Electronic Probe Themometer

Sheldon said:

alan said:

I bought a remote electronic probe themometer in Costco. I didn't
know that it had preselected cooking temperatures only. For a
turkey is is 180 degrees. Turkey, pork, hamburgers and chicken
could only be cooked well done and their well done. You could tell
it your turkey is a roast and it will give you 160 degrees but you
cannot put an exact time of 161 degrees for the white meat and
while it sits it will rise at least 5 - 10 more degrees.

I think the company was Oregon Scientific. It was accurate as it
registered 97 on me, orally and that's all I tried.

Any suggestions.

I've yet to figure out why anyone needs a remote meat thermometer,
unless they need to stick the probe up their ass.

I doubt anyone would be surprised at your lack of understanding. Nor
your urgent need to be relentlessly vulgar.

One good reason would be to be able to tell the temperature of the food
without opening the oven door. Keeps the temperature more stable in the
oven. And you don't need to be standing in front of the oven when it
reaches temperature. It'll call you from way over there on the other
side of the house.

Quoted message said:

For accuracy and simplicity

....and breakability... with a toxic heavy metal in it. What a swell idea.

Quoted message said:

nothing comes close to a wet bulb thermometer,

Electronic thermometers are calibrated to fractions of a degree.

And this Taylor glass one you like is no "wet-bulb thermometer." I did a
Google to show you what one really is and explain the concept. Feeble
old guy like you needs all the help you can get. <LOL>
<http://tinyurl.com/c3769>

Idiot.

More brilliant Sheldon misinformation...

Quoted message said:

and no batterys... this is the one to get (I often do two roasts
together so I own two). Scroll down to read the reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004XSC8/103-1309891-6351012?v=glance&n=284507&v=glance
http://tinyurl.com/8jbt2

The Polder remote has a tip-sensor - which means that the temperature
will only be read at the tip, and it'll be more accurate than a reading
that takes place along a metal-enclosed glass probe subject to different
temperatures along its length. The hotter outer surface of the food
being cooked adds heat to the probe, skewing the temperature as read.
Not to mention the air temperature surrounding the probe. All contribute
to error in reading. Not a factor with a tip-probe electronic thermometer.

And the remote unit alarm tells you when it reaches the temperature you
set for whatever you're cooking. None of that error-filled "Cooking for
Dummies" temperature chart like on the glass probe to tell you when
dinner is done. <http://tinyurl.com/duodl>

Pastorio

Quoted message said:

Sheldon said:

I've yet to figure out why anyone needs a remote meat thermometer,

Quoted message said:

For accuracy and simplicity nothing comes close to a wet bulb
thermometer, and no batterys... this is the one to get (I often do two

You really should look up the definition of "wet bulb thermometer."

I know what it is technically, works by evaporation rates... but for
simplicity in this venue that's what I call the type of thermometer
shown in the picture. .. anyone looks at the picture knows what I'm
talking about, except you. And there is nothing toxic inside that
device, it does not contain mercury. Mercury is rarely used in
thermometers anymore, but there are plenty of other liquids used.

Perhaps this will help you.

"The liquid / capillary thermometer, which includes the alcohol and
mercury
thermometer, uses the expansion of the volume of a liquid to measure
temperature. This type thermometer has a bulb at one end to maximize
the
amount of liquid that is changing in volume, and a narrow capillary to
"amplify" the change in volume. Since the volume of a cylindrical
capillary
is V= pi*r^2*L, within certain constraints it pays to minimize the
radius,
r, so that a given temperature change results in a large change in the
length of liquid in the capillary,L. For sensitivity, it is desirable
that
the temperature coefficient of expansion of the liquid be as large and
as
linear as possible."

Sheldon

Remotes are very useful for those of us who spend very little time in
the kitchen.

Sheldon said:

alan said:

I bought a remote electronic probe themometer in Costco. I didn't know
that it had preselected cooking temperatures only. For a turkey is is
180 degrees. Turkey, pork, hamburgers and chicken could only be
cooked well done and their well done. You could tell it your turkey is
a roast and it will give you 160 degrees but you cannot put an exact
time of 161 degrees for the white meat and while it sits it will rise
at least 5 - 10 more degrees.

