Culinary Word of the Day

017 Food Thermometer

Episode Summary

Definition, use, and examples of the word food thermometer.

Episode Notes

For further reading, check out “Different Types of Kitchen Thermometers and Their Uses” by Danilo Alfaro on The Kitchn.

Hosted by Jenn de la Vega

Research by Alicia Book

Videos edited by Chris De Pew

Knife logo by pixel artist Rachelle Viola

Links

Episode Transcription

INTRO

I’m Jenn de la Vega and this is your culinary word of the day.

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Today’s word is Food thermometer

It is spelled...F-O-O-D space T-H-E-R-M-O-M-E-T-E-R.

According to What’s Cooking America,

“Cooking thermometers and meat thermometers take the guesswork out of cooking, as they measure the internal temperature of your cooked meat and poultry, homemade breads, and casseroles to assure that a safe temperature has been reached, harmful bacteria [like certain strains of Salmonella and E. Coli] have been destroyed, and your food is cooked perfectly.

Foods are properly cooked only when they are heated at a high enough internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria that cause food-borne illness.”

The University of Rhode Island’s College of Environment and Life Sciences, explains several types and styles of thermometers:

Liquid-filled Thermometers, also called “spirit-filled” or “liquid in glass” thermometers, are the oldest type of thermometers used in home kitchens. These are designed to be placed in a food before the food goes in the oven.
Bimetallic-coil Thermometers contain a coil in the probe made of two different metals with different rates of expansion that are bonded together. This coil, which is connected to the temperature indicator, expands when heated.
Oven-safe Bimetallic-coil Thermometers: This type is familiar to most consumers, the traditional “meat” thermometer designed to be placed in a food before it goes into the oven. It is generally used for large items such as a roast or turkey. These thermometers show the temperature with a dial.
Bimetallic-coil “Instant Read” Thermometers: designed to quickly measure the temperature and cannot be left in the oven while the food is cooking.
Thermistor-style thermometers use a resistor (a ceramic semiconductor bonded in the tip with temperature-sensitive epoxy) to measure temperature.
Thermocouple thermometers are the fastest reading of all thermometers. They can show a final temperature in seconds on a digital display. They have very small tips and can accurately measure the temperature of very thin foods, depending on the size of the probes.

As an editorial note, it is important to wash the probe after each use with hot, soapy water before reinserting it into food to avoid cross-contamination.

Sarah Klemm, RDN, CD, LDN for Eat Right, a program of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, writes:

“Using a food thermometer is only half the equation. Be sure to cook foods to a safe internal temperature. For fish, that’s 145° Fahrenheit or until the flesh turns opaque. Steaks, roasts and chops (whether they’re beef, veal, pork or lamb) should reach at least 145° Fahrenheit and rest for three minutes before serving. Any mixture using ground beef or pork, like hamburgers, should reach at least 160° Fahrenheit, as should any egg dishes. Poultry products, whether whole or ground, should be heated to at least 165° Fahrenheit. Make sure leftovers and casseroles reach 165° Fahrenheit, too.”

Mara Santilli interviewed a few chefs about using a food thermometer for Eat This, Not That:

Jeff Mauro says, “To get the most accurate temperature reading, place the thermometer in the meat while it's still cooking in the pan or oven, or on the grill. Don't make the mistake of taking it off the heat and then trying to gauge the temperature. Make sure your thermometer is in the center of the meat, and not hitting any fat or bones. Most thermometers require you to insert the probe at least 1/2 inch into the meat, but if the meat is thicker than an inch, you'll probably want to go deeper than that to reach the very center."

Anthony Cole adds, "I like using a digital probe thermometer; the monitor is on a cord which can be inserted into the deepest part of the protein."

For further reading, check out “Different Types of Kitchen Thermometers and Their Uses” by Danilo Alfaro on The Kitchn.

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I’m Jenn de la Vega and this has been your culinary word of the day.

Next time on Culinary Word of the day, we bubble with excitement.

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