A meat thermometer with a dial. Notice the markings for each type of meat Pork thermometer

A meat thermometer or cooking thermometer is a

thermometer A thermometer is a device that measures temperature or a temperature gradient (the degree of hotness or coldness of an object). A thermometer has two important elements: (1) a temperature sensor (e.g. the bulb of a mercury-in-glass thermometer ...

used to measure the internal temperature of

meat Meat is animal flesh that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted, farmed, and scavenged animals for meat since prehistoric times. The establishment of settlements in the Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of animals such as chic ...

, especially roasts and

steak A steak is a thick cut of meat generally sliced across the muscle fibers, sometimes including a bone. It is normally grilled or fried. Steak can be diced, cooked in sauce, such as in steak and kidney pie, or minced and formed into patti ...

s, and other cooked foods. The degree of "doneness" of meat or

bread Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour (usually wheat) and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history and around the world, it has been an important part of many cultures' diet. It is one of the oldest human-made f ...

correlates closely with the internal temperature, so that a thermometer reading indicates when it is cooked as desired. When cooking, food should always be cooked so that the interior reaches a temperature sufficient, that in the case of meat is enough to kill pathogens that may cause

foodborne illness Foodborne illness (also foodborne disease and food poisoning) is any illness resulting from the spoilage of contaminated food by pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, as well as prions (the agents of mad cow disease ...

or, in the case of bread, that is done

baking Baking is a method of preparing food that uses dry heat, typically in an oven, but can also be done in hot ashes, or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread but many other types of foods can be baked. Heat is gradually transferred " ...

; the thermometer helps to ensure this.

Characteristics

A meat thermometer is a unit which will measure core temperature of meats while cooking. It will have a metal probe with a sharp point which is pushed into the meat, and a dial or

digital display A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual or tactile form (the latter used for example in tactile electronic displays for blind people). When the input information that is supplied has an electrical signal ...

. Some show the temperature only; others also have markings to indicate when different kinds of meat are done to a specified degree (e.g., "beef medium rare"). Meat thermometers are usually designed to have the probe in the meat during cooking. Some use a

bimetallic strip A bimetallic strip is used to convert a temperature change into mechanical displacement. The strip consists of two strips of different metals which expand at different rates as they are heated. The different expansions force the flat strip to be ...

which rotates a needle which shows the temperature on a dial; the whole thermometer can be left inside the oven during cooking. Another variety commonly used on

turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

is the pop-up timer, which uses a spring held in by a soft material that "pops up" when the meat reaches a set temperature. Bimetal coil thermometers and pop-up devices are the least reliable types of meat thermometers and should not be trusted as a standalone meat thermometer. Other types use an electronic sensor in the probe, connected by a flexible heat-resistant cable to a display. The probe is inserted in the meat, and the cable comes out of the oven (oven seals are flexible enough to allow this without damage) and is connected to the display. These types can be set to sound an alarm when the specified temperature is reached. Wireless types, where the display does not have to be close to the oven, are also available.

Models

Meat thermometers have many different models, such as single probe and multiprobe. Single probe models are usually the cheapest, but they can only monitor one section of the meat, which requires the probe inserted into different places to monitor the whole piece of meat. Multiprobe models are more expensive, and usually can connect 2-8 probes. More probes means the temperature of the whole piece of meat can be more accurately monitored.

Use

The probe can be inserted into the meat before starting cooking, and cooking continued until the desired internal temperature is reached. Alternatively the meat can be cooked for a certain time and taken out of the oven, and the temperature checked before serving. The tip of the probe should be in the thickest part of the meat, but not touching bone, which conducts heat and gives an overestimate of the meat temperature.

