Buzz
Hacks are designed to save time, reduce tools, and make life easier. But sometimes, there’s no shortcut or stand-in. Occasionally, you just need the right tool—like a digital thermometer.
Cooking relies heavily on temperature control, and you can’t manage what you can’t measure. A thermometer is the simplest and most reliable way to gauge temperature, yet many still attempt unconventional methods.
Earlier today, I was casually browsing TikTok cooking videos—because I am, of course, incredibly trendy—when a McNugget dupe video not only caught my eye but demanded my full attention.
It’s a solid video. I appreciate that Joshua takes the time to blend the chicken into a McNugget-like paste, shapes a few into dinosaurs, and maintains an engaging presence throughout.
When frying the nuggets, he tests the oil by dipping a chopstick in, relying on the appearance of bubbles around it as an indicator that the oil is hot enough.
I hadn’t come across this trick before, though we did cover the wooden spoon variation seven years ago—long before my time. That post also mentioned using a popcorn kernel for a similar test, noting that it should pop when the oil reaches "somewhere between 325 and 350℉." (I later found other sources online supporting the same claim.)
At first glance, these hacks seem promising, and I do like the idea of a cheerful pop! as an alert—but I had my reservations.
For starters, not all chopsticks and wooden spoons are identical; coatings, treatments, and even leftover moisture from washing can impact how they behave in hot oil. Popcorn, meanwhile, is an organic material, notoriously inconsistent. It pops when its internal moisture turns to steam—at 212℉—far below the 325℉ minimum required for frying. (I personally aim for 360℉, as oil temperature drops once food is added.)
The speed at which a corn kernel reaches its popping temperature depends on its water content (which varies) and how long it has been heating in the oil—making this an unreliable hack.
Rather than sit around contemplating moisture levels, I grabbed my digital thermometer and got to work. I poured cold oil into a Dutch oven, tossed in three popcorn kernels, and added an uncoated wooden spoon. The first kernel popped at 278℉, the last at 283℉—far too low for frying. Starting at this temp would cause the oil to drop further, leading to greasy, unappetizing food.
The wooden spoon, on the other hand, started bubbling at around 330℉—within the 325-350℉ frying range, though still lower than I prefer. But this was just one spoon, and I wouldn’t confidently claim it works for all wooden utensils (though Joshua’s chopstick seemed to work). I could test all my spoons, but I’d still need a thermometer to do it.
I’m not about to tell Joshua to stop using a chopstick to check his oil—he’s doing just fine. At least he isn’t relying on popcorn, which is an outright terrible hack.
But unless you already have a trusted chopstick (or another reliable wooden tool), just get a digital thermometer. It’s safer (especially for meat), more accurate, and doesn’t depend on the water content of a single kernel of corn. Simple.
