Test a Meat Thermometer to Check Its Accuracy

In this post, I’ll show you how to test a meat thermometer for its accuracy using a few different approaches so you never have to worry about overcooked or undercooked meat again.

When it comes to cooking, you need to be able to rely on your utensils and appliances. Nothing is more irritating than an oven or grill that cooks hotter or colder than the temperature indicator shows.

Meat thermometers in the kitchen are in the same boat. I’ve witnessed personally how an incorrect reading can spoil expensive recipes such as rib roast, smoked tri-tip, etc.

All because the leave-in oven thermometer was giving an erroneous reading. It could have saved the family from eating a dried-out piece of pricey meat if it only remembered to check the thermometer beforehand.

If you want your food to be cooked properly and at a safe temperature, you’ll need an accurate one.

For both meat safety and quality, a correctly calibrated meat thermometer is essential. When it comes to meat safety, the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service recommends that using a food thermometer is the only way to precisely determine if a product is cooked to a safe temperature.

A correctly calibrated one is also essential for determining if food recipes like steaks and chops are cooked to your desired degree of doneness.

Test a Meat Thermometer-Check if It is Accurate

On a regular basis, thermometers should be checked and calibrated. Putting it in ice water is a simple way to calibrate it.

Ice Water Test

meat thermometer in the ice for calibration

Using a bowl or large glass filled with ice water to test your thermometer’s accuracy is the easiest method to do so. This will determine if it is set to 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 degrees Celsius.

  1. Fill a container halfway with ice, then halfway with cold water from the faucet.
  2. Grab some aluminum foil and use it to build an impromptu cover for the ice water dish. The probe of your thermometer can then be inserted into the water without it falling in.
  3. Allow for a five-minute cooling period before checking it. Check that it is in the center of the ice in the water.
  4. You can receive a reading greater than the freezing point if you place your thermometer too deep and below the ice.
  5. The temperature should be 32 degrees Fahrenheit/ 0 degrees Celsius on your thermometer. It could take anything from a few seconds to a minute, depending on the type you have (the old dial thermometers take a while to come to temperature).
  6. Try relocating the probe to a different part of the water if your thermometer isn’t reading 32 degrees. If it isn’t reading correctly, double-check that you have enough ice in the water.
  7. You will need to calibrate your thermometer if it still does not read 32 degrees Fahrenheit. You may need to purchase a new one to plug into its main display unit if your oven thermometer does not display 32 degrees Fahrenheit after the cold water and boiling water tests.

See NIST’s video on how to set up a test ice bath correctly.

 Boiling Water Test

When you test your meat thermometer probe in ice water, it won’t always read 32 degrees Fahrenheit exactly. Testing it in a saucepan of boiling water is another technique to double-check it (212 degrees Fahrenheit).

Calibrate meat thermometer with boiling water

I saw the SmokeBloq wireless meat thermometer reading 33 degrees Fahrenheit when testing numerous meat thermometers in icy water. Even after repositioning the probe in the ice bath, the temperature didn’t reach 32 degrees F.

The accuracy of most meat thermometers is rated to be within a few degrees of the target temperature. Don’t worry if it doesn’t read exactly thirty-two degrees.

You can also test their accuracy by immersing them in boiling water. Because some thermometers are better at measuring higher temperatures than lower temperatures, it’s always a good idea to double-check a thermometer by performing both the cold water and boiling point tests.

The test is simple to understand.

  1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, then test the temperature with your thermometer. To insert your probe, make an aluminum foil cover similar to the one we used for the ice water test, but only cover a piece of the pot.
  2. Keep the area where it connects to the cable out of the water since water will get into the probe and destroy it.
  3. If it doesn’t read correctly after the frozen water and boiling water test, you’ll need to calibrate it if you can. If you can’t, you’ll probably need a new thermometer or a probe replacement.

The sort of thermometer you have will determine how you calibrate it. I’ll show you how to calibrate a simple analog meat dial thermometer as well as a few different types of digital meat thermometers in the next part.

Calibration and Adjustment of Food Thermometers

How to Calibrate an Analog Dial Thermometer

Analog thermometers are slow and the increments on the dial can be difficult to read, despite their ability to measure temperatures rather precisely.

Take, for example, the thermometer shown above, where the spacing between the 2-degree increments is extremely small and difficult to see.

This would not be great if you were preparing something that required precise timing and temperature, such as skirt steak. Let’s pretend you wanted a medium-rare steak.

Not only could your steak overcook while you waited for the dial to stabilize, but it would also be extremely difficult to read once it did.

