An experienced chef can tell the food is ready or not by his/her hands and eyes. But there is a possibility that a cook can misjudge doneness. That is why, for absolute certainty whether the food is done or not is by using a thermometer. In this article, we are going to show you how to use your instant-read meat thermometer. We also tell you what is Thermometer, why we need it and how to use it.
Why every griller Needs A Thermometer?
Grilling meat is a very ancient tradition of bringing friends and family together. So, to ensure that your food is ready is very essential and for this, a meat thermometer can help. There are very risks involve with not fully cooked meat. Undone food can be harmful to:
- Pregnant women
- People with a weak immune system
- Toddlers, Fetuses newborns.
Right Way to Use an Instant Read Meat Thermometer
The instructions for using the thermometer in the right way are as follows:
- You should insert it in the thickest part of the meat.
- Use it when you think that the food is near or at the end of cook time.
- The problem with grill is that it sometimes cooks the food faster in one area than others. So, check in different locations to make sure that all of the pieces of meat is cooked.
- Insert it in the center of the meat and in the side of flat and thin meats in the case of burgers.
Moreover, do not touch the thermometer to the bone as it can give false readings due to heat conductivity.
Safety Matters
There are some safety majors that you need to take care of your instant meat thermometer.
- Clean your thermometer carefully after the use.
- Before using it, wash it with water and make sure that your thermometer is waterproof. Otherwise, clean the parts only touches the food.
- Some of the models have a magnet to stick them with the side of the fridge. Some of them come with their own storage case.
- Wash it every time after the use.
Calibrate to Ensure Accuracy
Occasionally, check your thermometer to ensure the accuracy of the reading. The thermometer needs to calibrate when it suddenly was taken from extreme temp to another or when it drops. Anyhow, some of the new and modern models automatic calibrate their selves. But if you have to manually calibrate it then you can use the following method.
Take boiling water and ice water and calibrate the thermometer by setting the temperature. But if you are living on high altitude then the boiling and ice temperature can be different.
Tips for True Grilling
Almost all of the thermometers are made of a comfortable size to save you from fire and from burning your hands.
Anyhow, in the case of foods like burgers, you need to take the temp from the sides which can get your hands close to the grates. So, it is better to lift the food with a spatula from the grill for taking the temperature.
Outside the Grill
Instant-read thermometers are not for just grilling, it can also be used in the kitchen for checking the doneness of other foods too. You can make sure the doneness of candy, baked goods, roasted meats and other delights in the oven, stove, and other cooking gadgets.
Make sure that the food is out of the danger zone by making sure that your food is not too cold or warm.
A finger cannot tell the age of the animal or other factors that affect the piece of meat. So is the case of the thermometer, it cannot tell you these things too but it can tell you whether your food is fully ready or not. You can tell by checking the temperature of the meat that all of the bacteria have died. The temperature is the only measure that can tell you exactly the doneness of the food.
The things that you need to consider is to wash and sanitize the thermometer after it is inserted into the food. Otherwise, there is a risk of cross-contamination (The transfer of the bacteria from one product to another).
