We’ve all overcooked a piece of meat or poultry. The last thing you want is for that gorgeous (and expensive) strip steak to go from a perfect medium-rare to boot leather sitting on your plate.
But it doesn't have to be that way! The best way to prevent overcooking your steak and chicken is to invest in an instant-read thermometer and learn how to properly temp your food.
How to Temp Meat
Whether you’re cooking burgers or roasting a tenderloin, you should always take the temperature in the area of the meat that will be the last to finish cooking (the thickest part, or in some cases the direct center).
Bones are heat conductors, so if you’re temping meat on the bone, be sure your thermometer isn’t touching the bone—this will provide an inaccurate reading. And if you’re roasting a particularly large piece of meat, take multiple readings to confirm it’s reached the right point of doneness.
How you temp a piece of meat differs depending on the kind of meat you’re temping. When taking the temperature of thin steaks or pork chops, use tongs to lift the meat from the pan, then insert the thermometer sideways into the center (again, watch out for any bones!). Watch Julia Collin Davison demonstrate around 5:33 in this video:
TEMPING BURGERS: For burgers, leave the patty in the pan or on the grill, and slide the thermometer into the burger at the top edge, pushing it toward the center. You won’t have any bones to navigate (we hope!), but be sure to avoid touching the thermometer to the surface of your pan or grill grates.
TEMPING POULTRY: Temping poultry can be a bit more tricky than temping steak or pork because white meat and dark meat cook at different rates, and must be cooked to different temperatures to ensure food safety. Birds are also full of bones and cavities you’ll have to avoid to ensure an accurate reading.
For thigh meat, insert the thermometer at an angle into the area between the drumstick and the breast, taking care not to hit the bone. You’re looking for a reading of 175 degrees. For breast meat, insert the thermometer from the breast end, holding the thermometer parallel to the bird. Here, you’re looking for a reading of 160 degrees.
How to Calibrate an Instant-Read Thermometer
You’ll also want to know how to calibrate your thermometer to ensure it’s giving you accurate readings. (No one wants to eat underdone chicken!) Follow your thermometer's manufacturer's instructions, or follow this simple technique:
1. Fill a tall, straight-sided glass with ice and add just enough water to fill in the cracks. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes so the temperature can stabilize.
2. Put the thermometer’s probe into the ice-water mixture, stirring in the center of the container and being careful not to touch the sides or the bottom of the glass.
3. If your thermometer can be calibrated, you can adjust it so that it measures 32°F in the ice bath.
The Best Digital Thermometers
Now that you know how to use a digital thermometer, it’s time to shop for one. We've tested instant-read thermometers over the years, the Thermapen ONE from ThermoWorks has proven to be our favorite again and again. It has a large, grippy handle; a rotating screen with highly legible numbers; and a bright backlight that goes on when viewing conditions are dim. It's also waterproof, and takes just 1 second to measure a temperature.
The one drawback of the Thermapen ONE is that it’s expensive (but worth it, in our opinion). If you don’t want to spring for it, there’s a less expensive option called the ThermoPop 2 that is almost as fast, accurate, and easy to use.
We’re fanatical about thermometers in the test kitchen, and we think you should be, too.