There are many tools around the kitchen which are all designed to make your life alot easier. Each tool has a function an they all have their place, but one of the smallest but most useful pieces of equipment in the kitchen is a meat thermometer.
A kitchen thermometer (termometro da cucina) is another word for a meat thermometer. The basic concept of the tool is that you pierce the food with the thermometer and the gadget tells you the temperature. Nice and straight forward. Something so simple couldn’t be complicated, no?
Keep reading to find out the basic knowledge you need about the super useful meat thermometer.
All the types
Like many other products, there are different options available on the market which are all suited to different kinds of people. There is no right or wrong product to use as it all boils down to personal preference.
One of the main choices to be made is analog or digital. Some traditional cooks prefer the analog method as it’s a method which involves keeping the thermometer in the produce while it cooks. This means constant observation can be attained if desired. Digital options on the flip side don’t need to stay in the produce through cooking but they have been known to be a little less durable in the long run.
A further option sometimes found on the market is a thermometer which has specific regions for different meats imprinted onto the dial. As useful as it may appear, many butchers recommend avoiding these gadgets as it is highly likely that you will overcook your dinner.
For superchefs who want to enjoy al fresco cooking, there’s a commendable product called an electric barbeque thermometer (termometro barbecue). These tools are very good at what they do and are even more essential than when doing traditional cooking on a stove. Uncooked meat is a common problem with barbeques so having a specific thermometer for barbeques will help to save your sausages and your burgers.
How to use a meat thermometer
Meat thermometers are simple to use and take little maintenance. Once you’ve chosen the type of thermometer you want to use, follow these easy to follow steps to use your new kitchen toy.
- Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat without touching the bone if there is one. Inserting into the thinnest part will not give the best reading, the thickest part of the meat takes longest to cook so always measure here.
- Leave it in place for a moment while the thermometer settles. You are looking for a temperature five degrees than the desired final figure. Remember that meat continues to cook even after it has been removed from the used heat source.
- Wash the thermometer thoroughly to prepare for next use. Cross contamination can be very dangerous with undercooked meats so despite being a mundane job, the washing up of the thermometer must be done thoroughly.
