Probe calibration

[JLeonard]

So I did the ice bath thing on my probes....All were right on 32 degrees. The question is should I do the boil test also?
Jim

 

[Cabo]

I do. I feel the higher temp is the more important one to be right

 

[krj]

I made a thread a couple weeks ago about checking your equipment, in my case it was a bad probe that wouldn't register temps over 210ish. While I didn't ruin the cook so bad that I had to pitch the meat, I did refuse to serve it to my family because the probe not reading properly cause me to skyrocket my CC temp and heavily over-smoked and quick cooked the chicken, loin, and ribs I had on.

I actually got to thinking about this problem yesterday, and it dawned on me that even if I had boil tested that probe; in that specific case I wouldn't have realized there was anything wrong with it because it would have registered closely enough to 212 degrees that I wouldn't have second guessed it.

With this in mind I decided maybe it's time to find a more accurate way to test beyond that boiling point temp.

 

[motocrash]

For meat probes I only do the boil test.

 

[flatbroke]

As a rule I normally cook above freezing so I do the boil test on occasion

 

[JLeonard]

As a rule I normally cook above freezing so I do the boil test on occasion

Just did the ice test as I had a a little time to kill in the kitchen. Will do the boil test this weekend while I'm off.
Jim

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

And if you really want to be accurate use this site to adjust for attitude. My boil is 210.

The Boiling Point of Water Calculator

What is the Boiling Point of Water? Water boils at 212°F at sea level, but changes in elevation and atmospheric pressure alter that temperature. We built this calculator to make it easy to find the exact boiling point for any specific location. How to find your boiling point: Search: Enter a...

www.thermoworks.com

 

[JLeonard]

Thanks @BrianGSDTexoma was gonna look that up Saturday. LOL. You saved me a search on the google.
Jim

 

[PPG1]

I made a thread a couple weeks ago about checking your equipment, in my case it was a bad probe that wouldn't register temps over 210ish. While I didn't ruin the cook so bad that I had to pitch the meat, I did refuse to serve it to my family because the probe not reading properly cause me to skyrocket my CC temp and heavily over-smoked and quick cooked the chicken, loin, and ribs I had on.

I actually got to thinking about this problem yesterday, and it dawned on me that even if I had boil tested that probe; in that specific case I wouldn't have realized there was anything wrong with it because it would have registered closely enough to 212 degrees that I wouldn't have second guessed it.

With this in mind I decided maybe it's time to find a more accurate way to test beyond that boiling point temp.

Have you found a more accurate way to test yet?

 

[krj]

Have you found a more accurate way to test yet?

I only just considered the concept yesterday so I haven't had much time to look into it. An obviously easy way would be to test them in an oven. But that would also require you to trust in the accuracy and consistency of your oven, in my oven's case I'd rather not waste my time even trying.

I'm hoping there is something more handheld that you could spend like 10 minutes checking 4-6 probes for accuracy.

 

[SmokinAl]

For me personally I do both ice & boiled water, if I think that I’m getting a funny reading. But honestly I rarely use a remote therm. I pretty much know when the meat will be getting close & then begin checking it with a Thermapen.
Al

 

[thirdeye]

Like @BrianGSDTexoma mentioned, find the true boiling temp at your elevation. Water boils at my house at 203° so this gives me one point on a two-point calibration scale. The ice water bath could be the second calibration point, but I use something close to 100° for my second calibration point. This way, if my thermometers are good at 100° and at 203° I can be reasonably assured that readings between the two points are within a degree or so.

 

[chopsaw]

I do as said above , then use the sv set at random Temps to see if it matches .

 

[Dutch]

Do the boil test. The higher you go in altitude, the lower your boiling point is going to be. The boiling point at sea level is 212°F and at my altitude of 4400 feet the boiling point is 204°F. YMMV-