SOP – Cooking
The thermometer is the only honest judge of cooking – colour and timing lie. This SOP sets the target temperatures, how to probe properly, and what the log needs to show.
Tip from experience: the best SOPs are the ones supervisors helped write. Walk the procedure with the people who do it, fix anything that’s wrong on paper, and review it at least annually or after any incident.
1. Document control
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Document title | SOP – Cooking |
| Document no. | [QA-SOP-005] |
| Version | [1.0] |
| Effective date | [YYYY-MM-DD] |
| Prepared by | [Name / Title / Date] |
| Approved by | [Name / Title / Date] |
| Review date | [YYYY-MM-DD] |
2. Purpose
To ensure food is cooked to temperatures that destroy vegetative pathogens.
3. Scope
Applies to all cooking of meat, poultry, fish, egg dishes and reheated foods at [site name].
4. Responsibilities
| Role | Responsibility |
|---|---|
| Cooks / operators | Cook per this SOP; probe and record every batch. |
| Supervisor | Verifies probe technique and log completeness. |
5. Materials and equipment
- Calibrated probe thermometer (and thin probe for thin foods)
- Cooking temperature log
- Sanitizer wipes for probe between uses
6. Safety precautions
- Beware steam when opening ovens and lids; use dry oven gloves.
- Keep probe cables away from hot surfaces and flames.
7. Procedure
Follow the steps in order. Steps marked [CHECK] are the ones people skip under pressure – don’t.
- Preheat equipment to the recipe temperature before loading – a cold oven lies about time.
- Cook per the recipe time, then verify with the thermometer – never rely on time or colour alone. [CHECK]
- Probe the thickest part, away from bone: poultry ≥74 °C (165 °F); ground/minced meat ≥71 °C (160 °F); whole cuts per [recipe/spec]; re-check the coolest item in the batch.
- Sanitize the probe between different foods to avoid cross-contamination.
- If the temperature isn’t reached, continue cooking and re-check – never serve it ‘nearly done’. [CHECK]
- Record the product, batch, temperature and your initials on the cooking log immediately.
- Hold cooked food hot (≥60 °C) or cool it promptly per the cooling SOP – don’t leave it sitting.
8. Records
- Cooking temperature log
- Thermometer calibration checks
9. Revision history
| Version | Date | Change description | Changed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | [YYYY-MM-DD] | Initial issue | [Name] |
Approval and control
| Role | Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prepared by | [Name] | [Signature] | [Date] |
| Reviewed by (QA) | [Name] | [Signature] | [Date] |
| Approved by | [Name] | [Signature] | [Date] |
Keep completed forms for [Define retention period, e.g., 2 years beyond shelf life] at [defined location] – and make sure someone besides you knows where that is.