I think the company was Oregon Scientific. It was accurate as it
registered 97 on me, orally and that's all I tried.

Any suggestions.

I've yet to figure out why anyone needs a remote meat thermometer,
unless they need to stick the probe up their ass.

For accuracy and simplicity nothing comes close to a wet bulb
thermometer, and no batterys... this is the one to get (I often do two
roasts together so I own two). Scroll down to read the reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004XSC8/103-1309891-6351012?v=glance&n=284507&v=glance

http://tinyurl.com/8jbt2

Sheldonº

Sheldon said:

Quoted message said:

You really should look up the definition of "wet bulb thermometer."

Quoted message said:

I know what it is technically, works by evaporation rates... but for
simplicity in this venue that's what I call the type of thermometer
shown in the picture. .. anyone looks at the picture knows what I'm

In other words you just looked it up and found out what it really is.

Quoted message said:

talking about, except you. And there is nothing toxic inside that
device, it does not contain mercury. Mercury is rarely used in
thermometers anymore, but there are plenty of other liquids used.

Actually, you can't tell from the picture, but if the liquid in
the tube is silver then it's mercury. The only other liquid that
I have heard of being used is alcohol. If the liquid is red or
blue then it's almost certainly alcohol.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.

alan said:

Sheldon said:

alan said:

I bought a remote electronic probe themometer in Costco. I didn't know
that it had preselected cooking temperatures only. For a turkey is is
180 degrees. Turkey, pork, hamburgers and chicken could only be
cooked well done and their well done. You could tell it your turkey is
a roast and it will give you 160 degrees but you cannot put an exact
time of 161 degrees for the white meat and while it sits it will rise
at least 5 - 10 more degrees.

I think the company was Oregon Scientific. It was accurate as it
registered 97 on me, orally and that's all I tried.

Any suggestions.

I've yet to figure out why anyone needs a remote meat thermometer,
unless they need to stick the probe up their ass.

For accuracy and simplicity nothing comes close to a wet bulb
thermometer, and no batterys... this is the one to get (I often do two
roasts together so I own two). Scroll down to read the reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004XSC8/103-1309891-6351012?v=glance&n=284507&v=glance

http://tinyurl.com/8jbt2

Sheldonº

Quoted message said:

Remotes are very useful for those of us who spend very little time in
the kitchen.

That you spend very little time in the kitchen is quite evident.

But how much time is spent in the kitchen has nothing to do with which
style thermometer to use... do you really think people cook by spending
the entire time staring into the oven at the thermometer? duh

Those remote thermometers are not very reliable, with the one I had its
batterys always seemed to die while it was in use (batterys always die
when the device is in use, ask your wife why she keeps all those spare
D cells in her night stand). A Polder I was given as a gift... didn't
even have a low battery warning... second time its batterys died and I
over cooked the roast I tossed both in the trash... and that was only a
stinkin' chicken. I have an expensive weather station... uses remote
wireless temperature/humiditiy/ barametric sensors... very accurate
(+/- .01º) but still, even though it does have a low battery warning
it never fails that the batterys die in the middle of a snow storm on
the coldest night of the year. But that doesn't ruin a roast, I simply
wait for conditions to improve.

So, if after 14 hours roasting that fryer and you still don't hear the
beep, what do you do... call for reservations, eh?

My Taylor 'manual' thermometers are like 25 years old, they never
screwed up. All I gotta do is set a timer at an ETA... then when teh
timer beeps I turn on the oven light and peek through the glass oven
door at the thermometer... all I ever need to do is take a peek 2-3
times like 5 minutes apart... I always remember to reset the timer but
I sometimes forget to turn off the oven light between peeks... I hate
that... makes me feel like I'm losing my mind! LOL A few times I've
forgotten to turn that oven light off after removing the roast and it
went unnoticed until night. I think that the stove designers need to
add an automatic shut-off that functions after like 15 minutes. I also
wish microwave ovens had a switch for shutting off its light for when I
want to leave the door open for it to air out. Without that switch I
just pull its plug and let it air out over night, but then the next day
I need to reset its clock, no biggie, but. But my GE nuker is like 25
years old... do the new ones have a switch to shut off the light while
the door is open, anyone know? I mean by now they probably have
microwave ovens with a built Plazma HDTV in the door, CD players, TiVo,
speaker phone... but no friggin' light switch.

