Meat thermometers

egghead2004

Although I have smoked meat for the last 7 or 8 years (old Brinkman which is about to be buried), I have been very uneducated on the proper way to cook meats and use good tools to assist. I have always used a regular meat thermometer until recently when I bought a remote probe. Now that I have a BGE,I want to become the all pro grillmaster.
I was wondering about those instant read and infared thermometers. I see that some here take a quick reading on the meat during the cook to check the temperature with these. I have a couple questions...[p]1. The infared thermometer only can give you surface temp, correct? Then what are the benefits of using one if you want to measure the inside of the meat?[p]2. If I want to use a quick read probe to check my steaks, won't puncturing the steak during the dwell cause the juices to run? For that matter wouldn't this happen with any piece of meat?[p]I apologize for what may seem to be basic questions, but I'm on a mission and this seems to be the place to learn.[p]
Thanks everyone!!

The Naked Whiz

egghead2004,
The only use I've ever seen Alton Brown make of an infrared thermometer is to measure the temperature of an omelette pan, for example. I can't imagine you can use one to measure the temperature of a piece of meat.[p]I don't think that using an instant read thermometer to puncture the piece of meat and take a reading is going to cause that much loss of juice. For steaks, you are only going to be doing it once or twice, so you won't be perforating the steaks. For a big piece of meat that you are roasting, I'd be using a remote thermometer where the probe will stay in the meat.[p]TNW

UnConundrum

egghead2004,[p]With issue 1, I agree. It can help if you want to do a pizza and want to check the temp on the pizza stone, and "maybe" give you an idea about the dome temp (I guess you'd have to shoot the inside of the dome) but otherwise, I don't see them as a cooking tool. Fun to have around, but not much help cooking.[p]As to issue 2, again, you're right, with some caveats. First, use the smallest (thinnest) probe you can. I think Thermopen addresses this issue. Smaller hole means a better chance the meat will seal itself. Second, while juice may run, it's not like a punctured balloon. There will be plenty more "juice" in your roast if you poke it only once, or maybe twice, which brings up the third caveat. Try to get used to your cooking environment, and the meat you're cooking, so you have a rough idea as to when to check the temp. The fewer checks, the fewer holes in your meat, AND the fewer times you open the dome on the egg. Remember, you're changing the dynamics of your cook everytime you open that dome.

egghead2004

Thanks, That's kind of what I figured, but was not sure. I won't be afraid to poke a steak once near the end of cooking, to make sure it is perfect.