Cooking & Baking Temperatures
Every temperature a home cook actually needs in one place — oven temperatures with fan and gas-mark equivalents, USDA safe minimums for meat and poultry, slow cooker vs pressure cooker times, candy stages, convection and air-fryer adjustments, the working temperatures for yeast, dough and chocolate, and a live Fahrenheit ↔ Celsius ↔ Kelvin converter at the bottom.
Oven temperatures
US recipes write oven temperatures in Fahrenheit; UK and European recipes use Celsius or a gas mark. A fan (convection) oven runs about 20°C / 25°F hotter than a conventional one at the same dial setting, so reduce the temperature accordingly.
| °F | °C | °C fan | Gas mark | Heat level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 225°F | 110°C | 90°C | ¼ | Very cool |
| 250°F | 120°C | 100°C | ½ | Very cool |
| 275°F | 140°C | 120°C | 1 | Cool |
| 300°F | 150°C | 130°C | 2 | Cool |
| 325°F | 160°C | 140°C | 3 | Warm |
| 350°F | 180°C | 160°C | 4 | Moderate |
| 375°F | 190°C | 170°C | 5 | Moderately hot |
| 400°F | 200°C | 180°C | 6 | Hot |
| 425°F | 220°C | 200°C | 7 | Hot |
| 450°F | 230°C | 210°C | 8 | Very hot |
| 475°F | 240°C | 220°C | 9 | Very hot |
For only the oven chart with extended FAQ, see our dedicated oven temperature conversion page.
Safe internal cooking temperatures
The single most important temperature in the kitchen is the one in the centre of the meat. Use an instant-read thermometer and check the thickest part. Figures below are USDA safe minimums from FoodSafety.gov.
| Food | Fahrenheit | Celsius |
|---|---|---|
| Poultry, all types | 165°F | 74°C |
| Ground meats (beef, pork, lamb) | 160°F | 71°C |
| Beef, pork, lamb & veal — steaks, roasts, chops | 145°F (rest 3 min) | 63°C |
| Fish & shellfish | 145°F | 63°C |
| Eggs & egg dishes | 160°F | 71°C |
| Precooked ham, reheated | 165°F | 74°C |
| Leftovers & casseroles | 165°F | 74°C |
USDA safe minimums. Beef, pork, lamb and veal cuts need a 3-minute rest after reaching 145°F (63°C); ground versions need 160°F (71°C). When in doubt, cook to a higher temperature.
Slow cooker vs Instant Pot / pressure cooker
A slow cooker brings food to about 200°F (93°C), just under a simmer. A pressure cooker at high pressure reaches about 240°F (116°C) — that 40-degree difference is why pressure cooking finishes in a fraction of the time.
| Dish | Slow cooker (LOW) | Pressure cooker (high) |
|---|---|---|
| Soup or stew | 6–8 hr | 20–30 min |
| Chili | 6–8 hr | 20–35 min |
| Tough meat cuts (chuck roast, pulled pork) | 8–10 hr | 45–75 min |
| Whole chicken | 6–7 hr | 25–30 min |
| Dried beans | HIGH 3–4 hr | 25–40 min |
These are starting points, not strict rules. Real times depend on the recipe, the cut and quantity of meat, the brand of cooker, and how full the pot is — adjust to taste.
Candy & sugar stages
Sugar syrups change behaviour at predictable temperatures as water boils off. A candy or instant-read thermometer is the most reliable way to hit a stage; the cold-water test is a fall-back. The caramel stage browns by colour, not just temperature.
| Stage | Fahrenheit | Celsius | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thread | 230–235°F | 110–112°C | Light syrup; sugar dissolved, runs in threads |
| Soft ball | 235–240°F | 112–116°C | Fudge, fondant, pralines |
| Firm ball | 245–250°F | 118–121°C | Caramels, marshmallows |
| Hard ball | 250–266°F | 121–130°C | Nougat, divinity, gummies |
| Soft crack | 270–290°F | 132–143°C | Saltwater taffy, butterscotch |
| Hard crack | 300–310°F | 149–154°C | Brittles, lollipops, hard candy |
| Caramel | 320–350°F | 160–177°C | Caramelised sugar for sauces & toppings |
Convection oven & air fryer adjustments
Both methods move hot air faster than a still conventional oven, so the food browns and cooks quicker. Pick one adjustment — temperature or time — rather than doing both at once.
| Method | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Convection (fan) oven | Lower the recipe temperature by 25°F (~15°C) | …or keep the temperature and cut the time by about 25% |
| Air fryer | Lower a conventional oven recipe by 25–50°F (~15–25°C) | Reduce the time by about 20%; check early |
Yeast, dough & chocolate temperatures
Bread and chocolate fail in the same way: too hot kills the structure you need. Water above 130°F kills yeast; chocolate above its temper window seizes or blooms.
| What | Fahrenheit | Celsius |
|---|---|---|
| Water for active dry / instant yeast | 105–115°F | 41–46°C |
| Water hot enough to kill yeast | 130°F+ | 54°C+ |
| Ideal dough proofing environment | 75–80°F | 24–27°C |
| “Room temperature” butter & eggs | 65–68°F | 18–20°C |
| Dark chocolate tempering — melt | 115°F | 46°C |
| Dark chocolate tempering — cool to | 88–90°F | 31–32°C |
| Milk/white chocolate tempering — melt | 110°F | 43°C |
| Milk/white chocolate tempering — cool to | 86–88°F | 30–31°C |
Everyday reference temperatures
| What | Fahrenheit | Celsius |
|---|---|---|
| Water freezes | 32°F | 0°C |
| Water boils at sea level | 212°F | 100°C |
| Water boils at 5,000 ft (≈1,524 m) | ≈203°F | ≈95°C |
| Refrigerator, safe maximum | ≤40°F | ≤4°C |
| Freezer | 0°F | −18°C |
| Deep-frying range | 350–375°F | 175–190°C |
| Body temperature | 98.6°F | 37°C |
Water's boiling point drops about 1°F per 500 ft of altitude — that is why baking and pasta cooking change above ≈3,000 ft. See our high-altitude baking page for full adjustments.
Temperature converter
Type a number and pick its unit — the other two units update instantly, with no button to click.
| Conversion | Formula |
|---|---|
| Fahrenheit → Celsius | (°F − 32) × 5/9 |
| Celsius → Fahrenheit | (°C × 9/5) + 32 |
| Celsius → Kelvin | °C + 273.15 |
| Kelvin → Celsius | K − 273.15 |
| Fahrenheit → Kelvin | (°F − 32) × 5/9 + 273.15 |
| Kelvin → Fahrenheit | (K − 273.15) × 9/5 + 32 |