Starting a Fire Without Wired Probes

[STEbbq]

The downside of my Inkbird biting the dust is that I do not have wired probes to leave on the grate to check my temps to know when I have reached the desired cooking temp. I am not quite ready to leave my Combustion ones on there, nor are they designed to do so without being inserted in meat.

So, I have been using my IR thermometer to check temps. Is this a realistic long-term solution? It seems to work fine so far. The back up is of course placing the Combustion + meat combo and having it confirm grill grate temp once it is hot enough and ready for the meat which is normal use.

I am aware of the seconds and palms test but I like to have numbers in front of me.

it is not really a thermometer question but tagging chefchrisyoung in case the Combustion can be used in this case.

[barelfly]

What about a Thermoworks Chef Alarm or the like so you aren’t using the Combustion probe? Not sure what the price is on the Combustion if it goes bad using it in that manner, but I’ve really liked my Chef Alarm for both, grate temp and meat temp.

[STEbbq]

Not using the Combustion except for totally normal use when grate has reached temp. I will look at the Thermoworks.

[jhapka]

Could you stick the combustion probe in a potato until it’s ready to go in the meat?

[jhapka]

Or a ball of foil or something.

[STEbbq]

Potatoes might be a bit wasteful. Tinfoil could work if it won’t damage the Combustion. I will have to re-read the FAQ.

[Alan Brice]

A hot dog?

[Huskee]

Are you speaking of your PK? Does yours have the thermometer on the lid? Reason I ask is once you establish your desired grate temp make a mental note of what the dial says and the difference and then you can use that number for future cooks w/o needing to risk your wireless probes or use the IR. I know with Weber kettles & the SnS this system works rather well. This I suppose has its caveats like starting the fire in the same spot relative to the thermometer, etc.

[Panhead John]

+1

[jfmorris]

I'm with Huskee on this one, and say just go by your dome thermometer, knowing it may be 50F higher than the grate level temp on many cookers. I've found that to be true for my kamado and my kettles. The longer the cook, the closer the grate and dome level temps converge however.

[STEbbq]

Yea! Huskee and jfmorris , that was my original conclusion a few weeks back as I don’t have the thermometer in the PK. I forgot about it and made this post and y’all jogged my memory. The PK order was right about the time the Inkbird died at Thanksgiving but I didn’t put together and cook on the PK for low & slow until late December.

I guess it would be this one:

https://www.pkgrills.com/the-pk-bbq-thermometer-by-tel-tru/

Or this one:


Tel-Tru BQ225 Barbecue Thermometer, 2 inch Aluminum dial, 2.5 inch stem, 100/500°F https://a.co/d/fvogWPN

[STEbbq]

jfmorris yeah found the bezel so ordered the Amazon one!

[jfmorris]

STEbbq I assume the bezel is for a 2" dial... Cannot really tell what size the one sold by PK is.

Other difference is max temp of 500F versus 700F, but to be honest, anything over 500F is about the same, and way hotter than you are likely to be cooking unless searing a steak directly over the hot coals.

[STEbbq]

jfmorris as near as I can tell both thermometers are 2 inch dials and 2.5 inch in length per their websites so I think they should be identical. And I agree on the temps itself. I am using this to set temp below 500.

[tstalafuse]

If you are in the market to replace your inkbird.. Thermoworks Smoke X is on sale 25% off. While it isn't bluetooth or internet capable, the claimed range of the RF signal is 1.4 miles. That and it comes with the platinum rating from some website called Amazing Ribs..

[STEbbq]

The Combustion is awesome but I needed a grill thermometer really as I ordered the PK300 without one planning to use the Inkbird.

[RichardK]

I love my Thermoworks! I have a Signals and an Thermapen MK4. Thermoworks sends me an email once a week stating something is on sale.

[Murdy]

I actually tried the IR thermometer thing after we moved and I couldn't find my regular thermometer (a Maverick). I didn't have a lot of faith in it, but it was better than nothing.