If you have ever been in a situation where the grill you made looked perfectly smoker from outside but was undercooked or overcooked inside, then you are in the right place.
Last night, my friend threw a BBQ party to celebrate or graduation night. Everyone was waiting for the main dish of the night. But unfortunately, the chicken wasn’t grilled properly.
I know this is a common situation and almost every one of us has faced this situation. Well, there is an effective way to avoid overcooked or undercooked meat and smoke it to the perfect temperature. All you need is a smart smoker thermometer to do so. By using a cooking thermometer, you can ensure perfect food every time.
What is a smoker thermometer or meat thermometer?
A smoker or meat thermometer is basically a thermometer. It gives you the temperature reading. It covers the internal temperature of the meat. Also, the temperature of the interior of a smoker. You can find a wireless thermometer nowadays. These thermometers let you know when is the perfect time to remove the heat from the stove. So that the meat doesn’t get overcooked. This is one of the important tricks to cook like a chef.
You will need a meat thermometer to cook meat. Because temperature varies depending on the meat. The cooking temperature for pork, chicken, and beef is different. Brisket, ground meat, and pork roast need different amounts of time to cook properly. Though there is a visible difference between raw meat and cooked meat. The difference can only be seen when cut. Whether you are grilling or cooking brisket, know the proper temperature.
Manual vs Digital vs Remote meat thermometers :
Various types of meat thermometers are available in the market nowadays. You need to know which type will work for you the best. You can go for single probe analog handheld smoker thermometers. These are easy to use for a beginner but the downside is that they are very slow to respond. Using dial thermometers or analog meat thermometers while cooking is a bit outdated.
On the other hand, dual probe digital handheld thermometers will give you an almost accurate reading in less than 5 seconds which is what you need to cook delicious meat at the perfect temperature. But none of these two thermometers give you the freedom of remote controlling and you always have to be near the smoker. But nothing to worry about. Because remote smoker thermometers are there to help you out.
Special Benefits of Remote Thermometer
These thermometers will give the chance to know the temperature inside the smoker without opening the smoker. The single probe one will tell you the meat temperature on the remote display so that you can know the temperature without being near the smoker.
And there is also a dual probe version of this thermometer which will tell you the temperature of both the meat and interior of the smoker. These displays have a range of 300 feet or more. So you can do your other jobs while the meat is being cooked and still know the meat temperature, isn’t it cool?
Other than these general types, you will find a variety of specialized thermometers. You will find BBQ thermometer, grill thermometer, instant-read thermometer, oven thermometer, infrared thermometer, etc. You just need to choose the correct model for you.
Benefits of using a smoker thermometer:
Cooking meat or grilling without measuring the inner temperature wastes resources. Even if you use a charcoal grill, you will still need a thermometer. You have to ensure a safe temperature and minimum internal temperature to cook meat.
Meat Thermometer temperatures gives you the info of meat while cooking. You can do this using a probe thermometer. You just have to insert the temperature probe in the right place. Whatever you are cooking, either grilling or cooking pork or making brisket, use a meat thermometer. Smoker thermometer will help you to learn how to check smoker temperature.
Not only this. An optimal food temperature is required for each food to avoid food poisoning. But opening the smoker each time to check the temperature is not a good idea as this will let go of the accumulated heat inside the smoker. This way the meat will take even longer to cook. And you can’t exactly tell the temperature of the meat even if you open the smoker.
So you need to use a smoker thermometer to detect the meat temperature and the smoker temperature as well. Using a dual probe smoker thermometer will let you know both of the temperatures. This way you can cook that chef-style meat each time at the perfect temperature in the minimum amount of time.
How to use a digital meat thermometer:
You need to know how to use a food thermometer to master up the process of using a meat thermometer. There are some simple steps you need to follow to properly handle any type of digital thermometer. Let’s dig in:
- First, you need to test your thermometer if it is working well. Dip it into the boiled hot water and then ice water. Check if it shows the correct temperature each time.
- Then you need to know where to place thermometer in smoker. If your smoker is vertical, then you have to know where to put thermometer in vertical smoker.
- Now you need to calibrate the thermometer. Follow the user manual to get the thermometer perfectly calibrated.
- Now place the meat probe in the thickest part of the meat and avoid poking the bone or the fat.
- See the correct placement chart since different food has different way of getting heated. And the quantity of the food is also important to calculate the correct temperature.
- Wait the recommended time to get an accurate result. Then match the result with the food-temperature chart to know if you need to cook it even more.
Aftercare of the meat thermometer:
You need to take good care of your thermometer since the thermometer probe is very sensitive. Clean it with warm soapy water and never submerge the thermometer in the soap solution. This will damage the probe and degrade the overall performance. Wipe with a clean towel each time you use it or wash it. Otherwise, bacteria will start to grow and cause food contamination when you use the thermometer next time.
Basic food safety:
- Always cook the food in safe optimal heat. Don’t exceed the maximum rating of the thermometer.
- Follow the temperature chart for the recipe to avoid food poisoning.
- Always sanitize the thermometer before using it.
- In case of reheating know the perfect reheat temperature to avoid burning out the food.
Final words:
Adding a smoker thermometer in your collection will let you cook the meat perfectly in minimal time. You can have the exact taste you want from the dish if you maintain the flame and the temperature of your food.
Besides, maintaining the optimal temperature is also important for keeping the food safe from food poisoning. So Use a Meat Thermometer and Serve Safe Food each time to your friends and family. And hear them praising you for making the perfect and delicious meat. Now you can rock any BBQ party like a pro.
