Can You Leave a Meat Thermometer in while Cooking?
As anyone who has ever cooked knows, using a meat thermometer is crucial to ensuring food safety and achieving perfect doneness. But what about after you’ve inserted the thermometer? Can you leave it in while cooking?
Direct Answer
It is generally safe to leave a meat thermometer in your meat while cooking, provided you follow a few important guidelines. Here’s the direct answer:
- If you’re cooking by grilling, braising, or steaming, you can keep the thermometer in as you cook.
- For roasting and pan-frying, remove the thermometer at or before the minimum internal temperature is reached (dependent on the type of food and recommended internal temperature, as shown in the table below).
- If you plan to cook multiple layers of meat or food with different cooking temperatures (e.g., tenderloin and filet mignon, respectively), remove the thermometer after reaching the lower-temperature meat’s target doneness.
Why You Should Care
Leave a meat thermometer in at your own risk?
Let’s dive into why exactly you should be careful. Here are some essential concerns:
- DANGER OF OVERCOOKING: If you leave a thermometer in while cooking too long, you might wind up overcooking the meat, which can:
- Compromise food safety
- Affect overall quality and tenderness of the meat
- POTENTIAL FOODBORN ILLNESSES: Improper food temperatures can lead to harmful pathogen growth, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.
- COCKING DISCOLORATION OR TEXTURE CHANGE: Extensive cooking times may alter the color and texture of the meat permanently, affecting its visual appearance and palatability.
- POSSIBILITY OF MEAT DAM AGE: If the thermometer leaves a small opening, your meat may spatter or leak juices while cooking, leading to additional hassle and cleanup.
Precautions and Reminders
To minimize these potential issues, consider these rules of thumb:
• Remove the thermometer as soon as the meat reaches its minimum internal temperature, recommended by food safety agencies worldwide.
• Always handle a thermometer with care and handle it in a manner ensuring it remains sterilized to avoid accidental contamination.
• Prior to cooking, ensure your food is properly sorted and prepared, preventing unintentional cross-contamination within the cooking environment.
Meat Thermostat Temperature Guide
The most convenient way to avoid complications associated with thermometer use?
Review the following temperature chart when cooking various meats, meats, and seafood products in your home or on holiday:
| Food/Discription | Recommended Minimum Temperature (°F / Celsius) | |
|---|---|---|
| Beef (ground, medium-rare), Steaks (rare-well done), & Stew Meat | 140°F (60°C); 145°F (63°C) for pork with internal temperature monitoring (color check not reliable for accurate temperature) | |
| Veal, Lamb & Chops | 145°F (63°C) for medium-rare, 1-2 minutes ( 2-4 seconds | |
| Poultry | 165°F (74°C) for whole meat / 145°F (63°C) for stuffed bird | |
| Fish, Clams, and Lobsters | 145°F (63°C) / Fish ( medium-rare/medium-well/cook), and Cook** | |
| Eggs | Internal temperature 160°F (71°C) : Scrambled & Fry, 140°F (60°C) | |
| Casserole & Stuffing with Meat | 165°F (74°C) before serving | |
| Hot Sauce, Chili, Soup: 145°F (63°C) | ||
| Poultry (Stuffing **: 165°F | 74°C** |
| Food / Description | Recommended minimum temperature (°F) | Recommended minimum temperature (°C) |
|---|---|---|
| Beef (ground, medium-rare), Steaks, & Stew Meat (color check unreliable for ground beef) | 140 | 60 |