Mastering Meat Thermometers
Cooking by sight and touch takes years of practice to master. A thermometer removes the uncertainty, ensuring your dinner is cooked through without becoming dry or tough.
Know your target numbers.
Temperatures rise after you pull the meat from the heat; always account for carryover cooking.
- Digital instant-read thermometer
- Heat-resistant gloves
Finding the center
The probe must hit the exact thermal center of the protein. Aim for the deepest part of the cut, away from bone, which conducts heat differently and will give you a false reading.
The method.
Calibrate the tool
Fill a glass with ice and top with water. Insert your thermometer; it should read 32°F (0°C). Adjust if necessary.
Select your target
For medium-rare beef, aim for 125°F. For chicken, 165°F. For pork chops, 145°F. Remember that the temperature will climb 5 degrees while resting.
Measure and confirm
Pull the meat off the heat 5 degrees early. Place the probe into the center of the thickest part. If the readout stays steady for three seconds, your read is accurate.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always clean your probe with hot, soapy water between uses.
Insert the probe horizontally if you are cooking a thin cut of meat to get a more accurate reading of the middle.
Keep your thermometer away from direct contact with the pan surface to prevent inaccurate high readings.
The ones that keep coming up.
Does the thermometer need to go all the way through the meat?
No, you only need the sensor at the tip to reach the center of the meat.
Can I leave the thermometer in the meat while it cooks in the oven?
Only if you are using a leave-in probe specifically designed for that; standard instant-read models will melt or malfunction inside a hot oven.
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