How to Insert a Meat Thermometer in Pork Chops
Everyone has a special recipe for pork chops. Whether you're making your favorite mustard-glazed pork chops or your mom's southern fried variety, keep food safety in mind when handling any type of pork. According to the USDA, you need to cook pork to 160 degrees Fahrenheit before safely consuming it. The best way to assure that the pork chops reach the correct temperature is to use a meat thermometer. For pork chops that are fairly thin, an instant read thermometer is best since it only needs to be inserted a half inch deep for an accurate reading. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Find the thickest area of your pork chop. This will probably be right in the middle of it.
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Insert the thermometer probe. Make sure that the probe is not near any bone, fat or gristle, which can give an inaccurate reading. Since pork chops are thin, you only need to insert the instant-read thermometer about a half inch into the meat. Do not poke through to the other side of the meat.
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Read the temperature from the temperature indicator on the thermometer. Pork chops are considered done when the meat thermometer reads at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the pork chops to cook longer if the internal temperature is less than 160 F.
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Tips & Warnings
When serving pork chops at the table, the temperature of the chops needs to remain at least above 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours. Reheat leftover pork chops to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before eating to ensure that any bacteria are completely eliminated.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit meat thermometer image by Kimberly Reinick from Fotolia.com
