Sous vide temperatures depend on the food and the doneness you want. For example, Anova lists 129 F (54 C) for medium-rare steak, 140 F (60 C) for medium, 145 F (63 C) for soft chicken breast and 124 F (51 C) for flaky fish. Time, however, depends on thickness and food safety.
Convert Water Bath Temperatures Between F and C
Recipes mix Fahrenheit and Celsius, because many cookers show only one scale. Then enter a water bath setting below to see the same temperature in Fahrenheit, Celsius and kelvin.
In short, sous vide cooking holds food in a water bath at one exact temperature. Because the water never gets hotter than the setting, the center of the food slowly reaches that number and stops. As a result, a steak can be edge-to-edge pink, and a chicken breast stays juicy.
However, the catch is that two numbers now matter instead of one: the temperature and the time. In this guide, you will also find charts for steak, chicken, pork, fish, eggs and vegetables from Anova. You will also see how USDA food safety temperatures compare, how to check your thermometer, and how to measure the salt, water and food that go into the bag.
- Doneness comes from the water temperature, while time mainly sets safety and tenderness.
- For example, Anova lists 129 F (54 C) for medium-rare steak and 140 F (60 C) for medium.
- In contrast, USDA’s safe minimum for whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb and veal is 145 F (63 C) with a 3-minute rest, and for poultry it is 165 F (74 C).
- Lower temperatures can still pasteurize food, but only if you hold them long enough.
- Also, check your thermometer in ice water, which should read 32 F (0 C).
- Finally, chill leftovers promptly; the USDA danger zone runs from 40 F to 140 F (4 C to 60 C).
Sous Vide Temperatures and Times by Food
First, the table below collects the water bath settings from Anova’s time and temperature guide. The minimum time is the shortest cook Anova lists for that result, while the maximum is the point where the food should be considered done.
| Food and doneness | Temperature | Minimum time | Maximum time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steak or lamb, medium-rare | 129 F (54 C) | 1 h 30 min | 4 h |
| Steak or lamb, medium | 140 F (60 C) | 1 h 30 min | 4 h |
| Steak or lamb, medium-well | 145 F (63 C) | 1 h 30 min | 4 h |
| Chicken breast, soft and juicy | 145 F (63 C) | 1 h 30 min | 4 h |
| Chicken breast, traditionally firm | 155 F (68 C) | 1 h | 4 h |
| Chicken thigh, juicy and tender | 165 F (74 C) | 1 h | 4 h |
| Pork chop, rosy pink | 135 F (57 C) | 1 h | 4 h |
| Pork chop, white throughout | 147 F (64 C) | 1 h | 4 h |
| Fish, tender and flaky | 124 F (51 C) | 30 min | 1 h |
| Fish, traditional well-done | 132 F (56 C) | 30 min | 1 h 30 min |
| Egg, creamy yolk | 145 F (63 C) | 45 min | 1 h 5 min |
| Green vegetables | 183 F (84 C) | 15 min | 40 min |
| Root vegetables | 183 F (84 C) | 1 h | 3 h |
Anova’s chart gives no thickness for these foods, so treat them as starting points and adjust for thick cuts. Also, for more on tracking internal temperatures, see our guide to meat thermometer doneness.
Sous Vide Temperatures for Burgers, Sausage and Eggs
Ground meat needs extra care, since bacteria that sit on the surface of a whole steak get mixed all the way through a burger. Anova’s chart gives ranges instead of single numbers, so you can pick a doneness inside each band.
| Food and doneness | Temperature | Time range |
|---|---|---|
| Hamburger, medium-rare | 124 to 129 F (51 to 54 C) | 40 min to 2 h 30 min |
| Hamburger, medium | 130 to 137 F (54 to 58 C) | 40 min to 4 h |
| Hamburger, well-done | 145 to 155 F (63 to 68 C) | 40 min to 4 h |
| Sausage, extra-juicy and soft | 140 F (60 C) | 45 min to 4 h |
| Sausage, traditional and springy | 160 F (71 C) | 45 min to 4 h |
| Egg, pasteurized and like raw | 130 F (54 C) | 45 min to 4 h |
| Egg, hard-boiled style | 165 F (74 C) | 45 min |
In addition, the egg figures come from Anova’s egg guide. It describes 130 F (54 C) as a pasteurizing setting that leaves the egg indistinguishable from raw, and it says to refrigerate pasteurized eggs after cooking.