That is why I no longer use an analog thermometer. Digital thermometers are quick, inexpensive, and simple to read, making cooking a breeze.

If you have the old analog type meat thermometer and it isn’t measuring the temperature correctly, don’t worry; it can be calibrated.

A hexagon-shaped bolt can be found beneath the dial display. The needle of the thermometer can be adjusted by adjusting the bolt with an adjustable wrench or pliers. See the photo below.

calibrating the probe of analog food thermometer

The amount of adjustment required is determined by how far the temperature is from 32 degrees Fahrenheit while submerged in the ice bath.

Check your thermometer in the ice bath again after adjusting the hex bolt underneath, giving it time to attain a steady temperature.

When the thermometer needle in the ice water reaches 32 degrees Fahrenheit, it is calibrated and ready to use.

Calibrating a Digital Meat Thermometer

If you ever need to calibrate your digital meat thermometer, having the instruction manual handy is really helpful. Some thermometers can be calibrated, whereas others are not. If your thermometer isn’t measuring precisely after using the steps above, you’ll need to determine whether it can be calibrated at all.

calibrating the digital meat thermometer

For example, the Lavatools Javelin PRO Duo thermometer seen in the image can be calibrated. To reset or calibrate this thermometer, just open the battery compartment and slide all of the tabs down, resetting the thermometer to factory settings.

Some thermometers may be calibrated simply by pressing and holding a button for a set amount of time. If you’re not sure whether or not you can calibrate your thermometer, look up the make and model online.

Purchasing with Free Thermometer Probe Replacement

I like to purchase thermometers that offer free lifetime temperature probe replacements if they fail.

The probes on the Tenergy Solis Digital Meat Thermometer are replaceable for a free lifetime. I haven’t had to change any of the six probes that came with it, and it was one of the fastest in the ice water test to read 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Meat Thermometer Review

ThermoPro TP910 500FT Bluetooth Meat Thermometer for Smokers, Rechargeable Wireless Meat Thermometer for Grilling with 2 Probes, Grill BBQ Thermometer with Smart Timer, Alarm, Cook Time Estimator (thermometer review thermopro)

  • 500FT Bluetooth 5.0 remote range & certificate by SIG: Bluetooth thermometer utilizes advanced Bluetooth 5.0 technology to provide you a strong, reliable connection allowing you to monitor your meat 500ft away; If you move out of range of the wireless thermometer, you’ll receive a phone notification to inform you to move back in range
  • Highly accurate dual probes: Meat thermometer wireless features highly heat resistant temperature probes, measuring temp range from 14℉ to 572℉ with an accuracy of 1.8°F to let you Cook Like a Pro; Includes meat probe thermometer winders, no more mess
  • Simplistic, multifunctional APP: Smoker thermometer contains 9 editable presets and 5 doneness levels recommended by the USDA; Digital food thermometer has a HI/LOW temp range feature and temp track graph to allow you thoroughly monitor every step of the cooking process to Cook Like a Pro
  • Smart alerts & cook time estimator: Meat thermometer BlueTooth receive real-time alerts from the ThermoPro BBQ App; Better manage your time with the cooking time estimator & temp pre-alarm guarantees you will be ready to take the meat from the heat; Cooking thermometer provide 28 different alarm sounds, including vibration ON/OFF
  • Rechargeable & backlit LCD: Smart meat thermometer for cooking uses a high capacity battery and a commonly found USB cable; Charges fully in just 3 hours which can last up to 8 months! A backlit LCD display ensures you can view the thermometer during any light conditions
ThermoPro TP910 500FT
thermometer review thermopro

Key Takeaway-Testing Meat Thermometers

  • You need to test a meat thermometer to determine if it needs to be calibrated for correct reading adjustment.
  • If you want to prepare dishes to their ideal serving temperatures, you’ll need an accurate food thermometer. If you are unsure whether your thermometer is accurately measuring temperatures, you should calibrate it if possible.
  • Some thermometers can be calibrated, whereas others cannot. If it isn’t accurate and you’re not sure if it can be calibrated, your best bet is to replace it with one that can.
  • When you consider all of the future cooking you will do, an accurate thermometer is a good investment. Knowing how to serve and cook food at the appropriate temperatures is simply one aspect of good cooking.

Watch the video demonstration of calibration and tips on How to Calibrate a Meat Thermometer from the North American Meat Institute.

testing accuracy of thermometers
wireless meat thermometer
test accuracy of meat thermometer
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wireless digital thermometer

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