Most of us only use our food thermometer at Thanksgiving and Christmas to see if our turkey and roast ham are cooked to perfection. We don't want to make our entire family sick, okay well maybe some of our in laws, but we'd never openly admit it.
According to a survey by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and ConAgra Foods' Home Food Safety program, only 23% of American's report regularly lusing it to check their meat.
Why don't we use it every other time we cook?
Here's some more reasons from the ADA to consider using a thermometer on a regular basis:
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1 in 6 Americans get food poisoning every year.
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You can't see, taste or smell if a food contains harmful bacteria.
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The only way to ensure food safety is with a food thermometer.
How To Get An Accurate Thermometer Reading
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Beef, pork or lamb roasts: insert in center of the thickest part, away from bone, fat and gristle.
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Hamburgers, steaks or chops: insert in the thickest part, away from bone, fat and gristle.
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Poultry (whole bird): insert in inner thigh area near the breast, but not touching bone.
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Ground meat and poultry: place in the thickest area of meatloaf or patty; with thin patties, insert sideways reaching the very center with the stem.
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Egg dishes and casseroles: insert in center or thickest area of the dish.
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Fish: insert in the thickest part of fish when fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
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Packaged foods: Follow cooking instructions carefully.
That way you won't get sick or burn the turkey a la "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation." Always clean food thermometers with hot, soapy water before and after each use!