Food Safety and Sous Vide Temperatures
First, USDA publishes a simple chart of safe minimum internal temperatures. For example, whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb and veal need 145 F (63 C) with a 3-minute rest. In addition, ground meat needs 160 F (71 C), and poultry needs 165 F (74 C). Similarly, fish should reach 145 F (63 C) or cook until the flesh is no longer translucent.
However, sous vide often cooks below those numbers. For example, a 129 F steak is below the 145 F line. This can still be safe because killing bacteria depends on both temperature and time. Therefore, a lower temperature takes longer to do the same job.
| Temperature | Chicken, 5% fat | Turkey |
|---|---|---|
| 136 F (58 C) | 68.4 min | 64 min |
| 140 F (60 C) | 27.5 min | 28.1 min |
| 145 F (63 C) | 9.2 min | 10.5 min |
| 150 F (66 C) | 2.8 min | 3.8 min |
| 155 F (68 C) | 47.7 s | 1.2 min |
| 160 F (71 C) | 14.8 s | 25.6 s |
Anova’s pasteurization guide, for example, lists these times for a 7-log10 Salmonella reduction. It also says they are minimums that start once the center of the food reaches the set temperature, and that coming up to temperature can take up to about 45 minutes. In addition, it recommends adding one hour for food that starts refrigerated and two hours for food that starts frozen. Finally, for hardier bacteria such as Listeria, it says to triple the holding times.
How to Measure Sous Vide Temperatures Step by Step
- Check your thermometer. First, put it in a mix of crushed ice and water; it should read 32 F (0 C).
- Fill the container. Next, add water between the minimum and maximum marks on your cooker, using warm tap water to save time.
- Set the temperature. Choose the water temperature from the chart, and let the bath reach it before the food goes in.
- Weigh and season the food. Then use a scale for salt and other seasonings, and keep each piece at a similar thickness.
- Seal the bag. Push out air, then lower the bag so the food sits fully under the water.
- Start the timer. Count the minimum time from when the center reaches temperature, and add time for refrigerated or frozen food.
- Chill or serve. Finally, eat promptly, or cool the bag in an ice bath and refrigerate it.
Measure Ingredients, Water and Portions for the Bag
Precise temperature only helps if the rest of the setup is consistent, so measure everything else too. First, weigh your seasoning in grams. Also, a scale keeps salt the same from batch to batch, and it is faster than level spoons.
Next, weigh each piece of meat or fish, and compare thicknesses with a ruler. As a result, pieces of different thickness will not finish together. Finally, keep a note of the temperature, the weight, the thickness and the time, so you can repeat a result you like.
In addition, our guide to the kitchen timer shows how to track long cooks, and our digital thermometer guide covers probes.
Recommended Tools for Sous Vide Temperatures
In short, a reliable setup has four parts: a circulator, bags, a scale and a separate thermometer. Because the cooker’s display can drift, a probe thermometer gives you a second opinion.
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Thermometers for Checking Sous Vide Temperatures
Different thermometers answer different questions, so the next table shows what each kind is good for.
| Thermometer | Best use | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Circulator display | Setting and holding the bath | Shows the water at the sensor, not the food |
| Digital instant-read probe | Checking the bath in a second spot, or the food center after the cook | Needs the tip fully in the water or food |
| Dial or oven thermometer | Rough checks | Slow to respond, and harder to read precisely |
| Leave-in probe with a cable | Watching the center of thick cuts | The cable must pass the bag seal without leaks |
Whichever you use, test it first. For example, NIST describes an ice point made of crushed ice and distilled water in an insulated container. Next, push the probe in at least 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) if possible, and keep the tip about 1 inch (2 cm) from the walls. A good reading is 32 F (0 C), so the difference from that value is the error. NIST also says a digital thermometer used from about -58 to 212 F (-50 to 100 C) can be verified with a single ice-point check.
