The Perfect Thermometer Combo: How to Cook a Turkey
This Thanksgiving we’ve got the perfect thermometer duo to help you cook the most moist, tender, and flavorful turkey you’ve ever cooked. The Classic Thermapen® and the ChefAlarm® are a great roasting tag team. But like any tag team, you have to know how to use them correctly before they can be effective.
The ChefAlarm
The ChefAlarm is a great tool for monitoring the internal temperature of turkey in the oven. A heat-resistant probe and long cable make it possible to know what your turkey is doing without having to open the oven. The trick is knowing when and where to place the probe to get the most useful readings during cooking.
Prior to placing your bird in the oven, insert your ChefAlarm Pro-Series probe into the thickest part of the turkey breast. Position the probe tip toward the center, making sure to stay away from the cavity and the bone. Set your alarm to sound when the internal temperature reaches 145-147°F (62-63°C); this will give you plenty of warning and allow you to do spot checks with your Super-Fast Thermapen.
The Thermapen
The Thermapen is a versatile tool that allows you to take super-accurate, Super-Fast temperatures with ease. It’s speed will ensure that you can temp the turkey in multiple locations and return the bird to the oven without losing valuable heat.
Probe the breast, thigh and leg of the turkey with your Thermapen to ensure you’re getting an even distribution of heat and no
t overcooking your Thanksgiving centerpiece. Just as you did with the ChefAlarm probe, stay away from the bone and cavity of the turkey. Ideal temperatures for the breast, thigh and leg are 157°F (69°C), 169°F (76°C) and 185°F (85°C), respectively. If you’ve stuffed your turkey, you’ll want to make sure to temp the stuffing and ensure that it has reached at least 165°F (74°C).
The Finish
When you’ve reached the ideal temperature, remove the turkey from the heat (leaving the ChefAlarm probe in the bird) and let the meat rest for 30 minutes. Leaving the probe inside the breast will allow you to monitor the temperature of the turkey as it rests. You can expect to see an increase in temperature, as much as 10-12°, due to latent heat. Spot check the temperature change during the rest using your Thermapen.
If you’re currently only using one tool in the tag team duo (the Thermapen or the ChefAlarm), you’re doing pretty good; on their own, each instrument has its strengths. But, using them together will go a long way to ensure that a perfectly cooked turkey is on your list of things to be thankful for this holiday season.
Happy Thanksgiving from ThermoWorks!