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Remote Thermometer really necessary?

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SteelersGirl
SteelersGirl Posts: 12
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hey Gang,

We are interested in attempting our first pork butt, 18 hour cook this weekend. Recipe below. However, we do not have a remote thermometer. I know this is a hard question to answer, but do you think we could have a successful cook without one? Has anyone out there had any experience with this? Thanks all!

Maria

http://www.fearlesskitchen.com/2009/03/recipe-north-carolina-style-pulled-pork-guest-post-from-fearless-grill-.html
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Comments

  • Rusty Rooster
    Rusty Rooster Posts: 1,239
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    Lots of successfull cooks happen without one. They are just a crutch. They help you monitor your cook without opening the dome & sticking in a thermometer when you want to know where you are in your cook. Go for it & good luck. Just remember to not cook solely by time. The meat is not done till it is done & temp is your most accurate way of determining that.
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,776
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    before i had one i just stuck a metal roasting thermo in the butt so i could read it thru the dome. check dome temps every 4 or 5 hours and you can save a dyeing fire. the remotes arent needed but they are useful. you want a roasting thermo with temps on it, not doneness ranges like alot of the cheap ones have
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • AZRP
    AZRP Posts: 10,116
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    I did many cooks without one but I didn't know they existed, they are only about $15 at Target or Walmart so I can't see any reason not to use one. -RP
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
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    mine broke, so now i just use the thermapen toward the end. there's no need to monitor the meat temp all night. i used to instead put the probe thru the thermometer hole to monitor the DOME temp. in the a.m., i'd take it out and stick it into the meat for the rest of the cook
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    I had a lot of trouble at first keeping a steady temperature, so I got a Maverick. Provided a lot of information and assurance. Its still nice to keep it bedside so I just have to open an eye once or twice during the night just to see where the grate temp is.

    However, If you are willing to just get up once and check the dome therm, you'll be fine. 9 times out of 10, you'll find everything is O.K., or just a touch out of range. But for the 1 time when the fire burns straight down, it good to catch it, even if it is 3 a.m.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    Totally unnecessary - although a nice crutch.

    Unfortunately, if you are doing a low and slow you need to start it at the awkward time of around midnight. Just have the egg stablized with the butt on it for about an hour - if that holds - go to sleep and sleep well!
    I did one the night before last, went to bed after the egg was at 250F for an hour, I got up at 7am and it had krept up to 252. Nice egg.

    Also remember butts are extremely forgiving, if it creeps up to 300 for a few hours over night, no big deal - just crank it down for the rest of the day.
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  • evenwhenitsraining
    evenwhenitsraining Posts: 75
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    It's really not necessary. Just get up once during the night to check the temp. Really, you're just waking up to check the temp of the meat and to make sure the fire isn't drilling a hole straight through the lump which would lead to an early demise.

    Also, don't be alarmed if your roast is already at 170 in the early morning, it's gonna take a looooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnng time to come up to 200.
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  • Memphistide
    Memphistide Posts: 207
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    you can do it, it is just easier w. the remote....good luck and GO SIXBURGH
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  • BananaChipz
    BananaChipz Posts: 207
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    Of course it can be done without one...

    I can also ride my bike to work through a torrential downpour.. Probably wouldn't want to.

    Listen.. I've done them.. Everyone here has. The Egg will hold, but at the end of the day it's about getting some sleep. You've spent ~$1000 on your Egg plus all the accessories.. Go out and at least get a cheap one.

    Ideally get a Maverick ET-73 so you can monitor your smoker temp as well as the food (and set over/under alarms)
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  • valrune
    valrune Posts: 134
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    I got the ET73 remote and got less sleep than I did without any remote probe at all. It gave me alot of different temps at times which kept me running to the egg for no reason :angry: . My advice is to stabilize the temp before the food goes on and get about 4-5 hours of sleep and then check (for peace of mind) and then go back to sleep!
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  • Mr. & Mrs Potatohead
    Mr. & Mrs Potatohead Posts: 2,037
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    I REALLY like my remote for a very specific reason.....
    I never have to open the dome to know what the temp of the meat is!!!
    It is a great invention!!
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  • 'Q Bruddah
    'Q Bruddah Posts: 739
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    I am with AZRP on this. I couldn't or wouldn't afford a Maverick with lots of bells and whistles but for $13.00 and change at Walmart I know what the meat is doing without opening up the lid. It has weathered overnighters in the rain in a "cambro tub" read restaurant tupperware. There is no remote feature and I don't know what the grate temp is. I suppose those might be nice but so is the feel of the money I saved.
    I can quickly check the temp just by looking without lifting the lid and sticking the meat and waiting even a short time to get a temp. Well worth the small amount I paid. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
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  • evenwhenitsraining
    evenwhenitsraining Posts: 75
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    I think that there has been a bit of confusion on this specific question. The original poster asked about remote temperature gauges, not gauges that have a probe that it is directly wired to. Remote gauges have an actual radio-powered component that is not connected by wire, usually with a range of 200' or so.

    Of course you need a temp gauge that is wired directly to a probe that is generally routed through the daisy wheel so that you don't have to open the dome. But, you don't necessarily need the remote type that allows you to put a clip on your person and walk further away. But hey, it can't hurt either. You're just gonna waste a lot of time obsessively checking the temp from your living room.
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  • BBQR
    BBQR Posts: 68
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    I love this:

    http://www.thermoworks.com/products/handheld/mtc.html

    with the needle probe for smaller cooks, and this separate wire for the big meat.

    THS-113-178 Smoke House Penetration Probe -
    Stainless Armour $65.00 Good for up to 650 degrees for checking temps on that locked down Big steak cooking at 500 degrees.

    Run the wire in the daisy-wheel and into the Butt, or leave in near the meat level for acurate internal temp.

    Probe in action this past weekend 9 degrees before 200:
    http://i1025.photobucket.com/albums/y318/BBQR2/IMG00155-20100619-1217.jpg
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  • Phrettbender
    Phrettbender Posts: 78
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    It's all really just a matter of convenience. For long cooks they are nice because you can watch the internal temps easily and see any stalls or such without much trouble. They can also be set to alert you at low temp situations so if you set it on the cooking grate and go to bed, if you lose fire the alarm will sound so you can attend to the problems and save your cook. Same goes for temp spikes in the middle of the cook, especially if being done overnight.
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  • crghc98
    crghc98 Posts: 1,006
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    I used to do that as well....still don't have a remote, use my thermapen and have to open the dome....
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