3rd Cook... Do I need another thermometer?

Kjunbob

Well, I did my third cook last night -- Boneless Chicken Breasts.  After my mistakes on my first two, - Miscalibrated Dome Thermometer on the first one, and not enough fuel on the second one (with Plate Setter and indirect on both)-- this one was better, but still disappointing.  I cooked them direct with the dome temp stabilized at around 350.  I kept the dome closed and flipped at 11 mins.. then after 8 more mins, I opened and applied sauce.  Then removed them after about 3 more mins of cooking.  They were a bit tough, and possibly overcooked, but not overly dry.  

After the second opening to sauce, I checked the temp with my probe (an inexpensive one from WalMart) but couldn't read it because it was dark, so I put them on a plate and took them inside.  And because my probe isn't very quick to read, I got readings of 140.  (Note:  I suspect, that they cooled some on the plate as I brought them inside.  And although my temp probe is instant read, the instant was more like 10 seconds or so as the dial slowly moved up, also allowing them to cool.)

So, should I just not cook in the dark?  Or should I invest in a better probe?  And if so, which one?  I suspect that the recommendation will be a better probe, so then the question is should I just "bite the bullet" and invest in one that measures both Grill Temp and Meat Temp like the Thermoworks (I think that is the name) or get one of the real instant read digital ones that is just for insertion?  Or another suggestion?  It looks like the price difference between the Thermoworks and the other instant read ones is somewhere between 40 to 60 dollars.  I have spent much more than I thought I would on the entire system, but I want to get something that will work and help with my cooks.  Yet I don't want to spend $ needlessly.

Also, any suggestions on the time/temps mentioned above?  

Thanks!

theyolksonyou

Buy a thermapen and don't look back. 

Brisket_Fanatic

^^^^^^^^^^^ yes, buy a Thermapen which are now always backlit and don't look back.

Photo Egg

A thin, boneless chicken breast can be tough to probe correctly. Especially in the dark. Try to probe at a slight angle to keep the tip of the probe in the correct area. It might be a combination of slow probe and how near the tip of the probe the reading is actually read.
You can buy one of the Thermoworks Pop probes at a good price. They have sales all the time for about $30. They are now fast read as well.

StillH2OEgger

I didn't mind spending what seems like an unnecessarily high amount of money for the thermapen because I use it for so many cooks. I also have a less expensive thermoworks thermometer that works quite well. Having said that, if I would have a chance to do it again I would have saved the $25 on the first one and gotten the thermapen right away.

dldawes1

Yes, on the Thermopen. A quality investment.

HofstraJet

So the first cook issue was a miscalibrated dome thermometer? I don't recall seeing closure of the issue in that thread.

Ladeback69

First on you cook, when I cook chicken direct I like going raised, but now I mostly cook my chicken indirect.  My kid doesn't like char or what he calls the black stuff on his food, so I go indirect and have had no problems.  I have a ThermoPop and have gotten along just fine with it, but a Thermopen would be even better and they run sales all the time.  You can get the classic for $79 here.
http://www.thermoworks.com/Classic-Thermapen?utm_source=Nl-2017Jan05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=ClassicThermapen&utm_content=inbox&utm_campaign=Jan2017-Inventory-Reduction-Extended-1Day-cs

Or the new Mk4 for $99 here.
http://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4?utm_source=Nl-2017Jan05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=ThermapenMk4&utm_content=inbox&utm_campaign=Jan2017-Inventory-Reduction-Extended-1Day-cs

OhioEgger

I have actually spent time at pro BBQ competitions (I'm a KCBS judge) asking competitors what they consider their most essential tool beyond their smoker, and the answer is overwhelmingly "my Thermapen."

It only seems expensive because until you get used to using one you can't really appreciate how much grief it will save you.

jtcBoynton

I would also suggest keeping a small flashlight attached to your egg table (or whatever your setup is).  

I also recommend the Thermapen.  Accurate, fast and durable.  You will not find one better.  Mine is 8 years old and is used multiple times a day.  

MrCookingNurse

Grab a thermapen fella... the egg should come with one. Or you get can a thermapop but you want a insta read thermometer. The egg changed my cooking, but I believe it's the thermometer that really was the game changer as I swapped to both at the same time. 

Just don't give up!!

Acn

jtcBoynton said:

I would also suggest keeping a small flashlight attached to your egg table (or whatever your setup is).  

I also recommend the Thermapen.  Accurate, fast and durable.  You will not find one better.  Mine is 8 years old and is used multiple times a day.  