Sheldon

Sheldon said:

Quoted message said:

Sheldon said:

I've yet to figure out why anyone needs a remote meat
thermometer,

Quoted message said:

For accuracy and simplicity nothing comes close to a wet bulb
thermometer, and no batterys... this is the one to get (I often
do two

You really should look up the definition of "wet bulb thermometer."

I know what it is technically, works by evaporation rates...

Noun: wet-bulb thermometer
1. A thermometer with a bulb that is covered with moist muslin; used
in a psychrometer to measure humidity
<http://www.wordwebonline.com/en/WETBULBTHERMOMETER>

It's used to measure atmospheric humidity levels, not meat. The bulb is
covered with a piece of fabric and it's stuck into nothing - it sits out
in the air to measure evaporation rates. <LOL> More Sheldon trying to
sound like he knows more than he does. Goes with a dry-bulb thermometer
to form a psychrometer.

It just gets me all shivery when you talk that technical stuff...

Moron.

Quoted message said:

but for simplicity in this venue that's what I call the type of thermometer
shown in the picture...

Why not just call it by its real name? Um, for simplicity in this venue...

Maybe "liquid-in-glass" or "glass tube" thermometer.

Quoted message said:

anyone looks at the picture knows what I'm
talking about, except you.

<LOL> He knew enough to correct you, Shecky. Looks like *you* don't know
what you're talking about.

Shocked, I tell you...

Quoted message said:

And there is nothing toxic inside that
device, it does not contain mercury. Mercury is rarely used in
thermometers anymore, but there are plenty of other liquids used.

Right. And here's the real story about such thermometers:
<http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01850.htm>

Info from real scientists instead of old, uninformed Navy cooks.

Quoted message said:

Perhaps this will help you.

"The liquid / capillary thermometer, which includes the alcohol and
mercury thermometer, uses the expansion of the volume of a liquid to
measure temperature. This type thermometer has a bulb at one end to
maximize the amount of liquid that is changing in volume, and a
narrow capillary to "amplify" the change in volume. Since the volume
of a cylindrical capillary is V= pi*r^2*L, within certain constraints
it pays to minimize the radius, r, so that a given temperature change
results in a large change in the length of liquid in the capillary,L.
For sensitivity, it is desirable that the temperature coefficient of
expansion of the liquid be as large and as linear as possible."

<LOL> The only useful info there is that such thermometers use expansion
of a liquid to measure temperature. The rest is typical, irrelevant
Sheldon bloviating that offers words but no useful info. Google and post
whatever comes up...

Hey Sheldon, know the difference between oral and rectal thermometers?

The taste. Oh, you already knew that...?

Pastorio

"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

makes me feel like I'm losing my mind!

So it awakens your senses than.

Shaun aRe

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 20:13:50 -0800, "Dave Bugg" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Dee Randall said:

I'll take your word that this is the one I want -- tee hee. Can you
tell me why?

1. It is accurate

2. It is the one Alton Brown has used in many shows; and you mentioned you
wanted one like he used.

3.. The alarm can be set to ANY temperature .... either minimum or maximum
temps -- or both.

4.. It is EASY to set up and use.

5. The timer is very good and easy to use.

6. I use several in my restaurant, and love 'em.

I must've managed to buy a lemon. I've used mine a few times and, if
I go by its read out, my food is quite underdone. My first thought
was 'operator error' -- as is so often the case! So I re-read the
instructions and followed them to the letter.

