Do you check food temperature while preparing your meals? But, your guesswork does not let you determine the accurate temperature. As temperature is crucial for maintaining food safety, you can buy the best meat thermometer or any food thermometer to measure temperature. However, how will you use this thermometer for food temperature measurement? A few tips will help you get the ultimate value from the device.
How much temperature is essential for every type of meat?
Depending on the type of meat, you need to manage the temperature during cooking. The internal temperature of the cooked pork chops, cutlet, thigh, and chicken breasts should be 145F. For fish also, you must maintain the same internal temperature.
The best tips for using your meat thermometer
Although it is easy to use the meat thermometer, some users make mistakes. It prevents them from getting the right temperature readings.
1. Do not leave your smart thermometer inside your oven
Some modern thermometers have an ovenproof design. They will not get damaged even if you have left them inside your microwave oven while cooking food. But, not every thermometer has the same design. If the standard food thermometer is inside your hot oven, it will become damaged. When you buy the food thermometer, you should check the oven-friendliness.
2. Never let the thermometer cross the indicator mark
If you have purchased an instant-read meat thermometer, you will find an indicator mark. The manufacturer has added the indicator to let you know how much you have to insert the probe into the meat. If the thermometer’s probe goes beyond the mark, it can lead to inaccurate readings. The screen may also be at risk.
3. Never use your washing machine to clean the digital food thermometer
Meat stick thermometer users make the mistake of cleaning their devices using a washing machine. Some thermometer manufacturers claim that they have provided a splash-proof digital display. However, as these temperature-measuring tools are waterproof, it is better to avoid the contact of the thermometer with water. You can just use a cloth to wipe off the probe. Use hot water and soap to clean the probe and other parts of the device.
Moreover, cleaning is highly important, especially if you use a particular meat thermometer for various purposes. For instance, you want to cook different cuts of meat and poultry at a time. Thus, you should place the probe into each piece after cleaning it. There is a risk of spreading bacteria and germs without proper cleaning. Also, these bacteria will contaminate the food. So, proper hygiene will allow you to stay safe.
4. Never let your thermometer touch the surface or bone
Your thermometer’s probe should not touch the bone. Thus, it needs to be close to the bone to get accurate readings. Fat and bone have a heat-conducting capacity. So, the readings will show a temperature higher than the surroundings. The best rule is to insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the piece.
5. Avoid contact between the thermometer and the heat
Although you have bought a high-quality thermometer, some components are made of materials like plastics. Thus, if the plastic parts touch any hot surface, they will instantly melt. There is also a risk of damaging the thermometer and its parts.
6. Calibration is important for the best meat thermometer
A premium-quality smart meat thermometer is designed to show you highly accurate readings. However, to get the desired result, you have to consider calibration. Remember, calibration is important once every month. If you have dropped the thermometer to the ground, you should calibrate it.
The meat thermometer needs to be placed in the ice bath for this purpose. Put some ice into the container; add water to it. Hold the probe to start stirring the ice and water thoroughly to get an accurate result. Leave the device for some minutes and then you can take the temperature.
7. Never take the thermometer out of the meat quickly
Some users remove their thermometers just after inserting the devices into the meat cuts. As a result, the device cannot get the desired time for measuring the temperature. So, insert the thermometer, wait for a couple of minutes, and find the right readings.
The time needed for temperature measurement is different, depending on whether it is a digital or analogue thermometer. Instant-read analogue thermometer manufacturers claim that it takes at least 20 seconds to register the temperature. On the contrary, a digital instant-read food thermometer can accomplish the task within 10 seconds. You can use it to check the temperature of both larger cuts and thinner foods (like steaks, chops, and burgers). You must not leave your thermometer in your food during the cooking process.
Buy the best meat thermometer from a reliable store
If you want to purchase the best meat thermometer, you can visit chefstemp. It has a collection of various types of food thermometers that are based on digital technology. You will get a high-quality thermometer to measure food temperatures. Whether you want to cook light meals or spicy meat, you can use the thermometer for your regular purposes.
