Design

• The infrared thermometer has a unique body design, making it easy to distinguish from other types of cooking thermometers. Infrared thermometers are encased in a heavy plastic body, often colored black or dark gray. To obtain a temperature reading on a piece of meat, simply point the thermometer at the object and pull the lever as if you were preparing to shoot a water gun. Most types of infrared thermometers have a switch along the top or side of the casing so you can easily change between Fahrenheit and Celsius.

Process

• Infrared thermometers register the infrared energy level of a particular food. While there are three types of infrared energy, thermometers track the emitted energy rather than the reflected or transmitted. By measuring the infrared energy given off, the thermometer is able to determine the temperature at the surface of the food item. For sauces or liquids, a quick stir before measurement can help obtain a reading of the liquid's overall temperature.

Advantages

• The biggest advantage of the infrared thermometer is its instantaneous reading. If you're preparing something delicate, such as a custard, or something requiring a specific temperature to set, like a jelly, infrared thermometers allow you to monitor the cooking process more closely. With digital or manual thermometers the process might take several minutes and you may find you've gone past the desired temperature.
  A second advantage of infrared thermometers is that you don't need to penetrate the food to obtain a reading. This is especially useful in testing the doneness of meats because you don't have to break the crust to obtain a reading.

Timing

• Infrared thermometers have no discernable reload time. This allows you to take almost continuous readings of your dish, allowing you greater accuracy and control.
  If you anticipate bringing your infrared thermometer from a hot room into a cold walk-in storage, give the thermometer time to adjust to the new temperature in order to obtain an accurate reading. You may also store a thermometer in cold storage to avoid a delay.

Disadvantages

• One disadvantage of using infrared thermometers is their sensitivity to light. Some products develop an opaque surface when cooking and reflect a great amount of light back up at the thermometer. In these cases, you may get a faulty reading because the thermometer is picking up on the extra infrared energy in the reflected light. To avoid this, dim overhead lights or have a backup thermometer on hand. Another trick to obtain a better reading of "shiny" foods is to tape the food item, allow time for the tape to take on the same temperature as the food, and point your infrared thermometer at the tape rather than the food surface.