How to Use a Cooking Thermometer | Get Safe Meat Every Time

Undercooked poultry sends people to the hospital, and overcooked brisket sends a good dinner to the trash. A cooking thermometer fixes both problems — but only if you use it right. The difference between a perfect roast and a ruined one often comes down to where you put the probe and whether you remembered to calibrate.

Which Thermometer Type Should You Use?

The best thermometer depends on what you are cooking and how often you cook, so matching the tool to the task prevents inaccurate readings and wasted effort.

• Digital instant-read: Fastest option — reads temperature in a few seconds. Insert the probe about ½ inch deep. Best for quick checks on steaks, chops, and thin cuts.
• Dial instant-read: Takes about 30 seconds to stabilize. The sensor runs the full length of the stem, so you need the sensing area fully submerged. Works well for roasts and thicker foods.
• Dial oven-safe: Stays in the meat while it cooks. Insert 2 to 2½ inches deep. Ideal for large roasts, whole poultry, and anything that needs a slow climb to the target temperature.
• Leave-in probe thermometer: A probe goes into the meat and a wired or wireless display sits outside the oven. Perfect for long cooks where you want to monitor the temperature without opening the door.
• Thermometer-fork combos and pop-up indicators: Convenient in a pinch but less accurate and harder to calibrate. Use them as backup tools, not your primary check.

The Right Way to Insert the Probe

Insertion depth and placement determine whether you get the real internal temperature or an accidental reading of the pan, bone, or fat. The probe tip must sit in the thickest part of the muscle.

• Poultry: Insert into the inner thigh, close to the breast, avoiding the bone cavity.
• Red meat roasts and steaks: Insert through the side into the center, keeping the tip away from any bone.
• Ground meat (burgers, meatloaf): Push the probe sideways through the thickest part of the patty or loaf.
• Thin cuts (fish fillets, thin pork chops): Insert the probe through the side of the cut rather than the top, so the entire sensing area is inside the meat rather than poking through to the pan.
• Liquids and casseroles: Stir first, then insert. Check in the center, not at the edge.

Sanitize the probe with hot, soapy water before and after every use. See our tested picks for the best cooking thermometers if you need an upgrade — a reliable tool makes accurate readings easier.

Safe Internal Temperatures and Carryover Cooking

Cooking to the correct internal temperature kills harmful bacteria, and removing meat a few degrees early lets carryover heat finish the job without drying it out. Remove meat from heat when it registers 5–10°F below the target.

• Turkey and chicken: 165°F — no rest required, but poultry benefits from a short 5-minute rest before carving.
• Hamburgers and ground meat: 160°F — rest 3 minutes.
• Pork (chops, roasts) and fish: 145°F — rest 3 minutes.
• Beef, lamb, and veal steaks, chops, and roasts: 145°F — rest 3 minutes.

Resting time is not optional. During the rest, internal temperature continues to rise (carryover cooking), juices redistribute, and the meat becomes tender rather than leaking onto the cutting board.

How to Calibrate Your Thermometer

A thermometer that reads wrong is worse than no thermometer. Calibrate yours at least once a month, or any time you drop it. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends two reliable methods.

Ice water method: Fill a container with crushed ice, add clean water until the ice floats, and stir. Let it sit for 3 minutes. Insert the probe stem into the center of the ice slurry without touching the sides or bottom of the container. Wait 30 seconds. The thermometer should read 32°F (0°C). If it does not, use the calibration nut (usually behind the dial or under a battery cover) to adjust.

Boiling water method: Bring a pot of water to a full rolling boil. Submerge the thermometer probe in the water — again, not touching the sides or bottom. Wait for the reading to stabilize. At sea level, it should read 212°F (100°C). An acceptable range is 210°F–214°F (99°C–101°C). Adjust using the calibration nut if needed. Note that boiling temperature drops about 1°F per 500 feet of elevation gain, so adjust your target if you live at high altitude.

The official USDA food thermometer guidelines provide the full details on calibration and safe use.

Three Mistakes That Ruin Readings

Even a good thermometer fails when used wrong. Watch for these common errors.

• Probe touching bone, fat, or gristle: Bone conducts heat differently than muscle, giving a false reading. Fat and gristle are poor conductors. Always aim for the center of the meatiest area.
• Probe touching the pan or oven rack: The metal surface of a pan or rack is much hotter than the meat. A probe that touches the pan will register pan temperature, not internal temperature.
• Taking one reading and leaving: Large cuts and casseroles have cold spots. Check in at least two different locations to confirm the whole dish has reached a safe temperature.

Check the temperature within 30 minutes of the estimated completion time. Clean the thermometer with hot soapy water immediately after use, and store it where the probe tip will not get bent or damaged.