Turkey Meat Thermometer Placement: Where to Check the Bird

Check the thickest part of the breast, the innermost thigh and the innermost wing. The sensing area should sit in meat and must not touch bone, the cavity or the roasting pan.

Insert it into the thick inner thigh muscle near the body, steering clear of the joint and thigh bone. If the reading changes sharply as you adjust the tip, take several readings and use the lowest stable result.

Only use a thermometer or probe specifically designed to remain in the oven. Place its sensing section in the thickest meat before cooking, route the cable as instructed, and use an instant-read thermometer for the other required locations.

No. Bone can conduct heat differently from the surrounding meat and produce an unrepresentative reading, so withdraw or redirect the probe until its sensing area is centred in the flesh.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand advises cooking poultry to at least 75°C in the centre. Check all three key areas of a whole turkey and continue cooking if the coolest reading is below that point.