boil test

[miersc77]

Hey all, just a reminder to test your thermo's. Just recently did mine and found out my Maverick ET-733 is off by 5*. In fact out of the 5 that were checked there is only one that is dead one. The Mav is manageable and two that got tossed.





Do all of them while your at it. Knowing how much they're off can mean the difference between "home cooked & take out"

     On a side note, I checked the stock thermo from the masterbuilt (even though I don't use it) and it was over 30* off!!

EDIT: @dirtsailor2003 has a very good post on this subject, while taking sea level and barometric pressure into account. He evens as a calculator!! Jump on over to his post, it just might save your life!!

 

[daricksta]

I calibrated my ET-733 when I first bought it with the boiling water test and found it accurate. There can be variances among individual units, though.

 

[miersc77]

I calibrated my ET-733 when I first bought it with the boiling water test and found it accurate. There can be variances among individual units, though.

I've done some checking on this and the company states there's a +/- 3/4° variance in all units. 5* is acceptable to me and not a huge deal, now that I know. I was to excited to do mine when I first got mine, wish I would have!

 

[timberjet]

My probes are off 5 degrees from each other. But, since I know that I'm ahead of the game. You are totally correct to check them every now and then. I have found that some of the older analog meat thermometers can actually be calibrated by turning the dial gently against the probe. Not all, but some. I have an old turkey fryer therm like this and it is dead on from me learning this trick.

 

[daricksta]

I've done some checking on this and the company states there's a +/- 3/4° variance in all units. 5* is acceptable to me and not a huge deal, now that I know. I was to excited to do mine when I first got mine, wish I would have!

For me it's a pain to change the settings on the ET-733 and I need the owners manual in front of me as a reminder of how it's done. But once the settings are in place, I totally love that Maverick. C'mon--sitting at the computer or watching TV or doing whatever inside the house while monitoring the outside smoker? I don't care what Myron Mixon says--that's what I call fun backyard BBQ!

 

[miersc77]

 
My probes are off 5 degrees from each other. But, since I know that I'm ahead of the game. You are totally correct to check them every now and then. I have found that some of the older analog meat thermometers can actually be calibrated by turning the dial gently against the probe. Not all, but some. I have an old turkey fryer therm like this and it is dead on from me learning this trick.

  Mine are actually 2* off from port 1 to port 2, not the prob themselves. But 5* is easiest  to remember and I don't think the other 2* is a huge deal, you'll get that in carry over anyway. I'll have to try your trick...... gentle....... gentle....

 
For me it's a pain to change the settings on the ET-733 and I need the owners manual in front of me as a reminder of how it's done. But once the settings are in place, I totally love that Maverick. C'mon--sitting at the computer or watching TV or doing whatever inside the house while monitoring the outside smoker? I don't care what Myron Mixon says--that's what I call fun backyard BBQ!

I completely agree, that ET-733 is what it's about! The drinks don't make themselves!

Myron who??

 

[daricksta]

 
  Mine are actually 2* off from port 1 to port 2, not the prob themselves. But 5* is easiest  to remember and I don't think the other 2* is a huge deal, you'll get that in carry over anyway. I'll have to try your trick...... gentle....... gentle....

I completely agree, that ET-733 is what it's about! The drinks don't make themselves!

Myron who??

Myron Mixon is the winningest (most total cash prizes won) in BBQ competitions. I first saw him on "BBQ Pitmasters" on Destination America channel. It was great show, a documentary following about 4 or 5 pro smokers around the BBQ competition circuit, Mixon being one of them. Then Mixon took over the show and rebooted it as a competition in which he was one of panel of 3 judges in yet another elimination cooking show. That's when I stopped watching because it ceased to be interesting. You can Google the guy to find out more about him.

Can I have one of those drinks?

