Multiple temp readings.

[craigstonetarmac]

I’m a fairly experienced smoker. I just purchased a MEATER+ probe. I Have a Traeger 885 smoker. So I have the MEATER+, the Traeger probe and an instaread thermometer. I’m getting three different readings in a chicken I’m smoking. Which one should I assume is correct?

 

[gmc2003]

Have you tested the accuracy of the thermometers with the boiling water test, and the ice water test?

 

[Winterrider]

^^^^ this ^^^^ only way to know where your thermometer is at.

 

[bmudd14474]

depends if it was me and it was a themapen as the instant read then id trust that

 

[Fueling Around]

Yes to the test!
The next one is to lay each out in the same environment and check the readings in an ambient between the freeze and boil.
I don't know if you can turn on your Treager to get the probe temp and not feed any pellets.
Maybe on a side shelf.
Back in college days I made a lot of thermocouples and thermopiles. Amazing the difference if the turns weren't exact.

 

[SmokinEdge]

My bet would be to ignore everything that comes off the Treagar as far as temp reads, don’t trust them at all. This is the process of mastering your pit. The temps displayed on the smoker is generally a general idea within 20-25* of where the pit and meat actually are. Test a independent therm both boiling water and ice water and trust that and run your pit accordingly.

 

[whistlepig]

Trust the Thermapen. Everything else just gets you close.

 

[craigstonetarmac]

Have you tested the accuracy of the thermometers with the boiling water test, and the ice water test?

Yes and they were very close which is why I’m confused

 

[fxsales1959]

the only thin I really trust is my @Inkbirdbbq I-BBQ-4T. on the pellet pooper (pitboss) the probes provided are notoriously off temp, as well as the control probe. I've tested the inkbird numerous times and trust it . When I use the pooper I use one grate level probe to set temps and the one for the meat (sometimes two for big pieces). Same thing on my WSM.

 

[smokerjim]

Someone on here posted a saying on here a few weeks ago and for some reason it stuck with me. It goes something like this. They who use 1 thermometer are always sure of the temp, they who use multiple are never sure.