Meat Thermometer

Meat Thermometer – Do you want to grill that steak to the perfect medium rare? Are you not sure how long to cook it? Well, a meat thermometer is the best way to tell when your food is done to perfection.

A meat thermometer such as the Insta-Read Large Dial Cooking Thermometer is used to measure the internal temperature of meat, especially roasts and steaks, and other cooked foods. You will want to know if the meal is done or not before serving it, and a meat thermometer is the tool you will need to know if it is time to take it up, or leave it on the grill a little longer. Food should always be cooked to an internal temperature that is sufficient enough to kill pathogens that could cause illness.

The meat thermometer will have a metal probe that you push into the meat. There will also be some sort of readout, either a rotating dial, or digital. Some of the meat thermometers with the rotating dials will have markings to indicate when different kinds of food are done to a specific degree (e.g. “beef medium rare”).

Most meat thermometers are designed to be left in the food during cooking. This way, you can monitor the temperature and take the meal off the grill at exactly the right time. Some types have a probe that is inserted into the food and the readout sits outside the grill or oven. Either type will work just fine. It is a matter of personal preference which type you use.

Here are some guidelines on temperatures for several kinds of meat:

Poultry – 180 to 185 degrees. (Insert the probe into the bird at the thickest spot and be sure the probe is not touching a bone)

Beef, Lamb, or Pork – 160 to 165 degrees. (Insert the probe into the food being careful to stay away from bone, fat, or cartlage)

Once you get used to using a good meat thermometer it will become one of your basic grilling tools. If kept clean and well cared for, a quality meat thermometer should last for years.