Do and Don’t for Accurate Water Baths
Do
- Verify the thermometer in ice water.
- Preheat the bath before adding food.
- Keep the bag fully submerged.
- Match piece thickness.
- Add time for refrigerated or frozen food.
Don’t
- Cook below 140 F without checking pasteurization times.
- Leave cooked bags at room temperature.
- Judge safety by color.
- Overcrowd the bath.
- Skip the maximum time on a chart.
Honest Limits of Sous Vide Charts
In short, charts are guides, not guarantees. First, Anova’s chicken breast entry at 145 F (63 C) sits below the 165 F (74 C) USDA line, and it works only because the hold time is long enough. Second, thickness, fat and starting temperature all change how long the center takes to heat up.
Moreover, none of these charts is an official government recommendation for sous vide. If you serve young children, older adults, pregnant guests or anyone with a weakened immune system, stay with the USDA temperatures in the table above. Instead, ask your local health department or your doctor for help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best sous vide temperatures for steak?
For example, Anova lists 129 F (54 C) for medium-rare, 140 F (60 C) for medium and 145 F (63 C) for medium-well. In addition, each runs for 1 hour 30 minutes to 4 hours.
What are the best sous vide temperatures for chicken breast?
Likewise, Anova lists 145 F (63 C) for soft and juicy chicken and 155 F (68 C) for a traditionally firm texture. However, USDA’s chart lists 165 F (74 C) for poultry.
What temperature should I set for pork chops?
Similarly, Anova lists 135 F (57 C) for rosy pink chops and 147 F (64 C) for white and juicy chops, each for 1 to 4 hours. However, USDA lists 145 F (63 C) with a 3-minute rest for whole cuts of pork.
What are good sous vide temperatures for fish?
Likewise, Anova lists 124 F (51 C) for tender, flaky fish for 30 minutes to 1 hour, and 132 F (56 C) for well-done fish. In contrast, USDA lists 145 F (63 C) for fish.
How long can food stay in a sous vide bath?
In addition, Anova gives maximum times, usually 4 hours for steak, chicken and pork. For its chicken example, however, it says you should seriously consider the food done at that point.
What is the danger zone for sous vide?
USDA defines the danger zone as 40 F to 140 F (4 C to 60 C). In addition, bacteria can double in as little as 20 minutes in that range.
Are sous vide temperatures below 140 F safe?
They can be, but only with enough hold time, and Anova’s pasteurization chart starts at 136 F (58 C) for chicken. Therefore, when in doubt, cook hotter or follow USDA temperatures.
How do I check my thermometer for sous vide?
First, place the probe in crushed ice and water. After that, it should read 0 C (32 F), according to NIST.
Do I add time for frozen food?
Yes, because Anova’s pasteurization guide recommends adding one hour for refrigerated food and two hours for frozen food.
Why does the color of sous vide meat look pink?
Low water temperatures leave meat pink even when it is cooked, so pink alone is not a warning sign. USDA says color is not a reliable sign of safety, so use temperature and time instead.
Sous Vide Temperatures: The Bottom Line
To sum up, pick the water temperature for the texture you want, then set the time for the thickness and for safety. Also, check the thermometer in ice water, weigh your seasoning and note every cook.
Finally, when safety is the priority, use USDA’s temperatures: 145 F for whole cuts, 160 F for ground meat and 165 F for poultry. Sources: Anova time and temperature guide, Anova pasteurization guide, Anova egg guide, FoodSafety.gov, USDA FSIS on temperatures, USDA FSIS on doneness and NIST.