How the Right Thermometer Prevents Undercooked or Overcooked Meat

There are few things as frustrating for a home chef as trying to determine the perfect cooking time for a piece of meat.

Whether you're cooking a simple, inexpensive roasted chicken or a $40 beef tenderloin, the variations in oven temperatures over the spectrum of models, brands and methods of heating make it impossible to be sure meat is being cooked to the perfect temperature based simply on temperature and time.

For instance, cooking guides stress that for reasons of health and good eating, poultry should be cooked to an interior temperature of 180 degrees. Depending on your oven, the thermostat of which could be wildly off-kilter, and a calculation of cooking time based on the bird's weight is a gamble if you want it properly done. The result can be a bird with portions that are unappetizingly undercooked or dry as a bone.

That's why it's a good idea for any home cook to invest in a good, high-quality meat thermometer that will give an accurate temperature reading. The variations of these items run the gamut from the cheap but useful-in-a-pinch analog thermometers on sale at the grocery store to high-tech electronic devices that use computers and an electronic voice to update cooks on their meat's progress.

But there's little reason to settle for cheaper models, which take forever (or at least what seems like forever when you're peering into an open 400-degree oven) to give a reading and are for the most part disposable. It's easy to at least upgrade to a quicker-read digital thermometer like the Taylor Professional Digital Fork Thermometer. The tapered tines cut down on juices that are lost when the meat is pierced and it has a rubberized, non-slip handle, making it perfect for indoor or outdoor cooking

The benefit of having your thermometer combined with a meat fork is that it provides a longer reach for oven or grill use without singed fingers. The handle-top display makes gauging the temperature easier. The Taylor model also has a handy chart of preferred cooking temperatures to let you know what the readout means based on the type of meat you are preparing.

The next step up is a thermometer that allows you to insert a probe into the meat then connect it to an electronic readout that sits on the countertop and alerts you when the meat has reached the desired temperature.

These devices run from relatively utilitarian to downright fancy, but rarely cost more than $25 or $30. Most include settings for pork, beef (including levels of "doneness") and poultry and use either an alarm or voice alert to signal stages in the meat's cooking. Some even prompt you to baste, and more and more wireless models are appearing in stores. These allow you to insert a probe into your meat then attach the mobile phone-sized receiver to your belt or apron and walk away.

In the end, no matter what device you choose, the result will be no more underdone chickens or stringy roasts and much happier diners.