Thermometer Know How
Be a GREAT cook. Be a SAFE cook. Use a food thermometer.
Check out the
Canadian Beef Information Gateway
Cook like a pro: here are the 3 types of thermometers that will help you cook like a chef. The top left and middle thermometers are really all you need. (Image to the right)
It’s a modest investment to know when your foods are cooked just right.
Programmable Digital Thermometer (top left):
• Oven safe.
• Lets you monitor cooking without opening the oven AND it signals when your food is cooked to the doneness you select.
• Leave the thermometer stem inserted into the food while it cooks.
• Use for casseroles, roasts and meatloaves.
Digital Instant Read (middle):
•Not oven safe.
•Use to test temperature near end of cooking – insert thermometer stem into centre or thickest part of food to check.
•Ideal for thin or small pieces of meats such as steaks, burgers, and meatballs.
Oven Safe Dial Thermometer (bottom right):
• Oven safe.
• Lets you monitor cooking by checking.
• Leave the thermometer stem inserted into the food while it cooks.
• Not appropriate for use with thin cuts or pieces of meat such as steaks, burgers and meatballs.
Thermometer Know-How Rules of Thumb
- Take temperatures of thin foods like burgers within 1 minute of removal from heat, larger cuts like roasts, after 5 to 10 minutes.
- Insert thermometer stem/indicator into the thickest part of the food, away from bone, fat or gristle.
- Leave thermometer in food for at least 30 seconds before reading temperature.
- When food has an irregular shape, like some beef roasts, check the temperature in several places.
- Wash the thermometer stem thoroughly in hot, soapy water after each use!
- Review manufacturer’s guidelines specific to the use of your thermometer or temperature indicator.
Steaks:
Near end of cooking, remove from heat and insert instant-read thermometer stem sideways into the centre of steak or centre of thickest part of food. Insert to a depth of at least 1-1/2 inches (4 cm).
For medium-rare the temperature should read 145°F (63°C) at the least.
After cooking, let steaks rest before serving.
Ground Beef:
Ground Beef should be thoroughly cooked to a safe and savory 160ºF (71° C). Colour is not a reliable indicator of Ground Beef doneness. Never eat ground beef raw.
Meatloaves and Meatballs: use oven safe or programmable digital thermometer: prior to cooking, insert thermometer stem into the centre of the thickest part of the meat, avoiding bottom of pan.
Burgers:
Ground Beef should be thoroughly cooked to a safe and savory 160ºF (71° C). Colour is not a reliable indicator of Ground Beef doneness. Never eat ground beef raw.
Use a digital instant read thermometer for burgers done best — cooking them to the right doneness — but not overdone — after all, we all want a juicy burger not a hockey puck on a bun! ‘Burgers Done at 71’ is the jingle to remember — cook your burgers to an internal temperature of 71°C (or 160°F).
Roasts:
Take the guesswork out of cooking and use a thermometer to cook beef just the way you like it. There are two kinds to consider when cooking roasts: oven-safe or instant/rapid read.
OVEN SAFE
You leave the thermometer stem inserted into the meat while it cooks so you can monitor the cooking progress. They come with a dial face read or as a digital-read thermometer with cable and monitor.
The digital model lets you monitor cooking without opening the oven door – most models even send out a signal when your meat is cooked to the doneness you select.
DIGITAL INSTANT READ
These thermometers are NOT oven-safe so don’t insert before roasting. To use, remove roast from oven near end of cooking and insert thermometer stem to check meat temperature.
DONENESS
Medium-rare 145°F (63°C)
Beef Burgers/Medium 160°F (71°C)
Well-Done 170°F (77°C)
KEEP DISCOVERING
To help you save time and dollars check out our tips on shopping, storing, freezing and thawing Canadian beef.
Storage
Not sure about the difference between grilling and marinating steaks. Want to know how to make a delicious stir-fry or how to make the perfect oven roast? Our cooking know-how pages provide you with all the information you need!
Cooking Know How