Why I Love My Instant-Read Thermometer + GIVEAWAY!
UPDATE: The winners of the Thermapens are:
WINNER #1 – Kate Liddy: “I would love to use it for beef tenderloin. We cook it every Christmas Eve using the rotisserie attachment for our Webber grill. It is so hard to make sure we pull it off at the right time. This year, all I kept saying was that I wished we had a Thermapen! We want to make it again this year for my mom’s birthday (in March!) and I would love to use this to make sure we get it right this time- it was a tish over cooked on Christmas Eve!”
WINNER #2: Molly – “I have never tackled homemade marshmallows so I would love a thermometer to help me be precise in making them!”
Congratulations, Kate and Molly! Be sure to reply to the email you’ve been sent, and your new Thermapens will be shipped out to you!
When I talk about my essential kitchen tools or put together a gift guide for foodies, there are a few items that will always, always show up, and one of those is my instant-read thermometer.
I started to enjoy baking when I was a young teenager, but kept to mostly simple recipes (chocolate chip scones, pecan pie bars, and peanut butter-chocolate chip cookie bars were my go-to’s) until I was in my mid-20s. At that point in time, I really wanted to start flexing my baking muscle and I joined a couple of monthly baking challenges via online forums (blogs weren’t quite what they are today!).
As I tackled one challenge after another, there were certain times that the use of an instant-read thermometer would be very helpful. For example:
- Knowing the temperature of the water was exactly what it needed to be before adding yeast;
- Checking the temperature of the inside of a loaf of bread to know if it was done *perfectly*;
- Double-checking that the pulled pork has reached that all-important falling-apart-tender temperature;
- Making sure your Thanksgiving turkey is not over- or underdone;
- Ensuring that those homemade marshmallows turn out puffy and light;
- Confirming that your eye test on the salted caramel sauce is right on;
- Getting the perfect creamy consistency for your creme brûlée;
- … and SO MUCH MORE.
Back when I was first starting to tackle more advanced recipes, I pined for a Thermapen. They were the highest-rated thermometer on Cook’s Illustrated and I could not WAIT to get one. I used birthday money one year and splurged on it, and I have never looked back. It ranks up there as one of the best workhorses of my kitchen.
(P.S. ThermoWorks, the company that makes the Thermapen, has this amazingly helpful temperature chart for everything from meats and poultries, dough, butter, and candy – absolutely perfect for printing and laminating to keep in your kitchen!)
I literally use my Thermapen on an almost-daily basis, and cannot wait to get one in your hands!
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
Two (2) winners will receive a Thermapen MK4 ($99 value)
HOW TO ENTER
Leave a comment on this blog post telling me the recipe you would be most excited to use an instant-read thermometer for!
A winner will be chosen at random and notified via email.
THE FINE PRINT
Deadline: Sunday, January 27, 2019 at 11:59pm EST.
Restrictions: Winner must have a shipping address in the U.S. or Canada.
Disclaimer: Giveaway is sponsored by ThermoWorks, but all opinions are my own.
I would use it for the white bread recipe! Twice I have done the thump test, etc., on a loaf of bread and still had it be doughy in the middle. Yikes, this would be great!
I would use it for tempering chocolate
I’d love to use this when baking!
I just started using a thermometer when baking bread this past year. No more guess work if it’s done! My thermometer just went out on me and I’ve missed it- I didn’t realize how much I use it.
Carmel Sauce!
Honestly? Chicken. I’m terrified of undercooking it, an instant read thermometer would be so helpful!
I would use it every time I cooked chicken to ensure it reaches proper temp but not over cooked.
I would love it! Especially after watching it on great british baking! I would use it to make Irish soda bread and then caramel sauce!
My grandma’s Boston creams candy, I have alway had trouble getting the right temp for the candy to set up.
I would be most excited to use this pen for Christmas candy making!!! YAY
Roasted Chicken!! I always overcook it because I’m worried about UNDERCOOKING it!
Very sad that these giveaways are restricted to the US, I follow your blog as a resident in France (originally the UK) for inspiration for our new project, a bar and salon de thé,. Maybe you can do the odd giveaway that includes those fans that are further afield. I would use mine for the bread that we make for.Our bed and breakfast guests as well as the family, even though the French love their baguettes but our “pain maison” makes our guests smile.
The recipe that I would be most excited to use an instant-read thermometer for would be your My Favorite White Bread Recipe. ❤️
I like to make bread but it’s so hard to know if the inside is perfectly done, but using a thermometer would be perfect for it!
I’d use one for bread. Mine always turns out doughy in the middle.
I would hid use it all the time, especially with recipes that use expense cuts of meat that I don’t want to ruin.
I just made Chicken Cordon Bleu yesterday and with it being so thick and the ham obscuring the color, I would love it for this. Thank you so much.
I would use it for testing chocolate babka and other yeasted breads! I like to confirm the internal temps!
I would check the internal temp of chocolate babka and other yeasted breads!
I would use the thermapen to check the temperature of beef Wellington