17
votes
Accepted
Undercooked areas in chicken breast even though thermometer reads 165 degrees in thickest part
If the raw spot was in a thin area, I'd suggest that it was caused by the pan frying method.
A thin spot could leave a gap between the surface of the pan and the meat itself, and so not absorb much ...
- 577
16
votes
Best method to determine temperature while heating sugar
IR thermometers are not accurate enough for sugar work. They make some assumptions (like reflectivity of the surface) which are not exactly met in real life.
My way of making small amounts of sugar ...
- 125k
10
votes
Undercooked areas in chicken breast even though thermometer reads 165 degrees in thickest part
The only way to accurately assess done-ness is with a thermometer (though it is difficult to measure the temperature accurately in thin pieces of meat). Chicken can be pink, and also be cooked. ...
- 64.6k
9
votes
Is the green button on this frozen young turkey breast to be removed before being cooked in a slow cooker?
That looks to me like a pop-out turkey thermometer, yes; it's basically a spring-loaded plunger that's stuck to itself with a food-safe adhesive that, at a certain temperature, unsticks, which means ...
- 1,951
8
votes
Are there gas ovens that come with a thermometer?
Many ovens in the US have such a feature.
However, ovens lie. Even if thermostats and thermocouples in ovens were scientifically accurate (they are not), they are positioned on the outside walls of ...
- 316
7
votes
How should I read a thermometer when it's got an extra indicator line?
The problem is that such gas bubbles tend to affect the shape of the liquid around them in unpredictable ways, so it's not sufficient to just try to "add" the small bit of liquid to the large one if ...
- 31.5k
7
votes
Accepted
Reasonable level of inaccuracy in thermometer?
That is ridiculous. 5% is simply too large for an acceptable margin of error. I'll accept 2 degrees F tops, and I have never spent that much on a thermometer.
If you want to spend that kind of money,...
- 58k
7
votes
How accurate should a thermometer be?
If they provide the tolerance, and the product measures within that tolerance, it is an accurate tool according to the manufacturer. There is always some error...or potential error... in any type of ...
- 64.6k
6
votes
Am I still overcooking whitebait, how to prevent it?
Fat/juice release and overcooking are not the same thing. Release of liquid (including a bit of fat/oil) is not just a sign of overcooking. Sous vide fish, even down in the 110-125F (43-52C) range, ...
- 57.3k
6
votes
Are hardware store themocouples food safe?
You are correct to be concerned.
In all likelihood, the hardware store thermocouple is not suitable for food use as it would contain metals you don't want to ingest. Here is a table of industrial ...
- 2,752
6
votes
How can a dutch oven reach 400°C on an electrical stove?
The 300 Celsius you refer to are the air temperature inside the oven. The energy in your oven is quite sufficient to heat a piece of metal to much over 300 (in fact, judging from the color I have seen ...
- 125k
6
votes
Accepted
How do professional chefs keep food thermometers clean between uses?
Most of the time, an instant read thermometer is wiped with a towel. Remember, these folks do this every day, all day. In kitchens where they are used (they are not used everywhere...they are ...
- 64.6k
5
votes
I have a water-logged meat thermometer (non-digital) How do I dry it out?
If water got in you can get it out. Your thermometer is the circular analog type and it has more than one piece. There's one piece with the probe and dial, and then there's a circular cover with the ...
- 67.1k
5
votes
Will cooking meat with the thermometer in affect the cooking time?
There are "potato nails" marketed for speeding up cooking of baked potatoes by conducting heat into the center of the potato. This testing showed about a 10% reduction in cooking time. Cooks's ...
- 1,492
5
votes
Do you leave the oven thermometer inside the oven while you are baking?
In your case it's definitely worth leaving it in, because it will help you get to the bottom of whether things are burning because the temperature keeps rising during cooking.
Oven thermometers are ...
- 38.6k
5
votes
Should I trust my Instant Pot or my ThermPro digital thermometer for temperature?
Your digital thermometer may come with a calibrate function where you place it in either ice cold or boiling water and adjust accordingly. Once you have done this, compare the temperature with your IP ...
- 2,459
4
votes
What does a meat thermometer display if the meat temperature is uneven?
The sensor in your thermometer is located at the tip of the needle, so you're measuring wherever the tip of the needle ended up.
If the tip of the needle it not touching anything (or is touching the ...
- 161
4
votes
Will cooking meat with the thermometer in affect the cooking time?
When oven roasting a 9 pound prime rib, I want to remove it from the oven at 120
I used a leave in thermometer from start to finish. When it 120, I removed it from the oven and took a second reading ...
- 41
4
votes
If strring a 65c soup causes small fish to tear up, does it mean it's overcooked?
No, it's pretty much just a sign it's cooked. One of the common tests for doneness for fish is that the layers flake apart. For something that small, that means the whole fish can break up.
It could ...
- 57.3k
4
votes
Trouble Measuring the Temperature of Meat
I don't have enough reputation to put this as a comment.
Have you checked the calibration on your thermopen?
The instructions are here
Briefly:
in ice water your thermopen should read 32F
in ...
- 602
3
votes
Where to place the oven thermometer in an oven?
I tend to just stick it close to where the food cooks. From the two options you name that would mean putting it on the rack, not hanging under it.
I checked a couple of sources and found this one ...
- 2,407
3
votes
Accepted
How to determine whether oven thermometer is accurate?
Use a pot of water!
Find out the lowest temperature of your oven (needs to be at least below 212 F for it to work). Preheat the oven to this heat
Heat water on the stove to a temperature let's say, ...
- 2,788
3
votes
Accepted
How to use and is there a good thermometer for very small small fish?
Whitebaits are thin. If you are putting them into hot water or hot oil, it should take under a minute for the whole fish to reach the temperature of the surrounding liquid, assuming they are no ...
- 2,688
3
votes
Is there a specific thermometer to check soup temperature?
This is fine, albeit inconvenient
Don't make contact with the bottom of the pot, for the reasons described. Stirring can help make the temperature more uniform.
You could try a candy thermometer. But ...
- 1,937
3
votes
Are there gas ovens that come with a thermometer?
Welcome! You don't say where you are located. In the U.S., most ovens have an audible sound such as a beep or a buzzer to let you know that the set temperature has been reached. Some may have a light ...
- 18.3k
3
votes
Accepted
Making Pâté à bombe without sugar thermometer
120°C is what's known as the firm ball stage of caramelisation, because when you drop some of the caramel into cold water, you should then be able to make a firm but still pliable ball with it. You ...
- 43.2k
3
votes
What does a meat thermometer display if the meat temperature is uneven?
Usually only a portion of the needle of a typical meat thermometer reads the temperature. On some models this is indicated with an indentation on the needle. It is usually near the end, though not ...
- 64.6k
3
votes
Accepted
How to use meat thermometers with big needles for thinner meat pieces?
When taking the temperature of a thinner steak, I pick the steak up with a set of tongs and insert the thermometer into its side. Aim to position the tip of the probe in the coolest part of the steak -...
- 176
3
votes
Accepted
What does the "operating range" of a thermometer mean?
The operating temperature range is the ambient (surrounding air) temperatures under which you can have the thermometer on, and it'll function properly (give correct readouts) and not excessively ...
- 13.1k
3
votes
What does the "operating range" of a thermometer mean?
Looks like it means that the thermometer will function between 32 and 122 F.
So, don't expect it to function if it's in your freezer and don't expect it to function properly at temps greater than 122 ...
- 16.2k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible