Do people use a meat thermometer to check sausages and burgers are properly cooked?

[Righttoo]

We always just cook for roughly the right time and split one open to check it “looks “ cooked. But I was watching rich kids, skint holiday the other day and they were on a caravan holiday and had a meat thermometer for all their cooking. I wondered if this was something others do?

Always for the Christmas Turkey , sometimes for a big joint , but sausages ? No , I just spit one a bit and check that way

Unless you mince your own pork/beef at home and then cook it right away, I don't think that that is the case. The reason you can eat beef pink is if it's a whole piece of meat the bacteria won't have penetrated the meat itself, they'll just be on the outside which is then seared to a high temperature. Whereas if the meat has been minced the outside has been all mixed up with the bacteria so they can be throughout it and then have sat round in the shop multiplying throughout, hence it needs to be cooked fully.

I wouldn't eat pink pork either way because of the risk of parasites but I recognise that is an old fashioned opinion.

Never ever for sausages or burgers. It doesn't matter if burgers are a bit pink surely?

Yup!

I don't own one. I do prefer my sausages on the cremated side so not too much of a worry!

No.

I used one when I worked in a supermarket but would never bother at home.

You can cook to temp too so medium rare etc at certain temps Chicken I helps not be over Cooked Burgers and sausages I use if I'm being impatient

Usually use a knife stick in then test on my lip - if it's too hot it's cooked!

Maybe that is just me

No, if it looks done, that's good enough for me.

I do

No. I like mine very well done so I just wait until they’re starting to go black.

I'm nearly 70 so I've been cooking for a very long time (including A level Home Ec) and never owned one. With roasts I stick a knife in and if the juices run clear it's done. I just make sure sausages are nice and brown. Never killed anyone.

I do yes. I never used to but it makes checking food is cooked easier, especially things like whole chickens and joints of meat.

I never used to but we eat far less meat now, and I don't feel as confident in my judgement any more so I use one.

Also now we eat less meat, when we do have it I've usually splashed out a bit at the butcher for something nice, and I'll be really cross if I've overcooked it!

I do because it is so easy. I have a digital thermometer and use it to check all meats are cooked to how I want them - including burgers and sausages. Helps to ensure things like steaks and beef joints aren’t overcooked as well as making sure chicken is properly cooked.

I do. I love my cooking thermometer. I use it for baking too. Bread, cakes, panacotta....

Interesting responses. A fair few do use for most cooking then. We use ours for roast chicken / Turkey. Well don’t tend to bother for chicken as trust the time on the packet but Christmas Turkey we do. When I watched the people on the programme do it I wondered if we were committing cooking neglect!

I bought mine for Christmas Turkey and then just got into the habit of using it on other things. I find things are generally done earlier than I’d expect or the packet instruction says. I’ve realised I used to overcook things.

For sausages and burgers, no. For a roast, yes, I’d check it.

I never had an issue with undercooking things before, so I don’t think the thermometer has saved us from food poisoning.

Only to check a roast isn’t overcooked.

The only time I use a meat thermometer is if I'm cooking a turkey at Christmas, no one wants pink turkey, and overcooked is like a mouthful of dry cotton wool, and I don't cook turkey often enough to get a feel for times/how well cooked it is

I've only ever used one for roasts.

Exactly what I do.

No, I cut it open, see how it looks, and then test with my finger to see if it feels hot. Plus I follow any cooking instructions re timing and temp.

No, they just take 15 minutes in air fryer.