A useful starting point
A recipe can describe colour, texture or aroma to explain its intended result. Those cues may help with quality while failing to establish whether a food requiring an internal-temperature check has reached the appropriate threshold.
Keep it in your kitchen notes
Read the recipe’s quality cues and consult current official guidance for the food category. Use a suitable food thermometer as directed, including any required rest time in the relevant guidance. Do not declare safety from colour or elapsed time alone. Keep the two kinds of observation distinct: what the recipe should look like and what the food-safety check needs to establish.