Page 11 - Barbecue News April 2020 Issue

Thermometer Shopping Checklist
Ready to get a good thermometer or two or three? Here's what to look for:
Small sensor. For a food thermometer, you want the sensitive part to be small and in the tip of the probe. A long sensor can give you misleading data because the temperature just below the surface of a piece of meat may be a lot different than the temperature in the center. Most digitals have small sensors.
Speed to read. How long does it take to get a good reading? Look for 5 seconds or less.
Length of the probe. A meat thermometer has to reach the middle of a big roast such as a ham or pork shoulder. A 4-inch-long probe will do the job.
Adjustable. Some thermometers can be calibrated if they slip out of kilter.
Water resistant, durable, and easy to clean. You don’t want barbe- cue sauce and soapy water inside the probe. Check the seal be- tween the probe and the cable. Some cables can fail if they get crimped or smashed by the grill lid. Look for sturdy cables. Most cannot stand flame or temperatures above 450°F.
Timers and alarms. Some digital thermometers include timers with alarms and settings for doneness. If it comes with preset doneness temperatures, many of them are wrong, so make sure that they are adjustable or that you can ignore them.
Remote read. Some leave-in thermometers have Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or radio frequency (RF) transmitters that can send temperature readings to a computer, smartphone, tablet, or a dedicated re- ceiver. This allows you to watch the temperature while you are in the kitchen or even across town, record and chart cooking, set alarms, and more. I have had nothing but trouble with the Blue- tooth devices, but the Wi-Fi and RF units work as advertised.
Ease of use. Some new models have too many bells and whistles and are too darn confusing. Will you remember how to use all the buttons and settings? Is the readout clear? Is there a backlight for nighttime use?
Warranty and customer service. What is the warranty? Does the manufacturer have replacement parts and sell them at a reason- able price?
Price. Some very good units cost only $15, while all the bells and whistles might run you $200.
Meathead is the barbecue whisperer who founded Amazingribs.com, by far the world's most popular outdoor cooking website. He is the author of "Meathead, The Science of Great Barbecue and Grilling," a New York Times Best Seller that was also named one of the "100 Best Cookbooks of All Time" by Southern Living magazine. This article was excerpted and modified from his book. More on his book here: https://amazingribs.com/book. For 3000+ free pages of great barbe- cue and grilling info, visit AmazingRibs.com and take a free 30 day trial membership in the Pitmaster Club.
Thank You!
30th Anniversary Tour Title Sponsor
APRIL 2020
BarbecueNews.com - 11