How to use a meat thermometer? A practical guide for your BBQ

Why a meat thermometer is indispensable

Time is a poor measure of doneness. A 200-gram chicken thigh will be cooked in 25 minutes at 180°C; a 2 kg pulled pork needs 10 hours at 120°C. The thickness of the meat, the BBQ temperature, the weather – it all affects cooking time. The only reliable way to know if meat is cooked is to measure it.

A meat thermometer is also the best protection against food safety risks. Chicken must reach at least 74°C to be safe. Without a thermometer, you're guessing – with a thermometer, you know for sure.

Which meat thermometer do you need?

There are two types relevant for BBQ:

• Instant-read thermometer — insert it into the meat and you'll have a reading within 2–3 seconds. Ideal for steaks, chicken, and quick checks. Disadvantage: you have to open the BBQ to measure.
• Leave-in thermometer (with probe) — the probe stays in the meat during cooking, connected via a cable or Bluetooth to a display. Ideal for low & slow sessions where you want to continuously monitor the temperature without opening the lid.

For low & slow BBQ, a leave-in thermometer is the best investment. You can track the stall, see when the meat reaches the target temperature, and monitor the BBQ temperature – all without opening the lid.

Where do you insert the thermometer?

This is where most mistakes are made:

• Always in the thickest part of the meat — that's the last part to cook through
• Never against the bone — bone conducts heat differently than meat and gives too high a reading
• Not too close to the surface — the outside is always hotter than the core
• For poultry: in the thickest part of the thigh, not the breast — the thigh is the last part to cook through
• For spareribs: between the bones into the thickest part of the meat

When do you measure?

• Instant-read: measure at the end of the expected cooking time, and then every 15–30 minutes if the meat isn't ready yet
• Leave-in: leave it in for the entire session and set an alarm for the target temperature
• After resting: also measure after resting — the temperature will still rise 2–3°C due to carryover cooking

Carryover cooking — remove the meat earlier

Meat continues to cook after you take it off the BBQ. The outside is hotter than the core, and that heat continues to spread inwards. This is called carryover cooking and it can add 2–5°C to the core temperature.

Therefore, remove the meat 2–3°C before the target temperature. A steak that you want medium rare (57°C) should be taken off the BBQ at 54–55°C.

Calibration — is your thermometer accurate?

Test your thermometer in ice water (0°C) or boiling water (100°C at sea level). If the reading deviates by more than 1–2°C, calibrate it or replace it. A cheap thermometer that deviates by 5°C is more dangerous than no thermometer.

Quick overview of core temperatures

• Chicken (thigh): 74°C minimum, 80°C for optimal tenderness
• Pulled pork: 90–95°C
• Spareribs: 90–95°C
• Brisket: 93–97°C
• Steak medium rare: 55–57°C
• Pork tenderloin rosé: 63°C

→ View the complete core temperatures overview
→ Also read: What is low & slow BBQ?
→ Also read: The stall — what is it and what do you do with it?
→ View all BBQ recipes from The Rub Kitchen