can be cooked from frozen safely. The food may not reach the correct cooking temperature to destroy bacteria to a safe level if the food is still frozen in parts.

Step 4: Demonstrate or walk through

This is where you show staff exactly what safe cooking looks like for different food types.

Basic probing demonstration

Show the complete process:

"I'm about to check this chicken breast. First, I'm sanitising my probe—wiping with sanitiser and allowing it to dry."

"I'm inserting the probe into the thickest part of the breast, away from any bone. I'm pushing it to the centre, not just touching the surface."

"The reading is climbing... 72°c... 74°c... 76°c. It's stabilised at 76°c. That's above 75°c, so this chicken is safe. I'm recording: chicken breast, 76°c, time."

"Now I'm sanitising the probe again before checking the next item. Between every different food type, sanitise."

Whole cuts served rare

Demonstrate the sealing principle:

"This beef sirloin is going to be served medium-rare. That's acceptable because it's a whole cut—the internal tissues should be free from bacterial contamination. But the surface must be fully sealed."

"Watch as I sear this. I'm making sure every external surface gets direct heat contact. The entire outside must change colour—no raw surface remaining."

"Some foods will not be cooked thoroughly as they will be served rare—tuna loin and steaks, for example. These products should always be sealed thoroughly on their outer surfaces as some bacteria can survive on the outer surfaces. These must be destroyed through the sealing process."

"Always ensure that these cuts of meat are supplied by approved reputable suppliers to ensure food safety consistency through the food chain."

Rolled joints and processed meats

Demonstrate the critical difference:

"This rolled beef joint looks similar to a whole cut, but it's completely different from a food safety perspective. It is critical that rolled joints of meat, including beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey are thoroughly cooked completely through the product until juices run clear."

"Why? During processing, bacteria will have transferred from the outside to the inside which will subsequently contaminate the whole product. These products are also more susceptible to anaerobic organisms contaminating, multiplying and surviving in the food."

"I'm probing this rolled joint now—I need to reach the centre, the coldest part. The reading shows 78°c throughout. The juices running out are clear, not pink. This is safe."

"All minced and processed meats such as minced meat products, sausages, burgers and any similar foods must be thoroughly cooked throughout the product. Mincing and processing allows bacteria from the outer surfaces of the product to move into the inside of the product. These products will hold significant bacterial levels throughout the product."

Chicken livers

Demonstrate this high-risk item:

"Chicken livers are particularly prone to causing food poisoning when served undercooked. This section needs special attention."

"Critical rules for chicken livers: Do not offer cooking options on chicken livers. Unlike steak, there's no 'rare' or 'medium' option."

"I'm sautéing these livers in small batches to allow for effective cooking. If I overcrowd the pan, the temperature drops and cooking is uneven."

"Sauté livers for a minimum time of 5 minutes or until an internal temperature greater than 70°c has been reached and maintained for a minimum time of 2 minutes, longer if possible."

"I'm probing the largest liver in the batch—that's the one most likely to be undercooked. Reading: 72°c. I'll maintain heat for at least 2 minutes from this point."

"Chicken livers must always be cooked until they are no longer bloody at the core. Colour is not always a good indicator of effective cooking. Studies have shown that liver tissue can remain pink after it has reached a safe temperature. Always ensure that no pink remains to verify that the product has been cooked effectively."

Poultry

Demonstrate the non-negotiable standard:

"All poultry including chicken, turkey and other game birds must always be cooked thoroughly, with no exceptions. Meat must not be pink, and juices must always run clear every time."

"A bacteria called campylobacter jejuni is found at relatively high levels in poultry, especially in chicken but also in turkey and other game birds which can cause serious food borne illness and death in some circumstances."

"I'm checking this chicken thigh. Probing the thickest part, away from the bone. 77°c. The juices are running clear. This is safe to serve."

"For whole birds, I probe in multiple places: the thickest part of the breast, the thickest part of the thigh, and check that the juices in the cavity run clear."

Burgers

Demonstrate the absolute rule:

"If a customer requests an undercooked burger, the request must be declined. This is non-negotiable."

"Burgers must always be cooked fully completely through. No pink tissue must be visible and juices must run clear with no blood or pinkness seen."

"I'm probing this burger at the centre. Burgers must be probed to ensure a minimum temperature of 75°c for 30 seconds has been achieved. This reads 76°c—safe."

