How to Cook Meat with a Meat Thermometer

The best way to know that meat has been cooked thoroughly is with a meat thermometer. If you don't use a meat thermometer, meat can be undercooked or raw in the middle or thick parts. Meat thermometers can be purchased at any department, kitchen or grocery store, and there are several kinds.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Meat of choice
• Meat thermometer

1. When you're cooking a whole chicken or turkey, put the meat thermometer in the inner thigh by the breast; when it's done, it should read 180 degrees. For ground chicken or turkey, the thermometer should read 165 degrees; for breasts or roasts, 170 degrees.

2. For red meats, pork, veal or lamb, put the thermometer in the center or thickest part, away from the bone and fat. For medium rare, the temperature should be 145 degrees; medium should read 160 degrees; well-done meat should read 170 degrees.

3. For ground meat, place the thermometer in the thickest part of the meatloaf. If you're making patties, the thermometer should be put in the side of the patty. Ground meat is done at 165 degrees.

4. For casseroles and egg dishes, the thermometer should be placed in the thickest part of the dish. For a hot dish, the temperature should read more than 140 degrees, and cold dishes should be less than 40 degrees.

5. When you're cooking ham, the thermometer should be placed away from the bone in a thick part of the meat, and the temperature should read 160 degrees.

6. Fish should be tested by a meat thermometer in the center of the meat, and the temperature should be 140 degrees.

References

• Meat and Seafood Temperatures
• How to Use a Meat Thermometer