Where to Place the Thermometer in Turkey?

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ThermoPro created a step-by-step video to show you the right placement to put thermometer in Turkey, check the video below.

Proper Placement of Thermometer in Turkey

So turkey time has come and gone. You went to a friend or relatives house, or maybe you hosted your own turkey feast. It was great, but you want the next one to be better than the last. But how do you cook the perfect turkey? How do you obtain the perfect temperature? The key to this lies in your thermometer placement in the turkey itself.

Summer is arriving and you want to hone your skills, you need to prepare for the best turkey yet, because this year you are hosting. You have picked up a ThermoPro Digital Food Thermometer and have everything ready to go, but what is the most optimal placement of thermometer probe into the turkey?

There are 2 areas of the turkey that you will want to monitor to insure for the best internal temperature reading of your bird:

  1. The Breast: The breast of the turkey is located on the upper part of the bird, near where the neck used to be (whoops!). The breast contains thick muscle and succulent meat, which gives this portion of the body a perfect setting for a thermometer reading. In this area there will not be a lot of bone or cartilage to interfere with your reading. Because of this you will get an accurate reading of exactly what the muscle of the breast is cooking at, which is exactly what you want.
  2. The Thigh: The thigh of the turkey also contains a large amount of flesh and muscle, so this part of the bird is another key area you want to monitor. Insert your thermometer probe into the thickest part of the leg, but there is a trick. You do not want the probe to be too close to the bone as the solid calcium will distort your reading. Be careful when inserting the probe, and make sure to leave ample space between the probe and the leg bone and you will get a great and reliable reading!

Above is an example on where the thermometer should be inserted inside the turkey. The ideal temperature of the turkey should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit. If the breast reaches this temperature before the thigh, cover the breast with foil and continue to cook.

But why do I have to measure two areas of the turkey?

Why? Because these two areas have the most amount of flesh, but will still cook at different speeds. You want to make sure that the main parts of the bird that are being eaten by you and your guests will be cooked to perfection. There is nothing wrong with double checking.

Turkey time is still far off, but practice makes perfect. The key to cooking a turkey is getting the perfect temperature, and that is achieved by proper thermometer placement. The above should give you the guidelines to cooking the best turkey dinner yet, now put the family recipe to the test and cook away!

Closing Statement

Remember to follow these steps for your next turkey meal to ensure the most succulent meal possible for you and your table guests.

At ThermoPro we are always look for ways to improve our products and change the digital thermometer landscape with better technology. We are striving to be the best manufacturer of digital food thermometers in the business, and hope you enjoyed this quick little write-up. If you’re looking for a device to help you measure the perfect turkey temp, check out our units by clicking digital thermometers and if you’re looking for more helpful write-ups, click helpful tips.

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