Temperatures are very important when it comes to cooking. If you want to get that perfect medium-rare steak, you have to be able to take an accurate temperature. You need a good thermometer in order to do that. Today, I’m going to teach you how to calibrate your thermometer.
Disclaimer
First things first. I can’t tell you how to adjust your individual thermometer. The technique will vary from device to device. If you are unsure how to work yours, consult your owner’s manual. If you don’t have it, a quick Google search should help. Virtually everything is online these days.
The Technique
The trick is to find something we know the temperature too. That way we can take a reading and see how accurate the thermometer is and if it needs adjustments. This needs to be something that is repeatable in the future so we can always get accurate readings.
My go-to is a glass of ice water. Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. I know I can replicate this temperature as many times in the future as I need to.
The Equipment
The equipment for this test couldn’t be more simple. All we need is a glass, some ice cubes, and water. And of course the thermometer! It couldn’t get any easier than that!
ThermoPro TP-16 Digital Cooking Food Meat Thermometer for Smoker Oven Kitchen Candy BBQ Grill Thermometer Clock Timer with Stainless Steel Temperature Probe, Large LCD Display, Standard, Silver
Calibrating Your Thermometer
To start, fill up your glass about halfway with ice cubes. Next, fill the glass up with water. You don’t want to fill it all the way to the top, as there might be spillage.
Once the glass is full of ice water, give it a good stir. We want to get that water down to 32 degrees. After you’ve stirred the water, let it rest for about a minute or two so it can come down to temperature.
After a minute or so of rest, its time to test that thermometer! Test the water temperature, and if you get 32 degrees, you don’t need to adjust it. If the reading is off, adjust the thermometer according to your model’s instructions until you get 32 degrees.
Once you get a 32-degree reading, you are all done! You now know how to calibrate your thermometer. It is a good idea to perform this test every couple of months to make sure your thermometer is accurate. On top of getting food cooked to the temperature you like, it is also a good safety practice.
