Instant Thermometers

Why Instant Thermometers Are Important To Have In Any Kitchen

How can you be sure your steak is medium-rare or medium-well?  -  The best answer is an instant thermometer.

I am a big fan of instant thermometers. I knew they were great tools, especially if you are a novice to cooking without the experience to "touch" food and know when it is done, but now I know they are essential to any level of cook.

Rare or Medium-Rare?

According to my meat doneness chart, the difference between a rare and medium-rare steak is 5º F. If you think your touch can accurately differentiate 5º, then forget the instant thermometer. But if I'm spending big $$$ for a good piece of steak or veal, I want it cooked just the way I like it with no mistakes, and the only way you can be sure is by using an instant thermometer.

Common Scenario

You've grilled hundreds of steaks in your lifetime and think you can tell when it is done just by pressing your finger on it. "Oh, it feels like base of my thumb with my hand open, it must be medium-rare." I don't think so especially if you compare my hand to my wife's hand. Who's steak do you think will be more cooked?

So I use my magic fingers to tell me exactly when the steak is done but I'm not completely sure. So what do I do? Cut into it to take a peak? Bad answer. By cutting into it your are allowing juices to bleed out resulting in a tough, dry steak.

A better answer is to probe it with an instant thermometer. In seconds you will know exactly what the internal temperature is and if it's reached the desired target. Remember, you can't cook a steak to medium-rare if you don't know what medium-rare is.

Be sure to read my blog post, How Do You Know When The Meat Is Done

What Instant Thermometer Should You Buy?

There are some really good, reasonable products on the market today. I started with a non-digital model but now own a digital brand with a quick-read probe. It is much better than my older instant thermometer and gives a reading in less time. Here are some of the features you want to look at when purchasing yours.

• Response Time—How fast does the thermometer give you a reading? The faster, the better, as long as the reading is accurate. An instant thermometer that can read boiling water accurately in 10 to 20 seconds is good, 20 to 30 seconds is fair, and over 30 seconds is poor.
• Accuracy—You do not seek a fast response time without accuracy. A good instant thermometer needs to measure accurately. You can test your own thermometer by sticking it in boiling water and seeing if it reaches 212º F or in a slurry of ice water at 32º F.
• Readability - The digital models are much easier to read than the older models. Find one with a big enough face to read it from a couple of feet away.
• Features—My thermometer has some nifty features. Most of them I don't use, but I do like the hold button that locks the temperature when I press it. It's also a good idea to have an automatic off feature.

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Here are my top 3 instant thermometer choices:

1. Taylor Professional Dual Temp IR/Thermocouple Thermometer (9306)

2. Taylor Commercial Waterproof Digital Thermometer (9842)

3. CDN ProAccurate Quick-Read Thermometer (DTQ450X)