Infrared Cooking Thermometers

Infrared thermometers can prove to be an asset in your kitchen, whether at home, in a restaurant or for catering. Using one can assist you in getting quick temperature readings of your foods and appliances and staying sanitary while doing so.

How It Works

Infrared (IR) thermometers measure the surface temperature of an object by reading the infrared energy emitted from the surface of an object. This means that the thermometer reads energy that is emitted from the object opposed to energy that is reflected by or transmitted to the object.

Unfortunately, unlike probe thermometers, which are inserted into the food you are reading, IR thermometers cannot take internal temperatures because they can only read the energy that is emitted by the food's surface. An exception can be made in the case of liquids, such as soups and stews. When you stir the liquid, you bring the body of the liquid to the surface. Then, with the IR thermometer, you can take a reading of the new surface, thus giving you the internal temperature of the liquid.

Taking Measurements

When taking temperatures with an infrared thermometer, take note that reflective surfaces can distort readings. The surface of a nice, clean pot or pan made of material such as aluminum or stainless steel adversely affects your chances of getting an accurate reading. When cooking, it is best to coat the cooking surfaces in oil to get a true reading.

Also, if you change the temperature of the environment in which you are using your IR thermometer, it may need to acclimate itself to the new ambient temperature before giving an accurate reading, such as when you are moving between an active, hot kitchen and a walk-in freezer.

Be sure that the target food or device being measured is larger than the area on it at which you are attempting to get a temperature reading. The smaller the object you are measuring the closer you have to be to it. Also, although it's best to measure the temperature of steaming foods from nearby, avoid the steam itself as it will cause your reading to be inaccurate.

Reading Food

With an infrared thermometer, you can check the surfaces of raw foods to make sure they're still within safe temperatures. This is not only useful for checking your food at home, but if you're so inclined you can bring your IR thermometer to the supermarket to take readings of the food and food cases to make sure they're at safe temperatures before making a purchase.

If catering, throwing a party or just setting out a meal a little early, you can use the IR thermometer to monitor the foods you're serving, ensuring a safe meal for your diners. Foods that are to be served cold should be kept below 40 degrees F, and those that will be presented hot above 140 degrees F.

If reheating food, you can check the surface temperature to make sure it has been reheated to at least 165 degrees F, killing any bacteria formed during storage.

Reading Equipment

You can use your infrared thermometer to measure surfaces while cooking to make sure it is at the correct temperature before the cooking process begins. This is useful when preparing a griddle for pancakes, or measuring the oil in a deep fryer instead of using a clip-on probe or candy thermometer.

Use the IR thermometer to read the temperatures of refrigerators, freezers and ovens to make sure they're operating correctly. If running a restaurant, you can also use it to ensure that the thermometer in a delivery truck is operating properly so you can confidently store and transport foods during delivery. You can even read the temperature of your dishes after being run through the dishwasher, checking to see if the dishwasher is using water that is hot enough for sanitation.

Sanitation and Safety

Using an infrared thermometer is a sanitary way to measure food since it doesn't need to come into contact with the food itself. When taking the temperature of foods that are to be stored or served, this means you can avoid sticking a possibly unsanitary thermometer probe into your foods.

You can also use your IR thermometer to measure things in hard-to-reach places and in places that might otherwise be unsafe, like a heated oven.

References

• All QA Products
• Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen; Alton Brown; 2003