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Guide
Insert the clean probe into the centre of the thickest part without touching bone, then wait until the display or dial settles. Check more than one spot in large or uneven cuts.
Clean the probe, insert it into the thickest section until the sensing area reaches the centre, and avoid bone, fat and the cooking surface. Hold it steady until an instant-read display settles or a dial stops moving.
Digital probes commonly sense near the tip, while dial thermometers may average temperature along a longer stem section. The manual should show the sensing zone and the required insertion depth.
Probe the centre of the thickest part. For a thin burger, Health Canada advises inserting through the side; for several pieces, check each one because they may cook unevenly.
Response time varies by instrument. Do not record the first changing number; wait for a stable value, then repeat in another spot if the food is large or irregular.
Use the current Health Canada chart for the specific food. The target differs for whole poultry, poultry pieces, ground meat, fish and whole cuts.
Wash the food-contact portion in warm, soapy water before use and between checks where cross-contamination is possible. Follow the manual because the display housing may not be immersible.
Common questions
Place the sensing area in the centre of the thickest part, away from bone, fat, gristle and the pan.
Leave it until the reading stabilizes. The required time depends on the thermometer's response speed and should be stated in its instructions.
A leave-in probe is designed to remain during cooking within its rated limits. Use an instant-read model only for spot checks unless its manual explicitly says otherwise.
Food heats unevenly. Check the thickest pieces and more than one location so the coldest relevant spot reaches the safe target.