thermometer

Some chefs don't take direction too well. You could tell them the secret for the best barbecue sauce in the world, but they would never admit it was right until they added something to make it "theirs." There's nothing wrong with this sentiment: not only are everybody's taste buds individualized, but also the process creates endless varieties. And as they say, variety is the spice of life. On the other hand, when it comes to the actual cooking process, a chef who insists on serving meats done exactly to his or her personal liking can … Read more

You know how it is when you're grilling: it's easy to lose track of time. While friends and family are over and the drinks are flowing, the simple task of cooking can turn into something of an adventure. All too often this means burnt hot dogs and overdone steaks. Standing guard over the grill isn't always an option, but with a little planning, being untethered doesn't have to mean ruined food.

Buzzing in your pocket like a cell phone, the Taylor Remote Thermometer alerts you to when foods have reached their desired temperature. Great for monitoring … Read more

Cooking for a crowd is always a recipe for excitement. Somebody wants this another person wants that and all of them want it done a certain way. Luckily, backyard barbecues are all fun and games (or at least should be), and chances are the unpleasantness of an overdone steak will simply go unmentioned. However, if you're cooking for a crowd, and you want to keep an eye on all those steaks, a little help on the side can come in handy.

The Steak Station from Charcoal Companion offers a simple way to keep track of up to four steaks … Read more

Ovens are notorious for not telling the truth. They tell us that their internal temperature is 350 degrees F, but when in actuality, they are really burning hot at 400 degrees F; or even worse, they report a temperature too cool. The result is overcooked meals or underdone meat, resulting in meals that are never as good as they can be. Over time, we learn the idiosyncrasies of our ovens and learn to compensate for the discrepancy--but that doesn't mean we have to.

The Maverick Dual Sensor Digital Meat and Oven Thermometer is a two in one probe that … Read more

I've never been a big fan of taking a fork and piercing meat that is on the grill. (I also cringe every time someone takes a spatula and presses down on their burgers.) However, as a steadying device, those large barbecue forks can be quite useful. Just don't go constantly poking your dinner letting all the wonderful juices run out. That being said, sometimes you do need to know what is happening underneath the surface. Namely, when you want to take its temperature.

The Maverick Redi-Fork Pro Fork Thermometer combines a temperature probe with a barbecue fork. The … Read more

Grilling outdoors is great fun, and that fun is usually best shared with friends and family. I don't just mean hanging out with them and enjoying their company; I mean putting them to work. I have previously noted that engaging your guests is a good way to ensure a good time for all, but sometimes you just want to rule the grill.

Guarding the grill may give you the added benefit of constant meat moderation, but then you miss out on sharing time with your guests. The simple solution is to trust your guests and just monitor while you … Read more

It's always nice to find an appliance that merges one necessity with the other. It saves time, effort, and money when you can use one thing to do multiple tasks. Learning how to cook can be a daunting challenge, but with the proper tools and accessories, anyone can cook. Having the capability to properly weigh foods and monitor temperatures goes a long way in the kitchen. As cooks experiment with kitchen tools, eventually they find some items that are indispensable. Many would be lost without the aid of a kitchen scale and a thermometer.

The Breville ikon Kitchen Scale … Read more

I like a little precision when I cook: I like being sure that my chicken reaches the 165 degrees Fahrenheit that guarantees I won't have any problems after dinner. Being precise is a lot easier if you know what temperature you're dealing with. ThinkGeek's Digital Thermometer Pan can provide that information. The pan itself is a normal nonstick skillet on the outside, but it has a thermometer on the inside and a digital readout in the handle.

The thermometer has some basic controls: it can be set to notify you when dinner reaches that perfect temperature and … Read more

I know you're still figuring out the details of your Thanksgiving meal, but it's actually already time to start thinking about the holidays. By which I mean holiday gifts. As in, start scouring the Internet and scoping out the stores, because every person on your list needs a thoughtful, perfect, chosen-just-for-you gift.

The good folks at Hammacher Schlemmer have some ideas, and we'll look at a few of them over the next several days. First up is the Chef's Remote Thermometer Monitor, a wireless meat thermometer and timer that lets you keep tabs on the cooking … Read more