Ask Lemmy

I find that the metal ones work better and are easier to keep clean. The meat one I had just didn't last long enough to be useful before it started to smell bad.

Only until I get the hang of a cooking technique - once I figure out something always takes 20 minutes to get there, I just do 20 minutes.

I don't eat meat, and don't seem to need them for other foods. I do use an IR thermometer though to check the temperature of the pan before putting food on it.

No. I bought one but ended up continuing my practice of looking at the meat and then taking my chances.

Yes. My meat thermometer is a fire and forget type where it automatically shuts off the heat once it reaches a certain temperature or preconfigured meat setting. It makes the air fryer a wonderful appliance when working on other foods simultaneously. Plus, I don't have to worry about unsafe temps, or overcooked food.

Yes, I have several of various types and use them extensively.

They are not necessary to cook, they are necessary to cook consistently.

Im vegan

Absolutely, and not just for meats. Anything that has a temperature requirement for best cooking method.

An instant-read thermometer is a game changer to make sure fish, meat, and anything else that needs it is properly cooked, and just as importantly, not over-cooked.

Only when I'm slow roasting something that take hours. I got a bluetooth meat thermometer as a gift a little while back and it's really convenient. There's an app that goes with it. I just set what type of meat it is and insert the thermometer and let it cook. The app tells me when the food is ready.

But that's only for large pieces of meat that take a long time. For anything on the stovetop or grill, or any smaller pieces of meat in the over/airfryer I just do it by feel. I've been cooking long enough that I can tell when a piece of meat is ready just by pushing on it to feel the firmness. And I have a pretty intuitive sense for how long something takes to cook.

I am an experienced cook and use one to produce consistent, on-target results. It more often prevents over-cooking, not under-cooking.

Found this and wanted to share! Thanks for the tip 🤯

(via [https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast]("Chicken" https://www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab-complete-guide-to-sous-vide-chicken-breast#%3A%7E%3Atext=Pasteurization+Time+for-%2CChicken%2C-With+5%25+Fat))

Yes. Accurate temperatures guarantee good results. Sous vied is also wonderful for stress free prep of expensive meats.

Yes. It will tell you what's happening where your eyes cannot see.

Every time.

Didn't in the past, then got a digital one with a magnet so it sticks to the fridge and has safe temps for different meats on the back. Now I use it all the time

Every time. Worth doing every time as well.

Don't you?

Perpetually, when cooking meat.

Yes, on the rare occasion I cook meat. Too unpracticed otherwise. I originally got one because I'm colorblind and was scared of undercooking red meat and tired of eating leather. As a bonus, I used it to get the temperature right when I got into fancier teas and inadvertently trained myself to judge the temperature of water pouring into my mug by the sound it makes within a couple °C, which is kinda neat. Now, if I could figure out how to do something similar so I stop overcooking food, that'd be grand...

Yes. Especially for chicken breasts. It's easy enough to know for sure they're done, but they're much easier to eat as soon as they hit 155F. My immune system has never questioned my chicken, but my taste buds are very thankful for the meat thermometer.

If I'm grilling I do.

I also use one for the bathtub for my toddlers bath. Haha

Yep. I use an instant-read thermometer wherever I'm cooking whole pieces of meat. If I've cut it intobite-sized pieces, I do not. I don't cook beef at home anymore, but would only use it for things like roasts.

Yes, when I have a flu.

Yes, for meats and breads.

Yep. I also keep an infrared thermometer in my kitchen. Sometimes it's really nice to know the surface temp of a pan too.

Is that a euphemism?!

Yes! There wasn't a lot of meat prepared in my house as I was growing up, so I didn't get any experience with it. Having a meat thermometer means I don't need to guess. It's good.

I've started cooking meat a lil cooler than recommended, in theory that it's more tender. With a meat thermometer I know it's still good.

No

Only for chicken, for salmonella reasons, and steak, because I'm terrible at judging doneness without it.

Yes, vitally important when running a grill. I have one with 4 probes, one measures grill temp and 3 for meats.

https://buythermopro.com/product/tp25

Yep, I am absolutely crap when it comes to judging the doneness of meat. I'll often over or under cook without one.

It also It makes things a lot less stressful when I cook. Rather than constantly going to the kitchen and checking if the roast (or whatever) is ready I just have a wireless thermometer I can look at while I play video games, read or something.