Has anyone had this problem with their leave-in thermometers?

[Smoking77]

I have a CyberQ, and was using the thermometers in my oven while I was cooking a pork chop and a steak. I was cooking at 225 in the oven and then was going to sear it on the cast iron. I pulled both the steak and the pork at 135 (according to my CyberQ), but when I checked the temps with my Thermapen, they both clocked in at 125-128 (almost ten degrees off). This has happened twice now.

I did the ice water and boiling water test on both leave-ins and the Thermapen, and they all hit both high and low temps within 1-2 degrees. Has this ever happened to anyone? Any explanation for this? Thanks, all!

[Jetski]

I'd love to see what others have to say. I've seen similar issues with my cook's.

[martybartram]

Did you do the temp test after this cook or previously? I'm at a loss here for an explanation....except perhaps...how thick were the cuts of meat?

[Ozzie]

I have a theory- I have seen the same occur using a Smoke and a Thermopop. I have noticed there is more of a difference when the piece of meat is smaller, or more specifically when the leave in probe is not in deep. The probe being metal, is a conductor of heat. The more exposed the leave in probe is outside the meat, the more surface area to absorb heat and conduct that into the part of the probe in the meat. That energy will in turn transfer into the meat tissue adjacent to the probe as well as just be in the probe itself. Hence it will read a little warmer.

I have seen this most evident when the Smoke probe is not very far into a chicken breast. And I see the smallest differences when the probe is buried in a pork butt or roast. When the probe is buried there is much less exposed probe to pick up heat and much more meat to suck the heat out of the probe minimizing the extra energy down at the tip where it measures.

The other factor of course is the meat structure itself. I have no evidence to support it but it is safe to say that different materials conduct heat differently. So there will certainly be small differences in the cooking rate locally in the meat where fat veins and bones are conducting heat differently and maybe even insulating the meat.

Anyway that's my theory and I am stickin' with it...for now anyways.

Happy weekend cooking to all!!!

[Jerod Broussard]

Ozzie got it.

I can slide cold chicken gizzards onto a thermometer probe all the way up far from the tip and the temp will continually drop as they sit on the stem.

Same goes for a probe exposed in a hot oven or cooker. Hence the reason I don't understand why food probes are 3 ft long.

[Jetski]

Very interesting. Thanks for the feedback.

[vandy]

I have seen the same problem with all of the leave in probes with serveral different systems, that is why I always double check with my Thermapen when the temp is getting close to my pull temp. I have pulled pork butts when the Thermapen reads 10 to 20 degrees above the leave in probe.

[Ozzie]

vandy That is interesting. Your temperature difference is in the opposite direction. In this case I would question calibration. Ever try an ice or boiling point comparison of the two?

[vandy]

I may have stated that backwards, I have tested all my thermometers with the ice bath method and I think I only have one that is not dead on 32 degrees and that one is only 1 degree off.

[Breadhead]

Everything I cook gets final checked by my trusty Thermapen. I test my Thermapen once every 6 or 8 weeks.

[vandy]

I trust my Thermapens above all else, I think I have 3 of them and counting. Test them regularly and I only have one that is 1 degree off, the other 2 are dead on accurate.

[EdF]

vandy Thermoworks has instructions for recalibrating on their website.

[vandy]

Thanks EdF, I did not know that.

[Smoking77]

Thanks everyone for all the knowledge! I talked to BBQ Guru, and their response was less scientific than Ozzie, but that's what I'm going with as the reason. The short of their explanation was "It is designed for thicker cuts of meats." So, there ya go. I feel like most of the leave-in thermometers are pretty long like Jerod Broussard said. So I guess if I can't get most of the thermometer in the food, then I just need to stay vigilant with my Thermapen.

[Breadhead]

The Thermapen is the king of meat thermometers... end of story!👍

[SMO]

I work in an industry where we use temp probes in electronic design and Ozzie is spot on. I have the Smoke and bought several probes of finer diameter and shorter length when they had a sale. Use the shortest probe you can use for what you are cooking. Also, make sure you are centered. On a thin piece your probe can be closer to the heat to give false high temp (or the opposite for false lows), The sensor to read temp is not at the very end of the probe, it is roughly 1/4 inch back from the tip. Hope this helps. (as for long probes, great for monitoring spaghetti sauce in a large pot for your Lion's club spaghetti feed!)

[Jerod Broussard]

I ordered the smaller meat probe for my Smoke immediately.

[Smoking77]

I work in an industry where we use temp probes in electronic design and Ozzie is spot on. I have the Smoke and bought several probes of finer diameter and shorter length when they had a sale. Use the shortest probe you can use for what you are cooking. Also, make sure you are centered. On a thin piece your probe can be closer to the heat to give false high temp (or the opposite for false lows), The sensor to read temp is not at the very end of the probe, it is roughly 1/4 inch back from the tip. Hope this helps. (as for long probes, great for monitoring spaghetti sauce in a large pot for your Lion's club spaghetti feed!)

That is extremely interesting SMO. Thanks for the knowledge!

[Baltassar]

The Smoke can be fitted with a short (3.5") straight needle probe that also submersible. On sale at the moment ($12.80 + $4 for standard shipping). Hard to see what that wouldn't be the standard probe included with the thing, but it isn't.