This Thanksgiving, there’s one tool you need to keep out of the kitchen in order to cook the perfect turkey. Ironically, it’s the pop-up turkey timer.
A pop-up turkey timer ― the kind that comes pre-inserted in your store-bought bird ― is probably one of the most unreliable kitchen gadgets of all time. By the time the timer does actually pop, your turkey will be overcooked and as dry as sawdust. Advertisement
That’s because commercial turkey buttons are set to pop at 180 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit, even though you should actually remove the turkey from the oven when it reaches 160 degrees F (then you temperature will continue rising as it rests on the counter, to the FDA-recommended 165 degrees Fahrenheit). If you use a pop-up timer, you end up drastically overcooking your turkey.
As Thanksgiving approaches many home cooks are preparing to roast a turkey for their holiday feast. Having a perfectly cooked turkey is crucial but constantly opening the oven to check doneness leads to a dried-out bird. This is where the pop-up turkey thermometer comes in handy – it signals when the turkey has reached the ideal internal temperature. But how does this nifty little device know precisely when the turkey is fully cooked? Let’s take a close look inside and examine how it works.
The Genius Behind the Pop-Up Turkey Thermometer
This clever thermometer eliminates the guesswork and tedious temperature checks involved in roasting a turkey. When the red indicator pops up, you immediately know your turkey is fully cooked to the safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F.
It’s like having a built-in turkey sous chef! No more worrying about undercooked poultry full of harmful bacteria or an overcooked, dry turkey. The pop-up thermometer gives you fuss-free temperature control.
Inside the Pop-Up Turkey Thermometer
A standard pop-up timer contains:
- Red plastic indicator stick
- Plastic outer casing
- Coiled spring
- Small piece of metal alloy
The key component is the metallic alloy inside the pointy tip. It’s solid at room temperature which keeps the red indicator depressed inside the casing.
As the turkey cooks, the alloy absorbs heat. Once it reaches 165°F, it melts, freeing the red stick. The loaded spring then pushes the indicator up quickly, signaling visually that the turkey is fully cooked.
How to Use a Pop-Up Thermometer
Using a pop-up thermometer is simple
- Insert it deep into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone.
- Avoid cavities holding ice or stuffing.
- For stuffed birds, also check the center of stuffing, which should reach 165°F.
- When the red indicator pops up, check for clear juices and meat pulling easily from bones.
Doneness Tips for Whole Turkeys
While pop-up thermometers make roasting easy, there are a few important notes:
- They may deploy early if positioned near a heat source like bones. Always verify doneness.
- Test turkeys over 12 pounds in both thighs to ensure thorough cooking.
- If the pop-up doesn’t deploy, continue cooking until the breast and thigh meat reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer.
For total assurance, use a digital food thermometer along with the pop-up. Check the innermost thigh, wing, and thickest breast sections.
Choosing a Pop-Up Turkey Thermometer
When purchasing a pop-up thermometer, look for:
- Sensitive indicators that fully pop up
- Clear casings to view the mechanism
- Stainless steel over plastic for heat resistance
- Probes at least 2.5 inches long to reach deep into large birds
- Indicators that reset for multiple uses
With minimal effort, pop-up turkey thermometers provide perfect doneness. Simply insert, roast, and wait for that satisfying “pop!” Enjoy the convenience of precise temperature control.
Now that you understand the inside workings of pop-up turkey thermometers, you can roast your holiday bird with confidence. Let this handy gadget take the temperature guesswork and stress out of cooking turkey. Just pop it in, and you’ll know exactly when your turkey is cooked to safe perfection.
Answering Common Questions about Turkey Thermometers
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about how turkey thermometers work:
Are turkey thermometers accurate?
Our food safety experts recommend not relying solely on pop-up timers to determine doneness. Use a conventional meat thermometer to verify safe minimum internal temperatures.
Is turkey done at 165°F or 180°F?
Turkey should reach an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat. You can remove it from the oven at 160°F since the temperature will continue rising as it rests.
How is temperature measured in turkey?
Insert an instant-read thermometer into the innermost thigh and wing and the thickest breast areas without hitting bone. For oven-safe models, insert before roasting.
Does the pop-up timer signify turkey is fully cooked?
Yes, when the timer pops up, it signals the turkey has reached the 165°F minimum safe internal temperature. The pop-up contains a metal that melts at that temperature, releasing the indicator.
Which is better – meat thermometer or pop-up timer?
Experts recommend using an instant-read digital meat thermometer for accuracy. Pop-up timers can deploy early and don’t confirm safe doneness. For ensured safety, use both!
Food industry professionals don’t like pop-up timers.
If you need any more proof that pop-up timers are bad, just know that Butterball turkey doesn’t use them, Consumer Reports doesn’t recommend them and food writers despise them.Advertisement
“If I had my way, the world would be rid of it,” J. Kenji López-Alt, James Beard-nominated columnist and chief culinary consultant of Serious Eats, said of pop-up timers in an interview with The Washington Post in 2015.
Here’s how turkey timers actually work.
Inside a standard pop-up turkey timer, there’s a red plastic indicator stick that sits in a plastic casing. The stick has a spring wrapped around it. The soft metal in the tip warms as the turkey roasts and eventually melts at around 180 degrees F. Then the red stick is released from the metal and the spring makes it pop up. That’s 15 degrees higher than the recommended 165, making your turkey extremely dry.