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Use A Meat Thermometer




Source of Recipe


Consumer Information From USDA, June 1997


Recipe Introduction


Use A Meat Thermometer...Take the Guesswork Out Of Cooking!




List of Ingredients




Have you ever cut into a roast or a turkey to see if it has finished cooking? Use a meat thermometer! It takes the guesswork out of cooking. A meat thermometer can be used for all foods, not just meat. It measures the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry, or any casseroles, to assure that a safe temperature has been reached and that harmful bacteria have been destroyed.

If you don't regularly use a meat thermometer, you should get into the habit of using one. A meat thermometer can be used for all foods, not just meat. It measures the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry or any casseroles, to assure that a safe temperature has been reached and that harmful bacteria like certain strains of Salmonella and E. Coli O 157:H7 have been destroyed. A meat thermometer should not be a "sometime thing". Use it every time you prepare foods like poultry, roasts, hams, casseroles, meat loaves and egg dishes. Foods are properly cooked only when they are heated at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria that cause food-borne illness."

A meat thermometer can help you:

Cook foods to a safe temperature and prevent food borne illness. Prevent overcooking; and hold foods at a safe temperature.


Recipe



USING A MEAT THERMOMETER:

To use a meat thermometer, insert it through the fat side of the meat, being careful not to touch bone. Bone conducts heat faster, and you'll get a false reading of the meat's temperature.

Where to Insert - To be an accurate indicator, a meat thermometer must be inserted properly. The sensing area of thermometers is ½ inch to 2 inches long, and this area must be completely immersed in the deepest area of the food.

Poultry - insert it in the inner thigh area near the breast of the bird, but not touching bone.

Red meat, roasts, steaks or chops - insert in the center of the thickest part, away from bone, fat, and gristle.

Ground meat and poultry - place in the thickest area of meat loaf; insert sideways in thin items such as patties.

Casseroles and egg dishes - insert in the center or thickest area. Hot, cooked foods must be held at 140° F or higher; cold foods, at 40°F or below.

REMEMBER: After each use, wash the stem of the meat thermometer thoroughly in hot, soapy water.

WHICH TYPE MEAT THERMOMETER SHOULD YOU BUY?

There are several types of meat thermometers available at grocery, hardware or kitchen supply stores. The type of thermometer determines when it should be inserted in the meat. Make sure the thermometer you buy is designed for meat and poultry, not for candy or appliances.

Regular, Ovenproof Types: These go into the food at the beginning of the cooking time and can be read easily.

*Instant-Read and Digital Types: The newer digital instant-read thermometers should be used only toward the end of the cooking time -- they're not designed to remain in the food as it cooks. Most need to be inserted only a half-inch deep, so they can be used on a wider variety of foods such as burgers, pork chops and chicken breasts. Some types can be calibrated. NOTE: This is the type that I prefer and use. To learn about the different brands and how they rate, go to this site:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/DigitalTherm.htm

Pop-Up Types: These are commonly found in poultry, but may be purchased for other types of meats. Not real accurate.

Microwave-Safe Types: These are especially designed only for microwave ovens.

For more information on different types of cooking thermometers, check out the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) web site:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/thermy/kitchen.htm

TESTING A MEAT THERMOMETER:

The accuracy of the meat thermometer can be verified and the thermometer "calibrated" if necessary. Either hold the stem of the meat thermometer in boiling water for 15 seconds. Assuming you are at sea level, the thermometer should register 212 degrees - OR - Hold the stem in a cup of crushed ice and water; it should register 32ºF.

If your thermometer does not register the proper above temperatures, twist the small nut beneath the thermometer face with pliers until the temperature is correct.