I'd suggest a headlamp rather than a flashlight.  Much more convenient to have both hands free. 

A really good instant read thermometer is an indispensable kitchen tool.  I've got thermopops, got them on a sale, $19.95 each if you bought 5 or more.  I got a ton, 2 in our kitchen, one with camping supplies, great gifts.

MrCookingNurse

Just read you again. Your phone should have a light. Or get a smoke ware light for your egg

Killit_and_Grillit

Until you get to the point where cooking is more of an art than science, one of the best things you can spend your money on is good thermometers. 

I have a thermapen and two chef alarms, all worth their sticker price. My thermapen is in the shop right now getting fixed under warranty and its absence has almost made me shy away from Egging this week. 

PirateBill

Acn said:

jtcBoynton said:

I would also suggest keeping a small flashlight attached to your egg table (or whatever your setup is).  

I also recommend the Thermapen.  Accurate, fast and durable.  You will not find one better.  Mine is 8 years old and is used multiple times a day.  

I'd suggest a headlamp rather than a flashlight.  Much more convenient to have both hands free. 

A really good instant read thermometer is an indispensable kitchen tool.  I've got thermopops, got them on a sale, $19.95 each if you bought 5 or more.  I got a ton, 2 in our kitchen, one with camping supplies, great gifts.

Headlamp all the way.

Kjunbob

HofstraJet said:

So the first cook issue was a miscalibrated dome thermometer? I don't recall seeing closure of the issue in that thread.

Yes, Hofstralet, perhaps I didn't totally explain what I thought my problem was on my first cook, but I am not really sure that it was one problem, but probably a combination of several things.  One was that although I calibrated it before the first cook, I might have changed it and caused it to come out of calibration when I was putting it back on because of the clip in the back.  So I calibrated it again and left the clip off this time.  Another problem was that I probably didn't use enough fuel.  Plus possibly something else that I haven't discovered yet.

Kjunbob

Thanks to all of you above for the many comments, but I am a bit confused about the recommendations.  As they all seem to be from the same company:  Thermoworks (Who I am sure that I will buy from).  

Are you recommending the Smoke 2 Channel that sells for about $99.  http://www.thermoworks.com/Smoke?gclid=COrDw_2WttECFUi5wAodsyUJZg 

Or the Thermopen that sells for about $79: 
http://www.thermoworks.com/Classic-Thermapen?utm_source=Nl-2017Jan05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=ClassicThermapen&utm_content=inbox&utm_campaign=Jan2017-Inventory-Reduction-Extended-1Day-cs


And I see the newer model sells for $99, (about the same price as the Smoke) but has an auto rotate plus a few other features. http://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4?utm_source=Nl-2017Jan05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=ThermapenMk4&utm_content=inbox&utm_campaign=Jan2017-Inventory-Reduction-Extended-1Day-cs

As from my postings, you can see that I am not a professional cook, but want to make a wise investment here.  I think that I need one of the above, and, if am understanding the responses, most of you seem to be advising to go with one of the Thermapens, not go with the Smoke and therefore you don't bother with reading the grill temp, although the prices are similar. Right?   I guess that most of you don't bother to try to read grill temp because the meat temp is more important.  And the remote access that the Smoke gives isn't that important.

Thanks again, and I do sincerely appreciate your advice here.  I guess that either one is a good decision, but I don't want to end up buying both.  
Thanks

JohnnyTarheel

Get the Thermapen MK4. It will be your biggest asset... 

ibanda

Order a thermopop for $29 or a Thermapen mk4, both are backlit. The pen reads faster. As said above, having one made me a better cook and upped my game considerably.

Jeremiah

Holy chit dude. Just get a damn thermapen. This is not complicated matters. 

StillH2OEgger

I think a therma (pen or pop) and a remote thermometer are both important pieces of the arsenal. They do different things. I can't speak to the Smoke, but I have been very pleased with my Maverick (really trying to confuse you now) and they can be had for $60.

Dyal_SC

IMHO, just verify your dome's thermometer in boiling water (212 deg f) and use that as a "reference."  Get the thermapen instant read like the others said. I've never had a reason to get a "spot on" grate temp.  Just assume it's roughly 25 deg f less than dome temp. Thermapen changes your game. 

*edit -- oh and a remote thermometer for larger cuts of meat that take awhile to cook... I got the maverick from BBB*

Kjunbob

Thanks for everyone for their comments.  I have just ordered the Thermapen and will probably get a remote one a bit later.