Yesterday was the last straw for me. Used it on my turkey (and I
followed the AB 'Romancing the Bird' recipe). I carefully placed the
probe as Alton instructed. After barely 1.5 hours, the Polder was
braying like a donkey - the bird was done? Now unless the laws of the
universe are somehow magically altered in my kitchen (and I'd
certainly be the one to know <g>😉, ain't no way on God's green earth
that bird coulda been ready for the foil tent after an hour and a
half. My aunt and I agreed that we'd be very nearly serving turkey
death at that point, so we let the bird go until the probe thingy on
it popped up (shaddup). And of course by then, it was drier than a
dry thing on its driest day. Slop on the gravy, people!

YMMV, but I'm done with the Polder, and I'm not giving the brand
another shot at me. Now I just have to figure out what to buy! That
there Thermapen is looking real good. Real 'spensive, but real good.

TammyMN

"TammyM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 20:13:50 -0800, "Dave Bugg" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Dee Randall said:

I'll take your word that this is the one I want -- tee hee. Can you
tell me why?

1. It is accurate

2. It is the one Alton Brown has used in many shows; and you mentioned you
wanted one like he used.

3.. The alarm can be set to ANY temperature .... either minimum or maximum
temps -- or both.

4.. It is EASY to set up and use.

5. The timer is very good and easy to use.

6. I use several in my restaurant, and love 'em.

I must've managed to buy a lemon. I've used mine a few times and, if
I go by its read out, my food is quite underdone. My first thought
was 'operator error' -- as is so often the case! So I re-read the
instructions and followed them to the letter.

Yesterday was the last straw for me. Used it on my turkey (and I
followed the AB 'Romancing the Bird' recipe). I carefully placed the
probe as Alton instructed. After barely 1.5 hours, the Polder was
braying like a donkey - the bird was done? Now unless the laws of the
universe are somehow magically altered in my kitchen (and I'd
certainly be the one to know <g>😉, ain't no way on God's green earth
that bird coulda been ready for the foil tent after an hour and a
half. My aunt and I agreed that we'd be very nearly serving turkey
death at that point, so we let the bird go until the probe thingy on
it popped up (shaddup). And of course by then, it was drier than a
dry thing on its driest day. Slop on the gravy, people!

YMMV, but I'm done with the Polder, and I'm not giving the brand
another shot at me. Now I just have to figure out what to buy! That
there Thermapen is looking real good. Real 'spensive, but real good.

TammyMN

Tammy, Thermapen does nothing except:
Stick it in what you are cooking. It reads the temperature. No frills.
That's it.
Dee Dee

"TammyM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 20:13:50 -0800, "Dave Bugg" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Dee Randall said:

I'll take your word that this is the one I want -- tee hee. Can you
tell me why?

1. It is accurate

2. It is the one Alton Brown has used in many shows; and you mentioned you
wanted one like he used.

3.. The alarm can be set to ANY temperature .... either minimum or maximum
temps -- or both.

4.. It is EASY to set up and use.

5. The timer is very good and easy to use.

6. I use several in my restaurant, and love 'em.

I must've managed to buy a lemon. I've used mine a few times and, if
I go by its read out, my food is quite underdone. My first thought
was 'operator error' -- as is so often the case! So I re-read the
instructions and followed them to the letter.

Yesterday was the last straw for me. Used it on my turkey (and I
followed the AB 'Romancing the Bird' recipe). I carefully placed the
probe as Alton instructed. After barely 1.5 hours, the Polder was
braying like a donkey - the bird was done? Now unless the laws of the
universe are somehow magically altered in my kitchen (and I'd
certainly be the one to know <g>😉, ain't no way on God's green earth
that bird coulda been ready for the foil tent after an hour and a
half. My aunt and I agreed that we'd be very nearly serving turkey
death at that point, so we let the bird go until the probe thingy on
it popped up (shaddup). And of course by then, it was drier than a
dry thing on its driest day. Slop on the gravy, people!

YMMV, but I'm done with the Polder, and I'm not giving the brand
another shot at me. Now I just have to figure out what to buy! That
there Thermapen is looking real good. Real 'spensive, but real good.

