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Meat thermometers
Buying guide
Where to Put a Meat Thermometer in a Turkey
Check the thickest breast area plus the innermost thigh and wing areas. Keep the sensing tip in meat, away from bone and outside the cavity.
Where to Insert a Meat Thermometer in a Whole Turkey
Insert into the thickest breast and the innermost thigh, keeping the sensing area clear of bone and the cavity. Recheck from another angle and use the lowest valid reading.
Where to Stick a Meat Thermometer in a Turkey
Check a whole turkey in three places: the thickest breast, the innermost thigh and the innermost wing. Keep the sensing area in meat rather than against bone, and verify every location reaches 165°F.
Where to Place a Meat Thermometer in a Turkey
Aim for the innermost thigh and wing and the thickest breast. The probe must sit in meat, not against bone.
Where Do You Place a Meat Thermometer in a Turkey?
Use three checkpoints: inner thigh, inner wing, and thickest breast. The sensing zone belongs in meat and clear of bone.
Where Do You Stick a Meat Thermometer in a Turkey?
Insert into the center of the thickest edible meat, not the cavity or bone. Repeat in the inner thigh, inner wing, and breast.
Common questions
Questions before you buy
Where should a meat thermometer go in a turkey?
Check the thickest part of the breast, the innermost thigh and the innermost wing area. Avoid bone in each location.
Do you put the thermometer in the turkey breast or thigh?
Check both, plus the innermost wing area. One location cannot show whether every part of a whole turkey has reached the safe minimum.
How do you avoid hitting bone with a turkey thermometer?
Insert into the thick muscle and adjust the angle if you feel hard resistance. The sensing area must remain surrounded by meat.
Where do you check stuffing temperature?
Measure the center of the stuffing separately. USDA guidance says the center must reach the safe minimum temperature stated for stuffing.