 

[miersc77]

 
Myron Mixon is the winningest (most total cash prizes won) in BBQ competitions. I first saw him on "BBQ Pitmasters" on Destination America channel. It was great show, a documentary following about 4 or 5 pro smokers around the BBQ competition circuit, Mixon being one of them. Then Mixon took over the show and rebooted it as a competition in which he was one of panel of 3 judges in yet another elimination cooking show. That's when I stopped watching because it ceased to be interesting. You can Google the guy to find out more about him.

Can I have one of those drinks?

   I guess its hard to tell sarcasm, I gotta learn this how to use this stuff ! That was very insightful though, I didn't know to much about the guy.

Speaking of drinking, if you make your own BBQ sauce, mix a lil Jim Beam red stag black cherry..... oh it is some good stuff!! 

 

 

[dirtsailor2003]

One more thing about checking your therms, make sure to adjust for your altitude and the barometric pressure. For my particular local 208-209 is where water boils. that means a 3-4 degree difference from 212, depending on the barometric pressure. If you haven't made those adjustments you may be closer or further off than you think. I have posted in another thread here an online calculator one can use to make that adjustment. If my IPhone would let me copy and paste on SMF I'd post the link.

 

[miersc77]

One more thing about checking your therms, make sure to adjust for your altitude and the barometric pressure. For my particular local 208-209 is where water boils. that means a 3-4 degree difference from 212, depending on the barometric pressure. If you haven't made those adjustments you may be closer or further off than you think. I have posted in another thread here an online calculator one can use to make that adjustment. If my IPhone would let me copy and paste on SMF I'd post the link.

Oh boy, That was something I didn't even think of. I read up on the subject, boil test, ice test, pulled all my thermo's out and tested, re-tested and tested again. Learned a lot, threw some junk ones away. And now......... I have doubt! What if ??

Oh that's dramatic. Serious though I'm glad you said something, I would hate to think I'm off only a little one way when it could be a lot. Or worse, take away when I should add!

Thank you, back to the search bar...... or I'll just jump over to your other post!

Can't believe I missed that.

 

[daricksta]

 
   I guess its hard to tell sarcasm, I gotta learn this how to use this stuff ! That was very insightful though, I didn't know to much about the guy.

Speaking of drinking, if you make your own BBQ sauce, mix a lil Jim Beam red stag black cherry..... oh it is some good stuff!! 

 

Italics and the Edit button are my very best friends when writing comments. I've long said that sarcasm is very hard to pull off in writing unless you make it very very obvious.

As for Mixon, I'm not a fan of the guy. I've printed out a couple of his recipes but never made them. I've looked at a couple of his cookbooks but I don't think they're backyard BBQ friendly especially if you're a MES owner. But I have to admit he can talk the talk and Barb the Que alright.

I've never seen Jim Beam red stag black cherry in my local stores. Seems like that would go very well with a Cherry Coke in a BBQ sauce. I'll have to hunt it down. It'd just be very hard to decide how much for the sauce and how much "sauce" for the chef...

 

[miersc77]

Italics and the Edit button are my very best friends when writing comments. I've long said that sarcasm is very hard to pull off in writing unless you make it very very obvious.

As for Mixon, I'm not a fan of the guy. I've printed out a couple of his recipes but never made them. I've looked at a couple of his cookbooks but I don't think they're backyard BBQ friendly especially if you're a MES owner. But I have to admit he can talk the talk and Barb the Que alright.

I've never seen Jim Beam red stag black cherry in my local stores. Seems like that would go very well with a Cherry Coke in a BBQ sauce. I'll have to hunt it down. It'd just be very hard to decide how much for the sauce and how much "sauce" for the chef...:th_anim_burp:

Ever since I seen that wally smiley giving a toast I was done for, that look, that stare, captivating! :yahoo:
I have a lot to learn but having fun getting there!

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

:ROTF

As far as Myron, he made his money and good for him, won't get my money though.
If you can find the bourbon, save a lil cause it goes quick. Next thing ya know, you forgot you were cooking anything! :fire:

 

[daricksta]

Ever since I seen that wally smiley giving a toast I was done for, that look, that stare, captivating!