TammyMN

Tammy, I forgot to mention:
DH used Thermapen on a 18 lb. turkey yesterday. He wanted to get the breast
at 161º yesterday per AB's instructions.
He took the first reading of the breast at what he felt was the appropriate
time for that weight of turkey, and it registered 157º, so he put it back in
a 350º oven for another 15 minutes. It registered 161º.
(He did the AB's foil over the breast at 500º at the beginning of the
roasting, then he turned it to 350º for the rest of the cooking.)

Tammy, do you have the exact Polder that was referenced/recommended here on
this ng?
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=109731
and
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CF5MT/103-8671644-9848613

I'm glad you mentioned this. I was thinking of getting my order out today.
I'm gonna wait to hear any other information.
Dee Dee

"Dee Randall" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"TammyM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 20:13:50 -0800, "Dave Bugg" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Dee Randall wrote:

> I'll take your word that this is the one I want -- tee hee. Can you
> tell me why?

1. It is accurate

2. It is the one Alton Brown has used in many shows; and you mentioned

you

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

wanted one like he used.

3.. The alarm can be set to ANY temperature .... either minimum or

maximum

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

temps -- or both.

4.. It is EASY to set up and use.

5. The timer is very good and easy to use.

6. I use several in my restaurant, and love 'em.

I must've managed to buy a lemon. I've used mine a few times and, if
I go by its read out, my food is quite underdone. My first thought
was 'operator error' -- as is so often the case! So I re-read the
instructions and followed them to the letter.

Yesterday was the last straw for me. Used it on my turkey (and I
followed the AB 'Romancing the Bird' recipe). I carefully placed the
probe as Alton instructed. After barely 1.5 hours, the Polder was
braying like a donkey - the bird was done? Now unless the laws of the
universe are somehow magically altered in my kitchen (and I'd
certainly be the one to know <g>😉, ain't no way on God's green earth
that bird coulda been ready for the foil tent after an hour and a
half. My aunt and I agreed that we'd be very nearly serving turkey
death at that point, so we let the bird go until the probe thingy on
it popped up (shaddup). And of course by then, it was drier than a
dry thing on its driest day. Slop on the gravy, people!

YMMV, but I'm done with the Polder, and I'm not giving the brand
another shot at me. Now I just have to figure out what to buy! That
there Thermapen is looking real good. Real 'spensive, but real good.

TammyMN

Tammy, Thermapen does nothing except:
Stick it in what you are cooking. It reads the temperature. No frills.
That's it.
Dee Dee

We swear by Polder; it's the best temp probe. Ours is ancient. We've
dropped it, the casing is cracked, the digital read-out only works in a few
places, (there are three read-out screens), but d*mn, that thing is
accurate, still. Could you have had the probe touching the bone of the
turkey??? I can't imagine why else it didn't work. As I said, ours has
been around for about 20 years and still works GREAT. We'll buy another in
a heartbeat. OH! Just had a thought for an Xmas present for the
hubby!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kili

One time on Usenet said:

"Dee Randall" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"TammyM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

YMMV, but I'm done with the Polder, and I'm not giving the brand
another shot at me. Now I just have to figure out what to buy! That
there Thermapen is looking real good. Real 'spensive, but real good.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Tammy, Thermapen does nothing except:
Stick it in what you are cooking. It reads the temperature. No frills.
That's it.

Quoted message said:

We swear by Polder; it's the best temp probe. Ours is ancient. We've
dropped it, the casing is cracked, the digital read-out only works in a few
places, (there are three read-out screens), but d*mn, that thing is
accurate, still. Could you have had the probe touching the bone of the
turkey??? I can't imagine why else it didn't work. As I said, ours has
been around for about 20 years and still works GREAT. We'll buy another in
a heartbeat. OH! Just had a thought for an Xmas present for the
hubby!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hate to mention this, Kili, but maybe you've had the good luck
that Tammy didn't because you've got an older model? I swear, everything
is made on the cheap these days...

--
Jani in WA (S'mee)
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~

Dee Randall said:

Tammy, Thermapen does nothing except:
Stick it in what you are cooking. It reads the temperature. No frills.
That's it.
Dee Dee

I also had bad luck with the Polders. I found different one that I
have been very happy with called the Redi-Check remote thermometer. It
has a transmitter with a probe and a receiver you carry. This has the
advantage that you can monitor the cooking from another room or while
you're doing something else. This is especially nice for grilling.

