When connected to WiFi and paired with a free app, the Smart Thermometer sends temperature readings and other alerts to any Apple mobile device. Williams-Sonoma’s Smart Thermometer 87072 was the top-rated model of all those tested at $200 it was also the most expensive. Leave-in digitals that remain in the meat while it cooks offer more features-such as audible alerts and the ability to transmit temperature readings to a wireless unit or smartphone-but generally cost more than instant-reads. Another highly rated model, the Polder Stable Read THM-379, performed almost as well as the CDN yet costs just $18. But at $80, it’s also one of the most expensive recommended instant-read digitals. Accurate and consistent, it also features a foldaway probe. Testing found that analog thermometers are also not suitable for use in thinner cuts of meat such as most steaks and boneless chicken breasts.Īmong instant-read thermometers we tested, the CDN ProAccurate TCT572 was the top model. (They make nice stocking stuffers, too.) Overall, compared with analog models, instant-read and leave-in digitals are more accurate, are easier to read, and have faster response times. In a separate round of testing, our experts assessed instant-read and leave-in analog and digital meat thermometers for temperature accuracy, repeatability, response time, and product features.īased on this testing our experts recommend that home cooks purchase a digital meat thermometer. Instead, use a conventional meat thermometer to check the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast and in the thigh between the drumstick and the body, and take several readings. Our food safety experts recommend that cooks not rely on these timers to tell whether their holiday bird is done.
Serving undercooked turkey means you risk sending your guests home with a nasty case of food poisoning. Cooking poultry to 165° F helps ensure that potentially harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning-such as campylobacter and salmonella-are destroyed. But three timers popped up when meat was still below that safe zone, one as low as 139.5° F. Self-inserted and manufacturer-inserted timers generally “popped” in our tests at internal temperatures above 165° F-the minimum safe temperature for all poultry. Our findings may make a few eyebrows pop: To determine the pop-ups’ accuracy, we also measured the internal temperature of the meat with a calibrated reference thermometer. Our testing covered pop-up timers bought online and put into place by cooks before sliding the bird into the oven, and models pre-inserted in the meat at the processing plant. Also, nitrates and nitrites, which are often used as preservatives or may occur naturally in the feed or water supply used, can cause a pink color.But are these timers safe and reliable? To find out, we tested 21 pop-up thermometers in whole turkeys and turkey breasts. Older poultry may be pink in spots where fat is absent from the skin. Older animals have a fat layer under their skin, giving the flesh added protection from the gases. Often meat of younger birds shows the pinkest because their thinner skins permit oven gases to reach the flesh. Oven gases in a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give it a pink tinge. Smoked turkey meat is always pink.Ĭhemical changes occur during cooking. Turkey, fresh pork, ground beef or veal can remain pink even after cooking to temperatures of 160☏ and higher. Using a meat thermometer is the only accurate way to determine that meat has reached a safe temperature. The color of cooked meat and poultry isn’t always a good indicator of doneness.
Discard any cold leftovers that have been left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature (1 hour when the temperature is above 90☏).Īs long as the internal temperature of your turkey is 160☏ (or higher), it is safe to eat. Keep food cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice or use small serving trays and replace them often. When serving food at a buffet, keep food hot in chafing dishes, slow cookers, or warming trays. Throw away all perishable foods that have been left at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour if the temperature is over 90☏, such as at an outdoor picnic during summer).Ĭold perishable food, such as chicken salad or a platter of deli meats should be kept at 40☏ or below. Within two hours of cooking food or after it is removed from an appliance keeping it warm, leftovers must be refrigerated.
After food is safely cooked, hot food must be kept hot at 140☏ or warmer to prevent bacterial growth. Bacteria grow rapidly between the temperatures of 40☏ and 140☏. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA, all leftovers should be stored in shallow containers and refrigerated or frozen within two hours of cooking.
0 kommentar(er)
