Can You Use a Meat Thermometer for Oil?

You’ve got a large pot of oil on the stove and you’re wondering if you can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. You might be able to use your meat thermometer to check the temperature of your oil but it depends on a few things.

Not all thermometers are created equal. Hence, when buying one, it’s a good idea to think about what you are going to use it for most. Do you do a lot of frying? It would be a good idea to get a deep-fry thermometer, they are affordable and can attach to the pot of oil that you are heating. They make your life easier.

Check out my review of the ThermoPro TP510 Digital Deep Fry Thermometer with an 8-inch long temperature probe.

However, can you use a meat thermometer for oil? To help you figure this out, this article will take a quick look at the different types of thermometer available and their uses in the kitchen.

Types of Kitchen Thermometers

Meat Thermometers

If your thermometer is called a meat thermometer, most quality ones can read temperatures over 400 degrees Fahrenheit and can be used for all types of meat as well as poultry and fish. They come in digital versions, and they generally can be classified into two types:

• Instant-read Meat Thermometers

This type of thermometer is designed to give you an instant temperature reading. When you think your meat might be done, then you just insert the probe end of the thermometer into your meat (at the thickest part), and take the reading.

The reading will be accurate anywhere between 3 and 30 seconds. These thermometers can be used for different cuts of meat but are better for smaller cuts that you are cooking on the grill or stove.

• Oven-safe Meat Thermometers

Oven-safe thermometers are designed to be pierced into the meat before you start cooking. Whether you are cooking your meat in the oven or on the stove, this thermometer is left in the meat so you can keep an eye on the temperature throughout the cooking process. They are only removed when the meat reaches the correct doneness.

This type of thermometer is perfect for cooking large cuts of meat and is very handy as you can easily make sure you don’t overcook your meat if you remember to keep an eye on it. Some come with extra-long probes like the ThermoPro TP-17 which you can also use to monitor oil for frying.

Candy Thermometers

Kitchen thermometers that are sold as candy thermometers are designed to withstand much higher temperatures than most meat thermometers. Candy and oil temperatures are much higher than those of meat and other liquids, so it is crucial that you have a thermometer that can cope with temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and above.

Oven Thermometers

Unless you have a brand new oven, then there is a good chance that its temperature is not accurate. Oven thermometers are especially useful if you are cooking with an older or unfamiliar oven. You can set the temperature on the oven and then, using this tool, check that it is indeed at the correct temperature before cooking your food.

Can You Use a Meat Thermometer for Oil?

Most quality digital meat thermometers can read temperatures up to, and over 400 degrees Fahrenheit. However, cooking oils can get as high up as 450 degrees Fahrenheit and more. The truth is that not all kitchen thermometers can cope with temperatures that high.

When deep-frying food in oil, a candy thermometer makes a fantastic kitchen accessory that you can use to ensure that the oil is the perfect temperature before adding your food. If the oil is cooler than this, then your food will absorb too much oil and become greasy. If your oil is too hot, then your food will burn before cooking through.

Correct Temperatures

• Poultry (including chicken, turkey, and duck)

Should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit

• Ground meat (including ground beef and pork)

Should be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit

• All other meat (including beef, pork, and lamb)

Should be cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit

• Oil (for deep-frying)

Should be heated to between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit

Other Benefits of Owning a Kitchen Thermometer

Having a kitchen thermometer is also useful for measuring the temperature of other things around the house, such as:

Measuring the Temperature of Water/Liquids

You can easily check the temperature of water, stews, and soups by inserting the probe into the liquid. Parents often find them useful to check the temperature of their child’s bath or bottle of milk, for example.

When Reheating Food

When reheating food in the microwave, you can use your kitchen thermometer to check whether the food is heated properly and all the way through.

Kitchen Thermometer Maintenance

Always make sure that you clean the probe end of your thermometer after every use to avoid cross-contamination. Also, be sure to dry it properly before storing to prevent rust.

You should also regularly check if your thermometer is giving you accurate readings. The easiest way to do this is to insert the probe end into a glass of ice water. The temperature reading should be 32 degrees Fahrenheit. If you get a different reading from this, then you may have to recalibrate your thermometer, or even buy a new one if this isn’t possible.

FINAL VERDICT

So, can you use a meat thermometer for oil? The short answer is: only if it can withstand temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Unfortunately, only some meat thermometers are designed to withstand this heat.

Therefore, if you want to measure the temperature of cooking oils, then buy a candy thermometer, or even better, a multi-purpose thermometer that can be used for meat and candy!