<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6673637/>
<http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-1397912-7563023?_encoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0000AQL24>

Scott Peterson said:

Dee Randall said:

Tammy, Thermapen does nothing except:
Stick it in what you are cooking. It reads the temperature. No frills.
That's it.
Dee Dee

I also had bad luck with the Polders. I found different one that I
have been very happy with called the Redi-Check remote thermometer. It
has a transmitter with a probe and a receiver you carry. This has the
advantage that you can monitor the cooking from another room or while
you're doing something else. This is especially nice for grilling.

<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6673637/>
<http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-1397912-7563023?_encoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0000AQL24>

Now that IS an advantage! Many thanks, I'll check it out.

TammyM

Dee Randall said:

"TammyM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Tue, 22 Nov 2005 20:13:50 -0800, "Dave Bugg" <[email hidden]>
wrote:
I must've managed to buy a lemon. I've used mine a few times and, if
I go by its read out, my food is quite underdone. My first thought
was 'operator error' -- as is so often the case! So I re-read the
instructions and followed them to the letter.

Yesterday was the last straw for me. Used it on my turkey (and I
followed the AB 'Romancing the Bird' recipe). I carefully placed the
probe as Alton instructed. After barely 1.5 hours, the Polder was
braying like a donkey - the bird was done? Now unless the laws of the
universe are somehow magically altered in my kitchen (and I'd
certainly be the one to know <g>😉, ain't no way on God's green earth
that bird coulda been ready for the foil tent after an hour and a
half. My aunt and I agreed that we'd be very nearly serving turkey
death at that point, so we let the bird go until the probe thingy on
it popped up (shaddup). And of course by then, it was drier than a
dry thing on its driest day. Slop on the gravy, people!

YMMV, but I'm done with the Polder, and I'm not giving the brand
another shot at me. Now I just have to figure out what to buy! That
there Thermapen is looking real good. Real 'spensive, but real good.

TammyM

Tammy, I forgot to mention:
DH used Thermapen on a 18 lb. turkey yesterday. He wanted to get the breast
at 161º yesterday per AB's instructions.
He took the first reading of the breast at what he felt was the appropriate
time for that weight of turkey, and it registered 157º, so he put it back in
a 350º oven for another 15 minutes. It registered 161º.
(He did the AB's foil over the breast at 500º at the beginning of the
roasting, then he turned it to 350º for the rest of the cooking.)

Tammy, do you have the exact Polder that was referenced/recommended here on
this ng?
http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=109731
and
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CF5MT/103-8671644-9848613

No, mine IS different than that one.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004S4U0/103-6491784-1989424?v=glance&n=1055398&n=507846&s=home-garden&v=glance

or

http://tinyurl.com/aqfms

Quoted message said:

I'm glad you mentioned this. I was thinking of getting my order out today.
I'm gonna wait to hear any other information.

All I can offer is my own experience, and it has not been positive.
In truth, I should've known that if I couldn't trust it to give me an
accurate temp on a pork chop, I shouldn't have used it on my
Thanksgiving dinner turkey <g> I'll continue to use the timer, of
course, at least IT is accurate! But I'm going to buy a new
thermometer very soon, I'm rather weary from my experience and am
willing to invest some $$$$ if that's what's required.

TammyM

"TammyM" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Scott Peterson said:

Dee Randall said:

Tammy, Thermapen does nothing except:
Stick it in what you are cooking. It reads the temperature. No frills.
That's it.
Dee Dee

I also had bad luck with the Polders. I found different one that I
have been very happy with called the Redi-Check remote thermometer. It
has a transmitter with a probe and a receiver you carry. This has the
advantage that you can monitor the cooking from another room or while
you're doing something else. This is especially nice for grilling.

<http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6673637/>
<http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-1397912-7563023?_encoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0000AQL24>

Now that IS an advantage! Many thanks, I'll check it out.

