If you relish the aroma of freshly grilled meat on a summer day, or if your favorite meal is a perfectly baked salmon fillet, chances are you will cook it almost to perfection.
However, even if you are an experienced home chef, it is important that you take key steps to reduce your risk of foodborne illness, which can lead to nausea, vomiting and diarrhea around four to 48 hours after eating the food.
Remember, even if you think you can look at a steak "done" or just cook a chicken until the juices run clear, you can't see, smell or taste the harmful bacteria that can make you sick. Many pathogens, such as E. coli or salmonella , are destroyed at certain temperatures in food.
There are four key guidelines for keeping food safe while preparing:
- Wash your hands and surfaces frequently.
- Keep raw meat separate from other foods.
- Cook at the right temperature.
- Chill food quickly and don't leave it out.
Three out of four of these strategies are self-explanatory, but what does "cook at the right temperature" really mean? That's where a meat thermometer comes in handy.
How to use a meat thermometer?
Using a food thermometer is the only sure way to know that you have cooked meat, fish and poultry to a minimum internal temperature that destroys any harmful microorganisms in the food.
When using a meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the meat. Avoid touching the bones and fat in the meat or the pan underneath it with the probe of the thermometer.
If you are measuring the temperature of a thin food like a hamburger or chicken breast, it is best to use digital food thermometers, which usually measure the temperature with the tips of their probes.
However, if you are using a dial (analog) food thermometer, which has a larger detection area, insert the probe into the side of the food so that the entire detection area, usually 4 to 6 cm, is fully positioned in the center of the food.
Take the temperature at at least two points. Depending on the size of the piece of meat, you may need more. If it's a large roast, you probably want to take the temperature at least three points.
If you're cooking multiple pieces of meat at once, it's important to check the temperature of each one, not just the largest piece. For thin pieces of meat like fish, it can be helpful to stack them so the thermometer doesn't touch the pan while taking the temperature.
What types of thermometers are there?
When choosing from a wide variety of thermometers, choose the one that best suits your culinary needs and be sure to use it every time you prepare meat.
These are the common types of thermometers you can find:
- Oven-Safe Dial Thermometers – May stay in place while food is cooking, but are not ideal for thin foods. To use it correctly, insert the thermometer about an inch into the thickest part of the meat (wait a minute or two before reading). This thermometer is ideal for roasts, stews and soups.
- Instant-read dial thermometers : To read the temperature, place the stem about 4 centimeters deep in the thickest part of the meat and wait 15 to 20 seconds. This thermometer is best used in roasts, stews, soups, or inserted into thin dishes on one side.
- Instant Read Digital Thermometers – Good for both thin and thick foods (including frozen dinners on shallow trays). Insert the stem of the thermometer about 1 centimeter deep into the meat and read the temperature after 10 seconds.
- Pop-up thermometers – You may already find these on the poultry you buy. Although these thermometers are designed to pop when a food reaches its safe temperature, it is important to always check with a conventional thermometer.
- Thermometer and Fork Combination – May be useful for grilling. Dip a little bit deep into the thickest part of the meat, making sure the fork sensor is inserted. This type of thermometer tends to read in two to 10 seconds.
It can be tempting to skip over the manufacturer's instructions when buying a new thermometer, but it's worth reading. The instructions include important information such as how far to insert a thermometer into a piece of meat to get an accurate reading and how to calibrate the thermometer to ensure that the reading is accurate.
For products that include raw beef, pork, lamb, beef steaks, chops, and roasts, experts recommend using the food thermometer before removing food from its heat source.
Let the meat rest for at least three minutes before cutting or eating it for safety and quality. Use hot soapy water to clean your thermometer after each use to avoid cross contamination.
The 4 Best Meat Thermometers on Amazon
When buying a thermometer, the most important thing is to find one that you use regularly and that provides an accurate reading.
OXO Instant Read Thermometer
This is a good choice for a simple analog thermometer. Critics of Amazon note that this instant-read thermometer features large numbers that are easy to read and that it is a simple tool to use and clean.
Another useful feature: the probe is shaded, so you know exactly how far to insert it into the meat for an accurate reading. Meanwhile, the deck includes chef-recommended temperatures for various types of meat, including poultry, beef, lamb, pork, and ground beef.
ThermoPro Instant Read Thermometer
If you prefer a digital meat thermometer, this will become a reference tool in your kitchen. Your probe reads the temperature in about five seconds.
That said, this thermometer is not designed to stick while meat is cooking, so you will need to remove it after each temperature reading.
It's easy to clean and reliable, and this thermometer has positive reviews as a high-quality buy for its price from critics on Amazon. Use it for barbecue and smoked meat, steak, veal, turkey, chicken, fish and more.
Chugod Wireless Thermometer
This meat thermometer comes with four probes that allow you to monitor multiple temperatures at once. You can use this for several types of meat or to simultaneously measure four points on a large piece of meat.
The thermometer connects to a receiver that can transport up to 150 meters away without losing range. With a large digital display, the device has preset temperatures for 11 types of meat.
The probes can remain in the meat while it cooks and have cables capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 380ºC.
MEATER + wireless meat thermometer
Billed as the world's first "smart" wireless meat thermometer, this stylish device connects to your smartphone and allows you to monitor meat as it cooks.
Simply insert the probe into the meat, select what you are cooking and how you would actually like it in the MEATER app, and follow the cooking instructions. The MEATER app will calculate your cook time, even considering "carry over" cook for best results.
This particular model comes with a wireless charging dock that doubles as a Bluetooth repeater. That creates a wireless range of up to 50 meters, so you don't have to hover over the roast while it cooks. The thermometer also has two sensors that can measure both the internal temperature of the meat and the ambient temperature.
Amazon critics comment that while a more expensive option, the MEATER + thermometer is worth the investment for true meat lovers.
