At first, I called my instant-read thermometer a “meat and yogurt thermometer” because that was pretty much all I used it for.
But I now use it for so much more — not just meat and yogurt, but fish, bread, stuffing, cakes, casseroles and more. I used to worry about many foods being underdone and giving us food poisoning, so I’d cook them until I was sure they were done. That usually meant that they were actually overdone. By using the thermometer, it’s rare that we have dry and tasteless food any more — or bread that’s a bit gooey in the middle. It’s really helpful if you’re baking with an Omnia Stove Top Oven and foods don’t get as brown as you’re accustomed to.
My problem, though, was that I never had a single list of ideal temperatures. I started with a printout of the FDA list, and then kept scribbling in other temps as I learned what worked best for various dishes. Or I’d write it on the recipe. Sometimes a recipe would even tell me the temperature! Other times, I’d stick a Post-It note somewhere. And then I had to find it again when I wanted it.
I finally gathered all my notes up and typed all the temperatures up into one single page, which I printed and taped inside a door right over my main counter.
Want a copy? It’s part of my FREE mini-course, Cooking for Adventures:
Don’t have a thermometer? Here are my two faves (links are to Amazon): this digital one (if it’s unavailable, this one is similar) shown in the photo above is good if you can get batteries; this analog one is great if you can’t.
Simplify meal prep on board with proven strategies for provisioning, maximizing fridge space, and cooking delicious meals aboard your boat.
Diane says
Geez, Girlfriend…you just never run out of ways to be helpful to your fellow cruisers! Thanks so much for this…will be very useful 🙂
BTW – how ya healin’ ????
Vala Richmond says
Love it, love it – I never remember the right temps either – thanks! I will have to add a section for Tea though – if you are making black tea it’s easy – use boiling (or 210) – but if you want green tea, or white or an oolong you have to use lower temps (like from 160 to 180). without a thermometer I always use the water way too hot…
Diane Sullivan says
This looks good. Will have to try it. Thanks!
Diane Sullivan says
Looks good, I’ll check this out.
Chani Wellborn says
YES- this is amazing. Thank you! I never know what temp things should really be…
Michele says
What instant thermometer do you suggest?
Thanks,
Michele
Carolyn Shearlock says
Here’s the article I wrote about the analog (dial, no batteries) one that I like: https://theboatgalley.com/meat-yogurt-thermometer/
Sailing with Totem says
So true- we use ours for everything from baking (I have a pound cake that’s best taken from the oven at a certain internal temp) to yogurt-making to settling bets! Our instant read is a tether that plugs into a small base unit I can use as a timer, or preprogram different temps. Love it.
The Boat Galley says
Want to hear more about settling bets with the instant read thermometer 🙂
Sailing with Totem says
oh, just garden variety “how hot do you think this is” stuff. You should see what happened after we got the infrared thermometer. MAN!
The Boat Galley says
Oh yeah, the infrared! Much less messy than saying “do you think we could fry an egg on this teak deck?” 🙂
cyndy says
My friend you are amazing! Printed 2 copies. 1 got folded, laminated and attached to the inside cover of my boat galley cookbook, the other got placed in a sleeve in my personal cookbook which is a sacred place! LOL
Seriously, this will save me a lot of guesswork. And to think I just now found it!
Thank you for reposting things like this that we may not have thought to look for on the site. Who knew?
Blessings
cyndy
Patricia L. McMullen says
I’ve had a couple not so great digital thermometers that have not really worked. I’ll give this one a try
Ellen Barrios says
Thank you, Carolyn! Love the new look!!