TammyM

I looked at your thermometer at the above site and does it do more than
presets? It says:
"The thermometer is programmed for specific USDA-approved temperature
settings for meat and poultry."
versus individual settings, like 161º

Thanks,
Dee Dee

TammyM said:

Yesterday was the last straw for me. Used it on my turkey (and I
followed the AB 'Romancing the Bird' recipe). I carefully placed the
probe as Alton instructed.

Therein may lie your problem. If you placed the probe like alton did, then
put the turkey into the 500F oven, you fried the probe wires. That would
mess up the probe and give inaccurate readings. Lots of folk make the same
mistake -- I know I did. It is imperative that the probe not be taken to
temps above 380F..... even if it can take a higher heat. All probe
thermometers --- except thermocouples -- have this same weakness.

You can buy new probes to replace the faulty one.

--
Dave
www.davebbq.com

On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 10:40:25 -0800, "Dave Bugg" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

TammyM said:

Yesterday was the last straw for me. Used it on my turkey (and I
followed the AB 'Romancing the Bird' recipe). I carefully placed the
probe as Alton instructed.

Therein may lie your problem. If you placed the probe like alton did, then
put the turkey into the 500F oven, you fried the probe wires. That would
mess up the probe and give inaccurate readings. Lots of folk make the same
mistake -- I know I did. It is imperative that the probe not be taken to
temps above 380F..... even if it can take a higher heat. All probe
thermometers --- except thermocouples -- have this same weakness.

You can buy new probes to replace the faulty one.

Hmmmm. Maybe so. I can't remember if I parked the probe before I
covered the bosom with foil (500f) or after (350f) But ... the damned
thing didn't work before this either. Underdone pork chops, etc.

Maybe I got a faulty factory-fresh probe :-) Might be worth a try
replacing it rather than forking over the dosh for a new thermometer.
Will consider. Thanks for the input.

TammyM

TammyM said:

Hmmmm. Maybe so. I can't remember if I parked the probe before I
covered the bosom with foil (500f) or after (350f) But ... the damned
thing didn't work before this either. Underdone pork chops, etc.

Tammy, you might try testing the probe using the ice water method (more
accurate than the boiling water test) to determine its accuracy. This will
help determine whether the probe or the instrument is faulty, or whether you
may be placing the probe improperly.

From the Virtual Weber Bullet:

Ice Bath Test
If your thermometer measures temperatures of 32°F or below, you can test it
using an ice bath. Fill a Styrofoam cup with crushed ice, then add cold
water. Insert the thermometer stem or probe into the ice bath and stir
continuously. An accurate thermometer will read 32°F.
One advantage of using this method is that you don't have to take
atmospheric pressure into account. An accurate thermometer will read 32°F in
an ice bath at any altitude or atmospheric pressure.

--
Dave
www.davebbq.com

On Sat, 26 Nov 2005 11:04:44 -0800, "Dave Bugg" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

TammyM said:

Hmmmm. Maybe so. I can't remember if I parked the probe before I
covered the bosom with foil (500f) or after (350f) But ... the damned
thing didn't work before this either. Underdone pork chops, etc.

Tammy, you might try testing the probe using the ice water method (more
accurate than the boiling water test) to determine its accuracy. This will
help determine whether the probe or the instrument is faulty, or whether you
may be placing the probe improperly.

From the Virtual Weber Bullet:

Ice Bath Test
If your thermometer measures temperatures of 32°F or below, you can test it
using an ice bath. Fill a Styrofoam cup with crushed ice, then add cold
water. Insert the thermometer stem or probe into the ice bath and stir
continuously. An accurate thermometer will read 32°F.
One advantage of using this method is that you don't have to take
atmospheric pressure into account. An accurate thermometer will read 32°F in
an ice bath at any altitude or atmospheric pressure.

Thank you so much, Dave, you are so helpful. I did think about trying
the boiling water test, and didn't do it. I'll give this a try and
report back. I wouldn't want to unfairly malign the equipment.

Many thanks for your thoughtful and helpful suggestions.

TammyM