How to use a Cooking Thermometer

Is the meat already cooked or too raw? By poking a little in the meat and studying the color of the outside, most barbecue lovers think they know whether the cooking is cooked or not.  The choice of a cooking thermometer depends on what you want to measure and how. Some kitchen thermometers measure heat, such as barbecue thermometers and roasting thermometers. You know exactly when your dish has the right doneness. There are some cooking thermometers measure cold, such as freezer thermometers and wine thermometers. There is also a fridge thermometer to check the temperature in your fridge. For a little more than a tenner you hang a thermometer in your oven that indicates exactly how many degrees it is in there. Since that purchase, we have never baked cake that is too dry.

Sometimes a piece of meat is cut off, and then put the meat back on the barbecue when it turns out that it is not yet good. The only way to determine the doneness of your meat is to use a cooking thermometer while barbecuing.

Use a digital BBQ thermometer

Thermometers, they are used in different ways in the kitchen and are actually indispensable in everyone’s cooking domain. Still, a lot of uncertainty remains, because which kitchen thermometer do you use for what, when and what is a ‘healthy’ amount to spend on it?

The best core temperature is measured when the ambient temperature in the barbecue is stable. This means that as little warm air as possible should escape from the barbecue. You do this by not opening the lid or not opening it at all. For a little more than a tenner you hang a thermometer in your oven that indicates exactly how many degrees it is in there. Since that purchase, we have never baked cake that is too dry. So buy a wireless digital cooking thermometer that you can easily control and access. Then you can read the temperature without disturbing the meat and the temperature in the barbecue.

Pin it Properly

Make sure to insert the probe, pin, or probe of the digital cooking thermometer exactly in the center of the meat. Also make sure that you do not place the pin too close to a piece of bone or fat. This would make the measurement of the core temperature less accurate on your core thermometer. With a steak it is best to place it horizontally and in a whole chicken it is best to attach the probe vertically. Push the probe through until you reach the core of the meat. Only then will you know whether the cooking is cooking evenly.

Know the desired core temperature of the meat

The core temperature of a piece of meat is different from the ambient temperature in the barbecue. The ambient temperature or grill temperature can quickly rise to 200 or 300 degrees Celsius. The correct core temperature for the correct doneness differs per dish and preparation method. This is much lower than the ambient temperature. For example, with a piece of meat baked rose, the core temperature is around 50 degrees Celsius and a well-cooked piece of meat is quickly 65 degrees Celsius on the inside.

Handy extra functions on your cooking thermometer

Meat thermometers come in all shapes and sizes. For example, you have the simple variants that purely measure the core temperature, but also very extensive core thermometers with handy extra functions. Think of a timer function that sounds an alarm when the desired temperature has been reached. Also useful is a core thermometer that also measures the ambient temperature. You know exactly what is happening in your barbecue in terms of temperature around and in the meat.