Temperature, what do you go by?

[pacanis]

This is kind of a general question, but brought about by the turkey I am cooking.
My probe says 168F.
My Thermapen says 151F.
Neither of the two plastic thingies have popped yet.

Kind of curious if anyone uses more than one way to take the temperature of something they are making, be it bread or be it beef.
People who touch palms and stick with forks need not apply

 

[Dawgluver]

From what I understand, the plastic thingies that come in the turkey are the least reliable. I've had them pop up both over and underdone, and now I just pull them out before I cook the turkey. I'd go with the Thermapen.

 

[pacanis]

And me with a Thermapen I think is on the blink... lol

But basically I am asking if anyone double checks with something else?

 

[Addie]

I go by the looseness of the leg and what color are the juices if you stick a small pointed knife into the thigh near the breast. If you know the temp of your hot water, test your thermometers under it running. Or boil some water and then insert the thermometer in it to test it. You know water boils at
212ºF.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Not today, but someday use a baked potato and put both probes in close to each other and see if they can sort out an agreement betweenst them.

We baked the turkey at an even 325 oven. The bag said xx minutes per pound, and I used a probe thermometer to double check. Since your WSM, at least early on, the cooking temp was nearing an optimal temp, not sure how long it took to get there, or if it held steady, I think if it's 20 lb bird and the wrapper either said 15 or 20 min/ lb, ( I forget which), I'd go with 18 minutes /lb for or about 6 hours total cooking time. I checked the temp on our bird every time I basted it the last hour and it was done 15 minutes by probe earlier than the clocking time. Now, I would have had to factor in some oven heat loss every time I opened the oven door to baste, and not knowing how much each time , etc, that kind of math would be too hard. Anyways, going by time used to be what cookbooks said before we all got meat thermometers. (But then, some people's birds weren't as juicy as grandma's.) I think I'm digging a hole rather than offering anything useful. I better shut up now.



I guess when you determine it's done, put it on a tray and cover it with a foil tent to rest 20 minutes. The temp should continue to rise a little as it rests.

 

[RPCookin]

I go by the looseness of the leg and what color are the juices if you stick a small pointed knife into the thigh near the breast. If you know the temp of your hot water, test your thermometers under it running. Or boil some water and then insert the thermometer in it to test it. You know water boils at
212ºF.

Only at sea level. In Denver it was 206°F. In between, it's anyone's guess.

So far, my Thermapen has been the one I trust, although my probe (from the Thermapen site) has been very good. A lot can depend on just exactly where the bird is impaled at. A half inch can make a big difference.

 

[bethzaring]

I test my thermometers so I am confident it is accurate. I use the ice in water method.

Check Your Food Thermometer - Home Food Safety

 

[Andy M.]

I use a leave in probe thermometer and check it with an instant read. I always check several areas to make sure it's all cooked to the minimum.

 

[pacanis]

I use a leave in probe thermometer and check it with an instant read. I always check several areas to make sure it's all cooked to the minimum.

After this it seems like a good idea to have two sources for reading temps... that you trust.

Whiska, it's a dual probe and they both read the same temps. I trust that more than my Thermapen, as that has been turning itself off and on lately. In other words blinking. I put new batteries in it this past week and apparently that wasn't it. Time for a call to the manufacturer.

RP, I noticed that just 1/2" made a big difference. This bird varied up to 15 degrees using the same source to measure in different areas, the Thermapen.

At any rate, I really need to get another thermometer. I think it's a good idea to have two on hand. Just like digital scales aren't the be all end all. It's good to have a regular balance scale to check against every now and then.

 

[bakechef]

I use my probe, but double check with my instant read dial thermometer, my instant read is a very basic one that I picked up for a few bucks at restaurant supply, and it isn't exactly instant .

I keep the probe calibrated using the ice water method, because 32 degrees is always 32 degrees but water doesn't always boil at 212!

 

[Hoot]

I have had a number of thermal probes give me inaccurate readings. It seems they need to be calibrated regularly. I have an instant read that, while instant is an objective term, has never failed me. If I have any doubts, I trust my instant read.

 

[Zhizara]

I occasionally use an instant read thermometer, but when I want to be really sure, I pierce the meat and check that the juices are clear. It's so agravating when you cut into a piece of fowl and find a pink raw center!! But then, I've found that 2 or 3 minutes in the microwave fixes it. Piece by piece.

Then again, worse is if it's overcooked. There's no fixing that.

 

[pacanis]

Yeah, I need to pick up a cheap Taylor again.
My Thermapen actually replaced my Taylor, but having a nice dial backup would be good if I feel suspect about my Thermapen.
I wonder if those things have a lifetime warranty or what they will do when I call them tomorrow.

 

[Andy M.]

Yeah, I need to pick up a cheap Taylor again.
My Thermapen actually replaced my Taylor, but having a nice dial backup would be good if I feel suspect about my Thermapen.
I wonder if those things have a lifetime warranty or what they will do when I call them tomorrow.

I have one of these CDN ProAccurate Quick-Read Thermometer at Chefs Corner Store

It's accurate and reasonable and I've been using it for years on the original battery.

 

[CarolPa]

I prefer dark meat and I like it overcooked, as you call it. If the little thingy pops up, I leave in it a little while longer. If I move the leg up and down like I'm shaking hands and it falls off the bird, it's done. I cooked 2 turkeys this year, both "overcooked" and my white meat was moister than I've ever had before. All I did was put it in the oven and melt a little butter on top, cook it at 325 for a while then lowered it to 300. My mother always told me "15 min per lb unstuffed, and 20 min per pound stuffed" but I find that they get done before that. When I cook boneless chicken breasts, I use an instant read. When I cleaned out my kitchen drawers this past week I found that my new oven has a temp probe and a probe setting, although I have no idea how to use it. For roasts, I have a meat thermometer with a little red notch. You move the notch to the desired temp and then when you go to check it, you can easily see if the temp is up to the notch instead of trying to squint with 67 year old eyes to read the numbers.

 

[pacanis]

Thanks for the link, Andy.

 

[GotGarlic]

I also have a probe thermometer and an instant-read thermometer and, like Andy, I check several places to make sure it's all done properly. And I use ice water to calibrate.

 

[pacanis]

I also have a probe thermometer and an instant-read thermometer and, like Andy, I check several places to make sure it's all done properly. And I use ice water to calibrate.

You check several places with both, or rely on one means?
That was the gist of my thread. How many people who swear by their instant reads bother to stick their food with something else just in case?

 

[Andy M.]

You check several places with both, or rely on one means?
That was the gist of my thread. How many people who swear by their instant reads bother to stick their food with something else just in case?

Regardless of the accuracy/reliability of a thermometer, I always test several locations to ensure minimum temp has been reached everywhere in the bird.

 

[GotGarlic]

I use the probe to let me know when it's reached temperature and verify with the instant-read. I haven't noticed a difference between them, but I probably should check that. And I probably should calibrate more often. But from what I can tell by looking at the food after it's done, they've been accurate.