"Burgers prepared in house have a maximum shelf life of three days including the day of preparation."

"The above safety points must be followed strictly as E. coli O157 is a bacterium present in minced products especially minced beef products. The toxin of this bacteria can cause serious health problems and often death."

Separation on the grill

Demonstrate the workflow:

"I'm cooking multiple items on the grill. Watch my workflow: raw items start on the left side. As they cook, I move them right. Finished items come off from the right."

"I never place raw meat next to or touching cooked meat. I never use the same tongs for raw and cooked—I have two sets, clearly marked."

"If raw juices drip onto cooked food, that cooked food is contaminated and must be discarded or re-cooked if safe to do so."

Deep fat fryer technique

Demonstrate correct use:

"The fat should always have reached the correct temperature prior to cooking. If the oil temperature is too high, the danger is that foods will cook very quickly on the outside and the inside will not cook properly."

"The danger from oil that is at too low of a temperature is that the food will absorb excessive levels of fats making the food unpalatable and spoiling the quality."

"I'm waiting for my fryer to reach 180°c before adding these items. The temperature will drop when I add cold food—that's normal. I'm not overcrowding the basket, which would drop the temperature too much."

"Ensure spillages are cleaned immediately to avoid contamination of other products, also from a health and safety viewpoint to avoid burn and slip accidents and injuries."

Recording cooking temperatures

The documentation process:

"Let me show you how I record cooking temperatures during service."

"I'm using our daily temperature monitoring sheet. At random points during service, I probe items to verify we're achieving safe temperatures."

"This chicken breast just came off the grill. I probe it: 77°c. I write: time, item, temperature. 'Chicken breast, 77°c, 12:45.' This creates a record that our cooking process works."

"I'm not probing everything—that would be impractical. I'm taking random samples from each batch to verify the cooking system is working correctly."

"These records are important for two reasons. First, they prove to inspectors that we're monitoring cooking temperatures. Second, they help us identify problems—if temperatures are consistently borderline, we need to adjust our cooking methods."

Corrective actions when temperatures fail

What to do when food isn't cooked:

"I've probed this chicken breast and it's reading 68°c—below the 75°c minimum. What do I do?"

"First, I don't serve it. 68°c is in the danger zone where bacteria can survive. This chicken is not safe."

"I have two options: continue cooking until it reaches temperature, or discard it if I've already plated and served other items."

"In this case, I'm returning it to the grill for more cooking. I'll recheck in 3-4 minutes."

"Now: 78°c. Safe. I note this in my records: 'Chicken breast initially 68°c, returned to grill, final temp 78°c.'"

"What I don't do: serve it anyway hoping it'll be fine, or blame the probe, or assume my cooking method is correct when the evidence says otherwise."

Special considerations for different equipment

Combi ovens:

"Combi ovens are excellent for consistent cooking, but they still need verification."

"I've programmed this oven for roast chicken at 180°c for the calculated time. But when the timer goes, I don't assume it's cooked—I verify."

"I'm probing the thickest chicken breast in the batch. 76°c. Safe. I'm probing one from the back of the tray where it might be cooler. 75°c. Still safe."

"If any reading is below temperature, the whole batch continues cooking. One undercooked piece in a batch means I can't trust any of them."

Sous vide cooking verification:

"Sous vide is precise, but the precision must be verified. Let me show you how."

"This beef has been in the water bath at 58°c for 2 hours—a time/temperature combination that achieves pasteurisation at this temperature."

"When I remove it from the bag, I'm probing immediately to verify core temperature. 58°c throughout—the water bath temperature transferred correctly."

"For sous vide, the time is as important as the temperature. 58°c for 30 minutes would not be safe. 58°c for 2 hours achieves the necessary bacterial reduction. Document both time and temperature."

Salamander and grill verification:

"Items cooked under the salamander need the same verification as any other cooking method."

"This steak has been under the salamander for the calculated time. I'm probing the thickest part. For medium-rare steak: 55°c at the centre. The surface has been fully sealed—no raw meat visible on the outside."

"Remember: steaks can be served rare because they're whole cuts with sealed surfaces. Burgers cannot—different rules for different products."

Handling undercooked returns

When a customer sends food back:

"A customer has returned this chicken, saying it looks undercooked. How do I handle this?"

