Meat thermometers can measure the internal temperature of meat, eggs, candy, oils, etc. They can detect unsafe meat temperatures as well as your steak’s doneness.

Both digital and analog thermometers help check your meat’s doneness without cutting into it. This keeps the meat’s juices from running out, keeping its moisture and flavor intact.

To check a cake, cupcake, or muffin for doneness when baking, insert a toothpick into its center or gently press two fingers on the top of its middle portion.

If it’s baked, it should spring back into shape and the toothpick should come out clean. If you see an indentation on it or the toothpick comes out with batter, it’s undercooked.

To test for the perfect balance of crisp and tender when steaming veggies, simply pierce your veggies with a fork. Too much firmness indicates they’re undercooked.

Conversely, if they are too soft, they might be overdone. Ideally, there should be some resistance when you try to pierce well-steamed veggies but not enough to require a knife.

Ideally, well-cooked pasta should be a bit chewy without being crunchy or hard, though some prefer softer noodles. To check your noodles for doneness, simply eat one.

Once you have the perfect noodle, drain the pasta to stop the cooking process. If you are adding them to soup, drain them earlier to avoid overcooking when they cook in the broth.

When cooking poultry, such as chicken or turkey, the juices from the bird should be clear when pierced with a fork. You can also get a good idea by watching the pan.

Once the fat and juices collecting in the pan’s bottom run clear, take the bird out. Note that this works best for oven-roasting, and it’s best to double-check with a thermometer.