Thermapen Technique - Getting Consistent Readings

tsheehan7

Does anyone have any tips for getting consistent readings from a thermapen? I thought this would be a tool to give me confidence in the internal temperatures of my meats, but it's actually causing me more worry than anything.

I cooked a couple of 2 inch thick filets on Sunday. Several issues:

1) After a sear and 5 minutes at 350, the thermapen said 113 degrees. Five minutes later I check and it said 98 degrees. I realize that different parts of the meat can have different temps, but that seems very odd. At times it said 170 degrees, and it's then that I backed it off, thinking I must have been too close to the grate.

2) After the meat started getting more done, the temperatures became more consistent. I intended to pull at 135 for medium, but I let it go to 145 accidentally. One filet said 142 and one said 145. The steaks were on the very bottom end of medium, but not quite medium rare. Is that right? I figured they would have been on the top end of medium at 145 + carry-over temp??

Any tips for getting consistent reading and gaining confidence with this thing would be appreciated.

fishlessman

stick the tip in at an angle and pause, the reading should quickly go up, then slowly push it towards the center and watch the readings drop in temp. when youu start to see the reading rise, stop pushing the thermapen in. that strip should have been past medium with a reading of 145 and then a rest, did you check it in boiling water, if it passes the boiling water test then its technique

FlaPoolman

check the temp like fishless said but I pull mine at 125 for med rare

TimothyRobinson

tsheehan7 wrote:

Does anyone have any tips for getting consistent readings from a thermapen? I thought this would be a tool to give me confidence in the internal temperatures of my meats, but it's actually causing me more worry than anything.

I cooked a couple of 2 inch thick filets on Sunday. Several issues:

1) After a sear and 5 minutes at 350, the thermapen said 113 degrees. Five minutes later I check and it said 98 degrees. I realize that different parts of the meat can have different temps, but that seems very odd. At times it said 170 degrees, and it's then that I backed it off, thinking I must have been too close to the grate.

2) After the meat started getting more done, the temperatures became more consistent. I intended to pull at 135 for medium, but I let it go to 145 accidentally. One filet said 142 and one said 145. The steaks were on the very bottom end of medium, but not quite medium rare. Is that right? I figured they would have been on the top end of medium at 145 + carry-over temp??

Any tips for getting consistent reading and gaining confidence with this thing would be appreciated.

tsheehan7,
Tim here from ThermoWorks. Stick the Thermapen probe through the side of the steak (holding it or lifting it with a pair of tongs in the other hand) to make sure you are getting a reading in the very center of the meat--there really can be dramatic differences in the same piece of meat depending on where you are taking your reading.

We recommend pulling at 125-130°F for medium rare and 135-140°F for medium (see http://www.thermoworks.com/blog/2010/10/chef-recommended-tw-approved/ ) but it really depends upon the thickness of the cuts. The best thing to do is to keep written notes of your results (like your post here) and then you can replicate or adjust results with confidence on the same cut with your Thermapen. Hope that helps!