"First, I probe it. 74°c. Actually, this is just below our 75°c target—the customer was right to be concerned."

"This chicken is not re-served. It goes in the bin. I prepare a fresh portion and ensure it reaches proper temperature."

"I also investigate: was this a one-off, or is there a problem with our cooking method? I check the grill temperature, the batch this chicken came from, whether other portions from this batch were also borderline."

"If it's a pattern, we have a system problem to fix. If it's a one-off, I note it and continue monitoring."

Temperature verification for sauces and liquids

Ensuring liquid foods are safe:

"Sauces and liquids need the same temperature verification as solid foods."

"This gravy has been simmering on the stove. I'm stirring it first—liquids can have hot spots and cool spots. Then I probe."

"78°c throughout after stirring. This gravy is safe. If I'm going to hold it for service, it goes into hot holding at 63°c or above."

"For sauces being reheated, I need to reach 75°c minimum—same as solid foods. Simmering on the surface doesn't prove the whole pot is at temperature."

Step 5: Common mistakes to avoid

Address the mistakes that lead to undercooked food and food poisoning incidents.

Mistake 1: Probing too shallow. Surface temperature doesn't indicate centre temperature. Push the probe to the thickest part, the centre—that's where undercooked food hides.

Mistake 2: Not sanitising the probe between foods. A probe used on raw chicken and then on cooked beef transfers bacteria. Sanitise between every different food item.

Mistake 3: Accepting customer requests for undercooked burgers or chicken livers. These requests must be declined. The bacteria in processed meats and livers make rare cooking unsafe regardless of customer preference.

Mistake 4: Treating rolled joints like whole cuts. Rolled joints have surface bacteria throughout—they must be cooked completely through. A medium-rare rolled beef joint is a food poisoning waiting to happen.

Mistake 5: Using hot holding equipment to cook. Bain-maries cannot reach cooking temperatures. They hold food hot; they don't cook it. Food must be fully cooked before placement.

Mistake 6: Not pre-heating equipment. Cold ovens and grills extend cooking time and may not reach proper temperatures. Pre-heat everything before cooking begins.

Mistake 7: Mixing raw and cooked on grills. Raw juices contaminate cooked food instantly. Maintain left-to-right workflow; never allow contact between raw and cooked.

Mistake 8: Cooking frozen food without checking labels. Unless the manufacturer states "cook from frozen," food must be fully defrosted. Frozen centres don't reach safe temperatures.

Mistake 9: Recording only one temperature from a batch. One safe item doesn't prove the batch is safe. Check multiple items randomly throughout service.

Mistake 10: Relying on colour alone for chicken livers. Liver tissue can remain pink even when safely cooked. Use probe temperature verification—70°c for 2 minutes minimum—not visual assessment alone.

Step 6: Key takeaways

End your video by reinforcing the core principles of safe cooking temperatures.

Three time/temperature combinations: 75°c for 30 seconds (standard), 70°c for 2 minutes (lower temp option), 80°c for 6 seconds (high temp option). All achieve the same bacterial reduction.

These are minimum standards—critical limits. Longer times and higher temperatures are better. Staff should aim to exceed these minimums, not just meet them.

Sanitise the probe before use and between different foods. The probe can spread contamination if not properly cleaned.

Probe the thickest part, the centre. Surface readings don't prove the inside is safe.

Whole cuts can be served rare if surfaces are fully sealed. The internal tissues of whole cuts should be free from contamination if properly handled.

Rolled joints, minced products, burgers, and sausages must be cooked throughout. Processing transfers surface bacteria to the interior.

Chicken livers need 70°c for 2 minutes minimum. No cooking options offered. Small batches only. Verify with probe, not colour alone.

Poultry must always be cooked thoroughly—no exceptions. Juices must run clear, meat must not be pink.

Burgers must be fully cooked—customer requests for undercooked burgers must be declined. E. coli O157 in minced beef can be fatal.

Pre-heat all cooking equipment. Cold equipment affects cooking times and temperatures.

Maintain separation: raw on left, cooked on right. Never allow raw juices to contact cooked food.

Record random temperatures during service. Your records prove your cooking process works.

Food that has not reached safe temperature must be cooked further. If staff don't follow these procedures, retrain and increase supervision until competency is demonstrated.