Great chefs are not made in a day. However, being a great chef requires both skills and tools. Having good culinary tools and equipment can bring out the best in a chef. The grill thermometer is one such tool. With it, you can determine how well your meat is cooked and to what specifications.
A grill thermometer is a device that measures the internal temperature of the meat to determine how well it is cooked. This prevents the meat from being undercooked or overcooked.
There are different types of grill thermometers. They come with various specifications and designs. Most grill thermometers have a probe that is inserted 1-2 inches into the meat to determine how it is cooked.
There are several reasons one should have a grill thermometer. This article shall outline some of these reasons.
Benefits of a Grill Thermometer
A grill thermometer has so many benefits, every professional chef should own one. It makes cooking much easier and safer. Some of the benefits of a grill thermometer include,
1. It ensures your meat is safe and healthy
One of the main reasons for investing in a grill thermometer is to ensure that meat is properly cooked and safe for eating. Surveys from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) have estimated that about 48 million people get sick yearly from foodborne diseases. This is often caused by bacterial or viral infections (such as Salmonella or norovirus) resulting from undercooked food.
The appropriate temperature for cooking beef (medium) is 145°F, poultry (chicken or turkey) is 165°F while pork is 145°F.
2. It prevents overcooking and undercooking
While undercooked meat could cause diseases, overcooked meat on the other end could ruin a good meal. Overcooked meat leaves one’s food soggy and of poor taste. A grill thermometer will easily detect just when the meat is ready. That way, it isn’t overcooked leaving you with great taste or undercooked with the threat of diseases.
3. It makes your food more presentable
In a bid to check if meat is properly cooked, most chefs take the surgical route of tearing it open at intervals to see how ready it is. Tearing your meat open at intervals reduces its appearance when plated. It also affects the flavor of the meat. There is always a difference between meat that was plated right from the grill and one that was torn open at intervals.
4. It removes the stress of guesswork
Guessing if your meat is properly cooked can be quite stressful. Sometimes our sense might fail us and just when we think it is ready, it might not be or it might be overcooked. The color of meat when it’s cooked Sdiffers for different kinds of meat.
It can be affected by things like heat level, oxygen level they are exposed to, etc. Therefore, have a grill thermometer to determine when your meat is cooked saves us the stress.
Finally, the importance of a grill thermometer in a chef’s kitchen cannot be overemphasized. It is necessary to maintain a healthy and safe diet.
