Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Thermapen vs maverick?

krames
krames Posts: 70
in EggHead Forum
I need a little help. I am doing an early thanksgiving breast on the egg. My thermapen says its 130. My maverick says 162. The breast has been on at 325 for 1 hour 40 minutes and I was expecting it to finish in 2 hours at the latest. What should I trust? I have tried to test my thermapen with some pointing water. It came out at 214. Thoughts? Thanks in advance!
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Dobie
    Dobie Posts: 3,458
    The pen but make sure your probes are not touching a bone
    Jacksonville FL
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • krames
    krames Posts: 70
    The probes are in the center of the breast. If I stick the thermapen in the same hole as the maverick I get a 20 degree differential.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,780
    I would believe the thermapen.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 37,334
    Nothing worse than too much info-kinda like a second speedo in the car...how fast am I going??? I would trust the thermopen but not challenge two thermos to give me the same info.  FWIW and YMMV.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Smokinpig
    Smokinpig Posts: 739
    I would prove a different spot with both. See if the gap remains constant at a 20degree differnce. Could be a fluke.

    LBGE Atlanta, GA


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • bcsnave
    bcsnave Posts: 1,009

    DON'T be a Maverick.....just trust the PEN

    The Dude..a Mini and a Large Egg..a DigiQ DX (BGE Green)..some Cast Iron...a Thermapen.............and an Ol' Fashion

    _____________________________________________________________________________

    Glenbeulah, WI

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    krames said:
    The probes are in the center of the breast. If I stick the thermapen in the same hole as the maverick I get a 20 degree differential.
    The Maverick probe is a much larger diameter than the Thernapen's probe.  It could be that the tip of the Thermapen (very small diameter) is not making good contact with the meat when it's stuck in the same hole as the Maverick just occupied. 

    Get a glass/cup/pot of water in the 160 degree range - that's the range you want to measure anyway - and drop both probes in the water at the same time.  They should be close.  If they are close then trust the Thermapen and remember the offset for future reference. 

    If they are not close, then you'll need a referee.  No other thermometer?  You can hold your hand on 140 degree surfaces, but not 150 degree surfaces.  Blend water in a thin glass until it's too hot to hold ... that should be in the 140~150 degree range.  Check your instruments against that reference ... not exact, but will point out obvious problems.

    Good luck.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • cactus_darrell
    cactus_darrell Posts: 68

    I have found the Thermopen reads inaccurate over a high heat source. Mine reads too low.  I over cooked some steaks due to this, I knew they were ready and the Thermopen was way off.  plated the steaks and checked again and it gave the correct reading.  Try a comparison test in hot water.  I thought my thermopen was defective maybe not.  Anyone else notice this?

    BGE, Treager LilTex, Terinan 48 SOB, Custom electric smoker, Weber kettle, Weber gas grill, Masterbuilt SS smoker, last but not least UDS

    I've never meet a cow I didn't like, with a little salt and pepper.

    Amarillo, Texas

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • krames
    krames Posts: 70
    I ended up pulling it when the thermapen registered 160. It turned out well, but I probably could have pulled it a little earlier. Thanks for the help everyone! And Happy Thankgiving!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,528
    cactus_darrell said:

    I have found the Thermopen reads inaccurate over a high heat source. Mine reads too low.  I over cooked some steaks due to this, I knew they were ready and the Thermopen was way off.  plated the steaks and checked again and it gave the correct reading.  Try a comparison test in hot water.  I thought my thermopen was defective maybe not.  Anyone else notice this?

    For steaks, you have to lift the steak with tongs/pigtail whatever and insert the probe from the edge - accurate as can be. Over the fire, probe is entering at an angle and can result in a wide range of temps. 

    @krames - the Mav is usually OK to get you in the ball park, the thermapen allows quick temp readings in various spots and is the one to rely on. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories