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Food is done when it looks done, right?
Not always! Judging "doneness" by how a food looks works fairly well with scrambled
eggs and some fish. But it doesn't work well for hamburgers, roasts, turkey, chicken, meat loaves
and egg casseroles. It is important to cook food to an internal temperature that destroys harmful
bacteria; if you don't, you could get sick.
Hamburgers are a good example. In a study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 25
percent of the hamburgers tested turned brown before they reached a safe internal temperature.
On the flip side, some patties remained pink on the inside even when cooked well above a safe
temperature. This is particularly true of frozen, preformed patties. The conclusion: Color is not a
good indicator of doneness or safety. As a result, USDA recommends using a thermometer to test
the doneness of hamburgers, as well as other meat and poultry products.
In a Consumer food safety survey conducted last year, fewer than half of those
interviewed owned a food thermometer. Only 3 percent used one on a regular basis when
cooking hamburgers.
Don't own a food thermometer? Have one but it doesn't work or you can't find it? It's time
to think about getting one. Besides making sure that food gets cooked to a safe temperature,
thermometers take the guesswork out of cooking and can prevent overcooking.
The most common and versatile food thermometer is the bimetallic stemmed
thermometer. These are available at most kitchen or grocery stores for less than $5. Check the
range of temperatures on it. Meat and all-purpose thermometers generally read from 0 to 220 F.
Candy thermometers measure above the temperature of boiling water.
If you're into gourmet kitchenware, you might want to invest in a digital thermometer.
These measure temperatures through a metal probe or sensing area and display the results on a
digital readout. They come in many styles, sizes and prices from $10 to $35. Because the sensor
is located in the tip of the probe, they are ideal for measuring the temperature of thin foods, such
as hamburgers and chicken breasts.
How do you know if your thermometer is accurate? The best way is to use the ice water
test. Fill a large glass with finely crushed ice. Add clean water to the top of the ice and stir well.
Immerse the thermometer stem at least 2 inches into the mixture. The thermometer should read
32 F after 30 seconds. If it doesn't, adjust the calibration nut to the correct temperature.
What temperatures are recommended for safety's sake? USDA recommends cooking to
the following internal temperatures:
- Ground beef, 160 F.
- Roasts and steaks, 145 F.
- Poultry (chicken breasts), 170 F.
- Whole poultry (turkey, chicken), 180 F.
- Leftovers, at least 165 F.
For more information, contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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