Good Lifestyle

It's time to talk about meat thermometers, that is to say. Whether you are a professional chef or a novice home cook, everyone needs at least one type of meat thermometer at your fingertips.

As the name suggests, these practical devices measure the temperature of the meat during the cooking process. This includes chicken roasting, a steak steak, panoramic pork chops or poaching fish.Why use a meat thermometer? Not only a precise meat thermometer will allow you to know when your meal is sure to consume (which is crucial consideringinsufficient meat, especially chicken And other poultry, can cause diseases such as Salmonella and Listeria), but it's also a valuable tool to use to make sure your meat is cooked exactly as you prefer.

To help you decide the best meat thermometer for your needs, we have put in place this practical guide using a commission of professional leaders who use these fiduciary devices every day.

Why is it important to use a meat thermometer during cooking?

Simply put, using a meat thermometer when cooking is the only way enough to know that your meal is completely cooked and ready to be enjoyed. Although you can have an excellent eye to find out when your steak is exactly rare or your chicken is perfectly roasted, only a meat thermometer can tell you with certainty.

Using a meat thermometer can also help you determine if a meal has been too cooked. When you cook meat at an adequate temperature, it is juicy and tender; If you leave it in the oven or on the grill too long, it will be dry and lack of flavor.

Because two meat cups are identical, using cooking time to determine when a meal is performed is an intrinsically defective method. Although some pieces can be cooked perfectly, others could be under cooked or burned. In other words, a meat thermometer is the only way to go there if you are looking for a stress-free gastronomic experience.

What are the different types of meat thermometers that you can buy?

As with most cooking devices, there are dozens of meat thermometers varieties. Different types of thermometers, such as analog or numeric and those with a long probe or shorter, are better adapted for different purposes.

In order to determine the best meat thermometer for you, it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of different types of the device.

Analog meat thermometers

Before digital age, thermometers of analog meat (which you need to read) reigns in supreme. Many cooks and professional chefs formed using analog thermometers still prefer them today. They are usually used for larger meat cups (such asCook Turkey Thanksgiving) Thanks to their longer probes and you can be left in the meat while cooking, even if you should always check that the thermometer is safe.

Advantages:

• They are classic. These use an old-fashioned mechanical mechanism, as opposed to electronic electronics, that professional cooks prefer.
• Set it and forget it. You can usually paste an analog meat thermometer into your meal at the beginning of the cooking process and leave it for the duration. This allows you to carefully monitor temperature changes.
• Do not break the bank. Since analog thermometers do not have tons of additional features, they are often much cheaper than some of the digital fan models.
• No batteries required. Unlike more modern digital counterparts, thermometers of analog meat do not need batteries to work. Instead, they must be calibrated before each use. More on this below.

The inconvenients:

• They can be delicate to read.Analog thermometers do not have a large flashy screen that will show you the temperature of your meat with a look or button a button. Instead, you must read them manually, which can be difficult to do. This is especially true if it requires opening a hot, dark oven and get closer to your hot meal.
• They take longer to read. Thermometers of analog meat generally take a longer duration to read from their digital counterparts, which can be difficult to handle during cooking.
• Calibration is the key. Analog thermometers can become a bit calibrated quite easily, which could be an embarrassment for some. Although not difficult, analog thermometers can be easily calibrated to ensure accuracy. This can be done using the iced water technique and adjusting the thermometer to 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ruth Hartman, owner and chief of Coffee Creek Ranch, an all-inclusive complex in northern California, describes the method as follows: "Insert the thermometer rod at least one thumb in depth in ice water without leaving The rod touch the sides or the bottom of the glass. Wait for the thermometer to register; it usually takes one minute or less. The thermometer is accurate if it records 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius. If no, you must adjust correctly The calibration nut with a key to rotate the head until it reads 32 degrees Fahrenheit. "

Digital meat thermometers

Unlike thermometers of analog meat, digital meat thermometers do not need to be calibrated and can be read instantly. Most digital thermometers are also equipped with additional useful features such as backlit screens for increased visibility and predefined timers based on specific meat cuts.

Advantages:

• They are easy to read. Although analog thermometers can be hard to read, especially when cooking, digital thermometers usually have larger displays with great visibility. They are also often faster when recording the temperature of your food.
• They have bells and whistles. Simply put, most digital thermometers have functions that can facilitate your cooking life, such as the aforementioned backlight and an alarm that will sound when your meat has reached a predefined temperature.
• They tend to be smaller. Digital thermometers tend to be smaller than analog thermometers, making them easier to use for some. "I personally prefer these styles or pocket sizes for thermometers on others because they are smaller, portable and more user-friendly," said Luis Cuadra, executive head of the district restaurant in Los Angeles. "There are no wires or cables to unravel each use."

The inconvenients:

• They can not be left in the oven. Although you can paste an analog thermometer into your meat and leave it usually under its cooking, digital thermometers that are not marked "safe" can not be used for the duration of the cooking process and should rather be inserted , then removed once you have a reading.
• They can malfunction. Like any electronic device, digital thermometers can malfunction. In addition, when a digital thermometer goes from hay, it usually does it with a much greater degree of inaccuracy than analog models.
• They need batteries. While thermometers of the analog meat are autonomous, the numerics only work batteries, which end up stopping.
• They can be more expensive. Although you can get a good analog thermometer for less than $ 10, digital thermometers usually cost about $ 12 and up. Some can cost up to $ 100 or more.

