I first bought an instant read thermometer after watching Alton Brown use one for the 87th time. At that point it finally sunk in that it might be a useful piece of equipment to own. And, in the three+ years that I've had one, I've found myself turning to it time after time to check roasted chickens, tenderloins and the temperature of water for proofing yeast. However, I've never really paid much attention to the manner with which I cleaned my handy little thermometer, just giving it a wipe down with a soapy sponge and calling it a day. A recent post over at the Kitchn has just made me realize that I should probably be spending a bit more time and energy on ensuring that this thing that I stick into potentially undercooked meat and poultry is thoroughly cleaned. Their tips include submerging the stem of the thermometer in boiling water for thirty seconds or using a chlorine/bleach solution.
How do you ensure that your kitchen tools stay clean?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-11-2008 @ 2:15PM
benjikim said...
bleach mixed with COLD water - hot water and bleach don't mix well
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3-11-2008 @ 2:39PM
CandyPandora said...
THANKS for this post! I've always been uncertain about how to clean my Therma-pen.
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3-11-2008 @ 4:47PM
camilletwhite said...
I use Grapefruit Seed Extract for my meat thermometer as well as for all my other general cleaning/sterilization needs. It can be used for cleaning as well as medicine(no kidding). Use five drops of grapeseed extract on your thermometer and let sit for 30 minutes or add a few drops to your juice in the morning to fight off infection. You can't claim that about bleach! The production of GSE also has less of an impact on the environment than the production of bleach yet still enjoys the same anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties of the later.
GSE
The super multitasker.
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3-11-2008 @ 6:39PM
Mike said...
Sounds like overkill to me. Notice there is no link to any studies proving the inadequacy of hot soap & water. Let's not forget that any thermometer stuck in undercooked meat is eventually stuck in meat hot enough to kill bacteria within minutes. Just practice common sense. Don't use the same thermometer for chicken you just put on the grill as you would for the beef you are about to take off.
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3-11-2008 @ 10:52PM
Kim said...
Since I never cook such huge chunks of cow that would require plunging it in to the hilt, I find I can wash with a well soaped sponge scrubber then rinse under a hot tap dry and replace into the holder. If I were felt it needed more I would use a bleach solution and a 30 minute soak.
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