I have a lot to learn but having fun getting there!

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

As far as Myron, he made his money and good for him, won't get my money though.
If you can find the bourbon, save a lil cause it goes quick. Next thing ya know, you forgot you were cooking anything!

I'm very lazy today. Which one is the Wally smiley? I'm waiting for a chance to use this one.

My money is very safe from Myron's pockets. Georgia Q isn't my favorite style. I'm more of a KC/Memphis/Texas man though I loves me my St. Louis style ribs.

We got some what you call your Ezra Brooks Kentucky Bourbon. Why Ezra? 1. That was the first name of my wife's dad. 2. It was cheap and I know nothing about bourbon. When it comes to wine, I'm your man.

 

[timberjet]

 
Oh boy, That was something I didn't even think of. I read up on the subject, boil test, ice test, pulled all my thermo's out and tested, re-tested and tested again. Learned a lot, threw some junk ones away. And now......... I have doubt! What if ??

Oh that's dramatic. Serious though I'm glad you said something, I would hate to think I'm off only a little one way when it could be a lot. Or worse, take away when I should add!

Thank you, back to the search bar...... or I'll just jump over to your other post!

Can't believe I missed that.

When I lived in Bellevue Id. the boiling point was right around 206 if I remember correctly. Blackfoot is just about the same elevation I think. Maybe a bit lower?

 

[miersc77]

I'm very lazy today. Which one is the Wally smiley? I'm waiting for a chance to use this one. :deadhorse:

My money is very safe from Myron's pockets. Georgia Q isn't my favorite style. I'm more of a KC/Memphis/Texas man though I loves me my St. Louis style ribs.

We got some what you call your Ezra Brooks Kentucky Bourbon. Why Ezra? 1. That was the first name of my wife's dad. 2. It was cheap and I know nothing about bourbon. When it comes to wine, I'm your man.

Nothing wrong with being lazy from time to time, everyone needs a day or five, thursday through monday! I call all the yellow smiley faces a wally smiley. Maybe I've been dragged to walmart to many times! Love that deadhorse one! So many to choose from! I'm still learning my style and taste with BBQ, but so far I'm fallowing suit.

There is a lot of really good bourbon whiskey from Kentucky, some of my favs! I haven't tried Ezra Brooks though..... that is a real whiskey right? Or do you call it that because of your wife's dad? I was gonna poke fun here but you said was his first name and don't want to be rude!

 

[miersc77]

When I lived in Bellevue Id. the boiling point was right around 206 if I remember correctly. Blackfoot is just about the same elevation I think. Maybe a bit lower?

I'm glad you said something, I used that calculator 3 different times and got 3 different answers two of them were really close to the same, 211. something and one was 205. Now its not really that hard to input two different variables so I'm a little baffled and how I got different answers. But what do ya do?!?

 

[daricksta]

Nothing wrong with being lazy from time to time, everyone needs a day or five, thursday through monday! I call all the yellow smiley faces a wally smiley. Maybe I've been dragged to walmart to many times! Love that deadhorse one! So many to choose from! I'm still learning my style and taste with BBQ, but so far I'm fallowing suit.

There is a lot of really good bourbon whiskey from Kentucky, some of my favs! I haven't tried Ezra Brooks though..... that is a real whiskey right? Or do you call it that because of your wife's dad? I was gonna poke fun here but you said was his first name and don't want to be rude!

Unfortunately Ezra is no longer with us (so poke away) which is a damn shame because he was a fine man. I'd tell you more but I'd be thrown onto the floor, cuffed and arrested for thread hijacking. His last name was Ferrell so when I buy a bottle of Ezra Brooks (real but inexpensive Kentucky bourbon) I place masking tape on the label over Brooks and write "Ferrell" in honor of him.