Thermometers with long meat of the probe vs.

The thermometers with longer probes usually have probes up to five inches long, which make them ideal when you cook pieces of larger meat. In other words, if you search a chest or a turkey, go to this long-term thermometer.

However, while a meat thermometer with a long probe can work with thinner meat cuts such as a flank steak or chicken breast, it will be a bit heavy to handle and could potentially be less accurate since The probe must be penetrated (but do not go through) the meat despite its thickness.

How to choose the best thermometer with meat

When it comes to choosing the "best" meat thermometer, it's really a matter of personal preference and what you intend to use it.

Depending on your needs, we have the top 9 meat thermometers for each type of cooking at home.

Best inexpensive: Thermopro TP03 digital instant meat thermometer

With literally thousands of 5-star Amazon exams, it's hard to believe that this meat thermometer currently costs less than $ 13. As with most digital thermometers, it comes with a range of additional features that facilitate the cooking process. More specifically, this device has a backlight and a stainless steel probe of nearly 4 inches long and can read the temperature of your food in less than five seconds. It also has a range of extended temperatures of more than 600 degrees and a three-year warranty.

Best Splurge: ThermoPeneks Thermapen MK4

If youcook a lot of meatAnd do not worry about a madness, the Thermapen MK4 Thermoworks is a way to go. It provides complete digital readings in three seconds or less. Advanced technology makes it intuitive and easy to use. For example, users can hold it in any direction and the display automatically turns to the right on the right so that it can play it in any position - in a hand, right up or to the bottom. In other words, you can read temperatures without taking your head. This thermometer also has a thin but short sensor that perceives easily through the most difficult meats and is to the safety of the oven up to nearly 700 degrees.

Best for grilling: ThermoroWorks Classic Super Fast Thermapen

For the best instant reading thermometer for cooking or smoking, Anthony Dibernardo-chef and Pitmaster of Swig & Swine Barbeque Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina Recommends a Thermapenterkks Thermapen, similar to the Folie above, but not quite expensive. "It's important to use a thermometer to instant reading meat, especially when cooking or smoking, as it reads the temperature quickly," says Dibernardo. "Fast and precise readings mean less time spent with your open smoker and more cooking time."

Best to keep in the bird: Thermopro TP-16 digital cooking thermometer

If you are looking for a thermometer that you can keep in your meat while it cooking, you need something that is both safe in the oven and has a long probe. The thermopro TP-16 corresponds to the invoice. It has a cooking mode with USDA predefined temperature settings, which means you can cook the meat of your choice using an oven, a smoker or a stove.

Best digital: Max Cooper-Atkins DPP800W Max digital thermometer with long probe

"My favorite thermometer is the practice of the Cooper pocket thermometer, the DFP450W or DPP800W," says Cuadra. "It's digital and always accurate, the more it gives a precise reading in just a few seconds. I discovered it by chance more than 12 years ago and that I have used it since. I was tired of having to have Calibrate the analog thermometers every two days., or after every time I go the ding or drop it because everything can make it lose its calibration. "

He says, "The Cooper model has everything you would like in a thermometer. It is 100% waterproof, I can also use it to test our dishwasher. This digital thermometer has a thin tip that allows me to use it On more delicate items without damaging them. It also has a wide range of temperatures (+ 400 degrees), which is another example of how it is versatile. "

Best analog: Taylor Precision Products Classic Instant Instant Playback Pocket Thermometer

"The best meat thermometers are the commercial that most chefs still use. They come with a long right probe with a round needle dial that is sitting on the top," says Hartman.

She loves Taylor Precision Products brand and advises cooks at home to search for a meat thermometer with a tube to protect and have a pen pliers so you can wear it in your pocket. "Then you take it when you need it while you cook," she says.

Best Ovensafe: Thermopro TP06S digital grill meat thermometer with probe

If you are looking for a thermometer that you can throw in the oven with your meat and forget, the thermopro TP06S is a solid choice. The stainless steel probe can withstand temperatures up to 716 degrees Fahrenheit and the thermometer has a timer mode. It also houses predefined temperatures for nine types of meat and their various levels of precedence recommended by the USDA. You can also reset the preset times on your desired taste.

Best Bluetooth: Veken Meat Thermometer for Grill, BBQ without without Sand Remote Remote

Bluetooth thermometers are the most expensive group overall, but they are unmatched in terms of convenience level. This model VEKEN, for example, has a professional remote control signal reaches up to 490 feet, which means you can watch the game or chat with your guests without worrying about your dinner. Dozens of hundreds of positive Amazon opinions praise this double thermometer for its fast readings (we are talking about two to three seconds) overwhelming precision and durable probes.

Best Global: Hardo 022 Instant Reading Meat Thermometer

If the thousands of 5-star exams for this meat thermometer do not convince you of its value, consider this: the Habor 022 thermometer is super fast (it can take temperature readings in four to six seconds) and has a probe which is neither too long or too short, which means that it is suitable for the kind of meat you cook. It is also precise in a degree and has a temperature range of up to 572 degrees Fahrenheit. What else? It costs less than $ 15.