--- title: "Thermometer: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "A kitchen thermometer checks the heat of meat, oil, sugar and your oven, so food is safe and cooked how you want. Here is which type to use and how." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/thermometer" --- # Thermometer A kitchen thermometer checks the heat of meat, oil, sugar and your oven, so food is safe and cooked how you want. Here is which type to use and how. Also called Meat thermometer, Instant-read thermometer, Probe thermometer, Candy thermometer, Oven thermometer. A kitchen thermometer measures how hot food, oil or your oven is. It is the only reliable way to know that meat is cooked to a safe [internal temperature](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/internal-temperature), that frying oil is ready, or that sugar has reached the right stage. Color, juices and cooking times are all guesses by comparison. ## How to do it Types: * **Instant-read digital.** A thin probe that reads in a few seconds. The most useful one for meat, bread and custards. * **Leave-in probe.** A probe on a cable that stays in the meat in the oven, with a display outside. It can beep at the target. * **Candy and deep-fry.** A long, clip-on thermometer that reads up to about 200°C (400°F) or more, for sugar work and [deep-frying](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/deep-fry). * **Oven thermometer.** Hangs on a rack to show what the oven really is at. Many ovens run hot or cold. To check meat, push the probe into the thickest part, away from bone and fat, which give false readings. For a whole bird, check the thickest part of the thigh and the breast. USDA safe minimums: | Food | Temperature | | ------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- | | Poultry, whole or ground | 74°C (165°F) | | Ground beef, pork, lamb | 71°C (160°F) | | Whole cuts of beef, pork, lamb, veal | 63°C (145°F), then rest 3 minutes | | Fish | 63°C (145°F) | ## How to tell it is done Pull meat a few degrees before your target. It keeps rising as it rests, which is [carryover cooking](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/carryover-cooking). For sugar, watch for stages such as the [soft-ball stage](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/soft-ball-stage) at 112 to 116°C (235 to 240°F). ## Common mistakes * Never checking accuracy. Test it in a glass packed with ice and a little water. It should read 0°C (32°F). Most digital models can be reset if it is off. * Touching the pan or bone with the tip. * Measuring sugar or oil with the tip resting on the bottom of the pan. * Leaving an instant-read thermometer in the oven. The plastic body melts. * Not washing the probe between raw and cooked meat. ## In recipes "Until a thermometer reads 57°C (135°F)" means the internal temperature at the thickest point, not the surface. ## Recipes made with it 14 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Roast-Chicken-with-Rosemary-_-Lemon-Finals-15.jpg)Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemonwww.skinnytaste.com · 80 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/roast-chicken-with-rosemary-and-lemon/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/rib-eye-roast.jpg)Herb Crusted Rib Eye Roastwww.skinnytaste.com · 70 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/herb-crusted-rib-eye-roast/) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2019/05/Hot-Crab-Rangoon-Dip.jpg)Hot Crab Rangoon Dipwww.onceuponachef.com · 40 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/hot-crab-rangoon-dip-with-crispy-wonton-chips.html) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2020/08/Chicken-Salad-scaled.jpg)Classic Chicken Salad with Grapes and Almondswww.onceuponachef.com · 50 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/chicken-salad-with-grapes-and-almonds.html) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2023/11/How-to-Carve-the-Turkey-10-1200x800.jpg)Dry Brine Turkeywww.onceuponachef.com · 180 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/thanksgiving-turkey.html) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Blackened-Chicken-Fiesta-Salad.jpg)Blackened Chicken Fiesta Saladwww.skinnytaste.com · 25 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/blackened-chicken-fiesta-salad/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Apple-Stuffed-Pork.jpg)Apple-Stuffed Pork Loin with Moroccan Spiceswww.skinnytaste.com · 80 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/apple-stuffed-pork-loin-with-moroccan/) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2022/04/pecan-sticky-buns-1200x1627.jpg)Sticky Bunswww.onceuponachef.com · 105 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/sticky-buns.html) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2019/12/Roast-Beef-Tenderloin-9-scaled.jpg)Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Saucewww.onceuponachef.com · 100 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/roast-beef-tenderloin-wine-sauce.html) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/One-Pan-Parmesan-Crusted-Chicken-with-Broccoli-1.jpg)One Pan Parmesan-Crusted Chicken with Broccoliwww.skinnytaste.com · 35 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/one-pan-parmesan-crusted-chicken-with-broccoli/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Five-Spice-Roasted-Chicken-Legs.jpg)Five Spice Roasted Chicken Legswww.skinnytaste.com · 445 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/five-spice-roasted-chicken-leg/) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2016/01/italian-meatloaf-2.jpg)Italian Meatloafwww.onceuponachef.com · 90 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/italian-meatloaf.html) ## Related terms * [Internal temperatureInternal temperature is the heat at the center of food, read with a probe thermometer. It is the surest way to know meat, fish and bread are done and safe.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/internal-temperature) * [DonenessDoneness is how far food has cooked, from rare to well done for meat. This chart gives steak temperatures and the safe minimum for each meat.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/doneness) * [Carryover cookingCarryover cooking is the rise in temperature inside meat after it leaves the heat. A big roast can climb 3 to 8°C (5 to 15°F), so take it out early.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/carryover-cooking) * [Soft-ball stageThe soft-ball stage is sugar syrup cooked to 112 to 116°C (234 to 240°F). A drop in cold water forms a soft ball that flattens. It is used for fudge.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/soft-ball-stage) * [Deep-fryDeep-frying cooks food fully submerged in hot oil, usually 170 to 190°C (340 to 375°F), for a crisp shell and a moist inside. Here is how to do it safely.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/deep-fry) * [Celsius and FahrenheitMost of the world cooks in degrees Celsius and the US cooks in Fahrenheit. Here is how to convert, with a table of common oven temperatures.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/celsius-and-fahrenheit) [More in equipment](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/equipment)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)