Miersc, I tell ya honestly, I've been a member here for almost 3 years and SMF enabled me to up my game. I learned about the AMNPS here, about the Maverick ET-732 & 733, various cooking techniques and fixes for MES problems, and have just met a lot of cool and knowledgeable people in general. I've got several smoking books and books on rubs, marinades, and sauces, and my lovely wonderful daughter bought me BBQ class lesson last year. A few other things I've figured out for myself or from research. I'm now where I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing and am producing some consistently great "Q". 

I bought a 6 lb. brisket with the point a while back. We used half the flat for a slow cooker meal but this Sunday I'm taking the remaining flat with the point attached and smoking it. The class I took showed me how to cut the point from the flat since both pieces cook differently so I'll be doing that with the 3 lbs. I've got left. Gonna rub 'em both down and throw them onto two separate racks. My goal is to make burnt ends from the point because I've never cooked a point nor made burnt ends before. Luckily I've got my notes and a CD from the BBQ class to guide me.

 

[miersc77]

Unfortunately Ezra is no longer with us (so poke away) which is a damn shame because he was a fine man. I'd tell you more but I'd be thrown onto the floor, cuffed and arrested for thread hijacking. His last name was Ferrell so when I buy a bottle of Ezra Brooks (real but inexpensive Kentucky bourbon) I place masking tape on the label over Brooks and write "Ferrell" in honor of him.

Miersc, I tell ya honestly, I've been a member here for almost 3 years and SMF enabled me to up my game. I learned about the AMNPS here, about the Maverick ET-732 & 733, various cooking techniques and fixes for MES problems, and have just met a lot of cool and knowledgeable people in general. I've got several smoking books and books on rubs, marinades, and sauces, and my lovely wonderful daughter bought me BBQ class lesson last year. A few other things I've figured out for myself or from research. I'm now where I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing and am producing some consistently great "Q". 

I bought a 6 lb. brisket with the point a while back. We used half the flat for a slow cooker meal but this Sunday I'm taking the remaining flat with the point attached and smoking it. The class I took showed me how to cut the point from the flat since both pieces cook differently so I'll be doing that with the 3 lbs. I've got left. Gonna rub 'em both down and throw them onto two separate racks. My goal is to make burnt ends from the point because I've never cooked a point nor made burnt ends before. Luckily I've got my notes and a CD from the BBQ class to guide me.

Sorry for the loss of your pa-n-law! It seems that the good ones always goes first, and there is a lot less of them these days. I shall give him a proper toast....... with the good stuff, in the general "Here's to the good few that's past"

I'm looking forward to learning all the good stuff on this site. I've trolled it for months before I signed up, figured since I was always on, should just put my name on it! If it wasn't for the good people of this site, my smoker wouldn't be modded, I probably would only end up with rubber for dinner and.......... the list goes on and on!

Enough about my food, how'd the brisket turn out? I'll check to see if you did a Q on it!!

Well my computer is fighting a virus (thought I had it figured out), which might be why I was getting different results from the boil calculator

 

[daricksta]

Sorry for the loss of your pa-n-law! It seems that the good ones always goes first, and there is a lot less of them these days. I shall give him a proper toast....... with the good stuff, in the general "Here's to the good few that's past"

I'm looking forward to learning all the good stuff on this site. I've trolled it for months before I signed up, figured since I was always on, should just put my name on it! If it wasn't for the good people of this site, my smoker wouldn't be modded, I probably would only end up with rubber for dinner and.......... the list goes on and on!

Enough about my food, how'd the brisket turn out? I'll check to see if you did a Q on it!!

Well my computer is fighting a virus (thought I had it figured out), which might be why I was getting different results from the boil calculator

Thanks for the toast. Butch (Ezra's nickname) would have enjoyed and appreciated it. He was a great guy, part of a literally dying breed. I'll join you in that toast tonight along with my wife.

It's because of SMF I've really upped my game, producing Q I'm really proud of. When I had issues with my MES I got help here which solved every one. I don't smoke nearly as much as many other members here but when I do I feel I now know what I'm doing. Bearcarver's been one of my mentors but he and I have gone round and round on some things. While there are proven ways to do things so much about BBQ is personal tastes and systems and techniques. You find out quickly who knows their stuff here and who doesn't, who you agree with and who you don't.

