| Cooking barbecue food is relatively easy, but do you | | | | come up to the proper temperature and is ready to |
| know when your food is properly cooked to a | | | | consume. |
| hygienic standard? | | | | 2) You should remember that many meat |
| The only way to know for certain is by using a good | | | | thermometers do not provide an accurate reading. |
| quality barbecue thermometer and understanding the | | | | To find out if your BBQ thermometer is accurate or |
| different temperatures at which different meats are | | | | not, simply place a pan of cold water on your |
| considered fully cooked. | | | | cooker, and bring the water to a rolling boil at 212 |
| This is what you need to look out for and why you | | | | degrees. Place the stem of the thermometer into the |
| should always use a good quality BBQ thermometer | | | | pan of water for 60 seconds. If it is properly |
| when cooking your barbecue food. | | | | adjsuted, the barbecue thermometer should read 212. |
| 1) There are 3 important temperatures with which | | | | 3) You should only buy a thermometer that comes |
| every barbecue cook should be familiar with:a) | | | | with a nut on the rear of the dial case. This allows |
| External Temperature - determines if your food is | | | | you to optimise the dial indicator by using some pliers |
| going to cook quickly or not depending on what the | | | | to correct the setting. |
| temperature is outside.b) Grill Temperature - what | | | | 4) Temperature forks do not perform very well. In |
| the temperature is in the cooking chamber of your | | | | preference, you should always opt to use an |
| grill. This will help you determine how long it will take | | | | accurate instant display meat thermometer and use it |
| the meat to cook. For example, at 350 degrees, | | | | every time you have a barbecue. |
| meat will cook at approximately twenty minutes per | | | | 5) Instant display and handheld thermometers should |
| pound. So, a ten pound chicken will take | | | | be left in the food for around 60 seconds to get an |
| approximately 3:33 hours to completely cook at | | | | accurate reding and should not be left attached for |
| 350.c) Internal Meat Temperature - this is your | | | | the whole duration of cooking. |
| "target" temperature. It tells you if your meat has | | | | |