Advice please? Maverick: meat probe temperature reading high

Kimmykins

All right kids... started an overnight brisket cook.  Grill probe measured 240 degrees and stabilized for an hour or so.  I went ahead and put the brisket on the grill and inserted the meat probe.  Please keep in mind that the meat had been refrigerated and was cold.  However, upon inserting the meat probe, it was immediately measuring 118 degrees.  What?!? So, I removed both probes and stuck them in boiling water.  The grill probe measured 212 degrees while the meat probe measured 262 degrees (+50).  Opinions please? Should I continue using the meat probe and assume the probe is measuring 50 degrees higher linearly? I've never done a cook without a meat probe, but am concerned about using one which is clearly defective.  Aaaaah! BGE angst is the worst.

Jeepster47

I'd continue with the grill probe to get you through the night.  Doubt you're planning on the brisket being done in the middle of the night, so ignore the meat probe.  Cold meat at 40* plus a 50* offset is only 90*, but you were reading 118* ... not good enough to trust.  You should be more worried about the fire going out than the brisket finishing early.

You can use one of your instant reading thermometers in the morning to test the internal temp ... to make a guess about when it should be finished.  It's more the probe resistance than the actual internal temp on a brisket.  Does your wife have an oven thermometer that you can use (a Thermoworks Chef Alarm would be fantastic) ...

Good luck.

jtcBoynton

"Should I continue using the meat probe and assume the probe is measuring 50 degrees higher linearly?"  --  NO  When they start to go flakey with readings, you should not trust them.  It may start reading correctly - maybe not.

Kimmykins

Thanks for the comments, all.  I AM the wife, Jeepster -- great suggestion on the oven probe. Unfortunately, half my kitchen apparatus is still packed from an out of state move.  BGE paraphernalia was clearly a priority  

I actually found a spare grill probe and it was measuring correctly at 212 in boiling water.  After some major brute force, I was able to poke that blunt end into the brisket though its short length is not as functional as the meat probe. It might be time to invest in a new remote thermometer.  I believe this is my 3rd Maverick (in 4 years) at this point.  Any other suggestions for remote thermometers? 

Jeepster47

My apologies.  I'm a throw back to a simpler time ... men cooked outside and women cooked inside ... sometimes I regress.

If you flinch at spending over $100 on a remote thermometer, then you're probably stuck with the Maverick units for wifi connectivity.  They're the benchmark for stupidity on setup and the probes need tender loving care, but they're cheap and they do the job!  If you can get by with the shorter range of a Bluetooth unit, then the iGrill seems to have a good number of loyal followers.

If $240 for a four probe, wifi connected, reinforced temp probe unit doesn't scare you, then take a look at this remote temp unit: http://www.tappecue.com/  The standard unit with four probes costs $200, but the reinforced temp probes for an extra $40 seems like a good investment.