Digital Thermometer Makes Food Preparation Much Easier
Temperature is probably the most important variable in food preparation, but it is difficult to control it if you don’t know what it is . Of course, there are various tests you can use to check the doneness of different foods — the old palm trick for steaks ; a toothpick inserted into the cake, but that only gives you a rough idea. If you really want to cook meat, cakes and candy perfectly every time, you need a thermometer.
Since it’s all about accuracy, a good cooking thermometer is well worth the investment. We’re big fans of Thermapen , which reads in less than three seconds and has less than a degree accuracy, but its cheaper friend, ThermoPop , is a good choice too . It’s also worth stopping by your local restaurant store and just buying what the professionals use. Whatever you do, don’t buy round metal models . Not only do they lack digital readout, they tend to break easily (at least in my experience) and they just aren’t that accurate.
When you have a good one, you are ready to cook all of the following, without exception:
- Perfectly cooked steaks, chicken and more: Gone are the days of worrying about digesting that beautifully marbled rib or drying fried chicken – you’ll always know the exact core temperature of your favorite meat.
- Tempering Chocolate: Tempering chocolate is much more difficult than just melting the chocolate in a bowl. In fact, it is a multi-stage process involving heating and cooling to several different temperatures. This can be done without a thermometer, but with one it is much easier.
- Ice Cream Base Test: If you’re not making a sous vide base , it can be difficult to tell if your custard has reached the right temperature. A good thermometer will help you make ice cream, not scrambled eggs.
- Bake Better Goods: Not only can a thermometer tell you when your bread, cakes and other baked goods are ready, it can tell you when you’ve reached the ideal water temperature for your yeast, instead of relying on your finger. which is not so accurate.
- Candy Making: Besides chocolate, a good thermometer can help you make perfect candy – from marshmallows to hard candy – without having to mess around with hard and soft balls.
Honestly, it’s only worth it because of the meat. There is nothing sadder than overcooked meat.