Meat thermometers are a great tool – they help make dinner a success. Find out the right way to use them, and never have over-cooked chicken again!
How to Use a Meat Thermometer
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We are probably all most familiar with using a meat thermometer when cooking a large piece of meat – something like a whole turkey, a whole chicken, or a big roast. This feels like the most important time to use a thermometer, right? After all, you’ve spent a bunch of money on the meat, and you’re probably going to feed a whole bunch of people. So you don’t want to ruin the meat, or get anybody sick. It is important to use a meat thermometer with a large piece of meat, but it’s also important other times.
Before we start, did you know that you can calibrate your meat thermometer? It’s a good idea to check the calibration at least once a year.
You’ll also want to grab a printable of minimum recommended cooking temperatures here. Print a copy and hang it on your refrigerator.
How to Use a Meat Thermometer in a Large Piece of Meat
When you’re cooking a large hunk of meat (a whole chicken or turkey, a roast, or a large ham), you should always use a meat thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, but don’t touch any bone with the thermometer. Bone heats up faster than meat, so you won’t get an accurate reading.
If you have an oven-safe thermometer like this one (I like the thermometer, but don’t agree with the cooking temperatures printed on it – print a cheat sheet here), you can insert it before you begin cooking. This is my favorite way, you know that you have the thermometer in the right place and you can easily check the temperature without poking multiple holes in the meat.
If you have a probe thermometer, that’s even better way. Insert the thermometer before you start cooking, set the monitor on your counter, and just check out the display. I set the alarm on mine so I know when the meat reaches the right temperature.
If you don’t have an oven-safe thermometer, you’ll have to check the meat a couple of times to be sure it is cooked all the way through. Just take the meat out of the oven, insert the thermometer into the thickest part, and read the temperature after it settles. If it isn’t quite done yet, put the meat back in the oven and come back in a little while. This method will add the most time to your cooking, and could dry out the meat a little.
How to Use a Meat Thermometer in a Thin Piece of Meat
If you are cooking a thin piece of meat – chicken breasts, steaks, pork chops, or hamburgers – you should still check the internal temperature before you serve it. For a thin piece of meat, insert the thermometer from the side. Try to get the tip of the thermometer as close to the center of the meat as possible.
I have been looking for a probe thermometer to use with my grill, but I can’t find one that has a cable that will withstand the temperatures with the grill lid closed. So I use an instant-read digital thermometer like this one instead.
How to Use a Meat Thermometer in a Slow Cooker
You can even use a meat thermometer in your slow cooker! If you find that chicken gets too dry in your slow cooker, or your roasts aren’t quite done enough, you’ll love using a meat thermometer. Too-dry chicken has been overcooked. (Yes, that can even happen in a slow cooker!) You can keep your chicken from being overcooked by monitoring the temperature with a meat thermometer.
I love the probe thermometers for this, too. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. I use the biggest piece of meat, if they aren’t all the same size. Lay the cable over the edge of the slow cooker, and plug it into your monitor. Set the alarm for the “done” temperature, and walk away! Perfect, every time!
Don’t forget about casseroles when you’re using your meat thermometer. Casseroles should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees. Check the temperature in the middle of the casserole, but be careful to not touch the bottom of the dish with the thermometer.
Enjoy!
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