1. Is Your Meat Hot Enough?
Taking the temperature of ground meat is a simple process, but it must be done correctly to get an accurate reading. Ground meats, such as beef, turkey and even venison, must cook until well done throughout. This is because the grinding process introduces bacteria throughout the entire food, which before grinding only lived on the surface of some of the meats. To make sure this bacteria won't make you sick, look at the color of the center of the ground meat or poultry, and be sure to check the temp of the thickest part of the center of your ground meat dish. In dishes such as meatloaf, be sure not to touch the bottom of the pan with the thermometer, which causes it to read higher than the true temperature. To do this, insert the thermometer in the middle of the dish and slowly pull it out as you read the gauge. The lowest temperature registered on the thermometer, unless you pull it completely out of the ground meat dish, is usually the right one. The thermometer should read no less than 170 degrees for ground beef and no less than 165 for ground turkey.
2. Be a Good Egg
Be sure you are serving a healthy quiche by checking the temperature before you put it on the table. Eggs cook quickly, but in thick egg dishes like quiche, it's difficult to know exactly when those eggs have firmed up, especially if you add things like milk and cheese. Take your meat thermometer and stick it in the center of your egg dish without touching it to the bottom of the pan, and wait for it to read at least 160 degrees. Checking the temperature ensures the dish is done and gives you peace of mind before serving it.
3. Don't Leave Out the Leftovers
You might not think to use a meat thermometer when tossing that reheated leftover casserole on the table, considering that you have fully cooked it once already. However, leftovers need to be temp checked. The cooling and storage process make food-borne bacteria very happy, and if the food is not reheated to the proper temperature, you won't kill them. Put the thermometer in the thickest part of the leftover food; be careful not to touch any bones in, say, a reheated leftover turkey leg. You should heat most leftovers to at least 165 degrees to kill any bacteria that may be lingering. Don't forget the golden rule of food preparation: "When in doubt, throw it out." It's not worth taking a chance of poisoning your family to save a few leftovers.
4. Keep It Clean
Also, any time you temp check an egg poultry, pork or any dish for that matter, be sure to wash your meat thermometer in hot soapy water after each reading. This eliminates possible cross-contamination from the partially cooked juices left on the probe from previous readings.
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