Keep this in mind: On SMF Todd Johnson is god. Call him Slow Cook instead of Slow Hand. His products and his wood pellets/dust have been responsible for many of us becoming better smokers with less work and more fun. Todd and Rhonda (his wife) are among the best people you will ever do business with.

It all comes down to what BBQ you and your family like, not what you're told is the best way to make it. I've watched travel shows where a restaurant was said to offer the best "Q" in town and I saw that it was exactly the style I don't like. My family has told me how they like their ribs and briskets and that's what I give them because it's what I like, too.

I forgot I live in Washington state so the smoke was cancelled on account of probable rain and then cold weather. We're in a weather pattern where it's sunny and warm for a few days during the week and then it stinks on the weekends. I'm cooking a brisket tonight--but it'll be inside a pressure cooker. I'm saving that frozen brisket with both the flat and the point for when the weather gets sunny and warm for days at a time. The forecast is for among the hottest summers on record so there should be a lot of smokin' and grillin' then.

What kind of computer virus? What kind of a/v software do you use?

 

[miersc77]

Thanks for the toast. Butch (Ezra's nickname) would have enjoyed and appreciated it. He was a great guy, part of a literally dying breed. I'll join you in that toast tonight along with my wife.

It's because of SMF I've really upped my game, producing Q I'm really proud of. When I had issues with my MES I got help here which solved every one. I don't smoke nearly as much as many other members here but when I do I feel I now know what I'm doing. Bearcarver's been one of my mentors but he and I have gone round and round on some things. While there are proven ways to do things so much about BBQ is personal tastes and systems and techniques. You find out quickly who knows their stuff here and who doesn't, who you agree with and who you don't.


Keep this in mind: On SMF Todd Johnson is god. Call him Slow Cook instead of Slow Hand. His products and his wood pellets/dust have been responsible for many of us becoming better smokers with less work and more fun. Todd and Rhonda (his wife) are among the best people you will ever do business with.

It all comes down to what BBQ you and your family like, not what you're told is the best way to make it. I've watched travel shows where a restaurant was said to offer the best "Q" in town and I saw that it was exactly the style I don't like. My family has told me how they like their ribs and briskets and that's what I give them because it's what I like, too.

I forgot I live in Washington state so the smoke was cancelled on account of probable rain and then cold weather. We're in a weather pattern where it's sunny and warm for a few days during the week and then it stinks on the weekends. I'm cooking a brisket tonight--but it'll be inside a pressure cooker. I'm saving that frozen brisket with both the flat and the point for when the weather gets sunny and warm for days at a time. The forecast is for among the hottest summers on record so there should be a lot of smokin' and grillin' then.

What kind of computer virus? What kind of a/v software do you use?

It's because of SMF that I have any game what so ever! I have used Bearcarver"s tutorials although tweaking things "my way" to get my desired results and everything as turned out great. There is so many on this site that is full of insight and knowledge that it makes this site top notch! My family and I are still learning and fine turning our exact taste, as if one could pin point it!! Actually I"d be really surprised if I ever find anything that comes out of my smoker that I don't like.

I have been looking at Mr Todd Johnson's products as well as a few others debating, pondering. Reluctant to take the plunge just yet, however I doubt it would be to much longer because I want to start cold smoking. Smoked cheese is just amazing and can not smoke any with my current set up. In fact I'm worried about smoking in the summer all together because I can't keep my temp below 250* when its 70* or higher outside. I've read up on it and have a few mods in mind to combat the problem. Just need to get er done!

As for the virus........ it was a nasty trojan. In fact it was two of them, and a bunch of melware and addware that completely stole my web browser and locked up my computer until late last night. I purchased some video editing software online awhile back and apparently it came as a bundled deal and it snowballed from there.

I hope you have good weather real soon and can get to that brisket!