Poultry

For

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, qu ...

insert the meat thermometer into the thigh, but do not touch the bone. The suggested temperature for poultry to reach before it is safe to consume is 74 °C (165 °F), unless the

is stuffed, in which case the temperature in the center of the

stuffing Stuffing, filling, or dressing is an edible mixture, often composed of herbs and a starch such as bread, used to fill a cavity in the preparation of another food item. Many foods may be stuffed, including poultry, seafood, and vegetables. A ...

should be about 74 °C (165 °F).Canadian Food Inspection Authority
Accessed 2014-10-17

Beef, lamb, or veal

For

beef Beef is the culinary name for meat from cattle (''Bos taurus''). In prehistoric times, humankind hunted aurochs and later domesticated them. Since that time, numerous breeds of cattle have been bred specifically for the quality or quantit ...

lamb Lamb or The Lamb may refer to: * A young sheep * Lamb and mutton, the meat of sheep Arts and media Film, television, and theatre * ''The Lamb'' (1915 film), a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in his screen debut * ''The Lamb'' (1918 ...

, or

veal Veal is the meat of calves, in contrast to the beef from older cattle. Veal can be produced from a calf of either sex and any breed, however most veal comes from young male calves of dairy breeds which are not used for breeding. Generally, v ...

insert the meat thermometer away from bone, fat, or cartilage. The meat should reach a temperature of between 63 °C (145 °F) for medium-rare, and 77 °C (170 °F) for well done.

Pork

Pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved ...

needs to reach the same temperature 71 °C (160 °F) as

, or

and the same rules for use of the thermometer apply.

Ground meat

For

ground meat Ground meat, called mince or minced meat outside North America, is meat finely chopped by a meat grinder or a chopping knife. A common type of ground meat is ground beef, but many other types of meats are prepared in a similar fashion, includ ...

, you should insert the digital food thermometer into the thickest part of the piece. For

hamburger A hamburger, or simply burger, is a food consisting of fillings—usually a patty of ground meat, typically beef—placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. Hamburgers are often served with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, bacon, ...

s you should insert the thermometer probe through the side of the

patty A patty or burger (in British English) is a flattened, usually round, Serving size, serving of ground meat and/or legumes, grains, vegetables, or Meat analogue, meat alternatives. Patties are found in multiple cuisines throughout the world. ...

, all the way to the middle. Make sure to check each piece of meat or patty because heat can be uneven. Temperature should be 71 °C (160 °F) for

, or

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved ...

and 74 °C (165 °F) for

Casseroles, and eggs

For

casserole A casserole (French: diminutive of , from Provençal 'pan') is a normally large deep pan or bowl a casserole is anything in a casserole pan. Hot or cold History Baked dishes have existed for thousands of years. Early casserole recipes c ...

s, and eggs insert the thermometer into the thickest area. The temperature for casseroles should be 71 °C (160 °F) and for eggs 74 °C (165 °F).

Seafood

For

fish Fish are Aquatic animal, aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack Limb (anatomy), limbs with Digit (anatomy), digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous and bony fish as we ...

the temperature should be 70 °C (158 °F). For

shellfish Shellfish is a colloquial and fisheries term for exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates used as food, including various species of molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish are harvested from saltwater environ ...

(for example,

shrimp Shrimp are crustaceans (a form of shellfish) with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata of the decapod order, although some crustaceans outside of this order are ref ...

lobster Lobsters are a family (Nephropidae, synonym Homaridae) of marine crustaceans. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on the sea floor. Three of their five pairs of legs have claws, including the first pair, ...

crab Crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (abdomen) ( el, βραχύς , translit=brachys = short, / = tail), usually hidden entirely under the thorax. They live in all th ...

scallop Scallop () is a common name that encompasses various species of marine bivalve mollusks in the taxonomic family Pectinidae, the scallops. However, the common name "scallop" is also sometimes applied to species in other closely related families ...

clam Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve molluscs. The word is often applied only to those that are edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the seafloor or riverbeds. Clams have two shel ...

mussel Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, which ...

s and

oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not ...

s) the temperature should be at 74 °C (165 °F).

Other cooking thermometers

* Candy thermometer

References

External links

Food thermometers
{{Kitchen tools Food preparation utensils Thermometers Cooking thermometers