Quick Help Needed! Meat Ready for Smoke - MES Temp WAY Off

[jtucker]

Hi Guys-

I'm up and at em early this morning.  I was aiming to get my pork butts on the heat by 5:30 am today.  However, I'm using my new Maverick thermo for the first time.  My BBQ temp is reading 45 degrees LOWER than my MES reading.  Know I've done enough research to know that the MES temps are off, but this seems excessive.  From what I've ready quickly this am on other threads, the temp gap seems to be around 20 degrees for most.  Mine is 40ish degrees.

I've moved the probe around, and waited nearly 1 hour and the gap isn't closing...its staying around 40 degress different (give or take).  I even put the meat probe in even though it isn't needed to double check against the BBQ probe with the same results.

I heat tested the Maverick thermo last night using the boiling water method. Both probes came out exactly to 212 degrees.

So before I put the meat on the heat/smoke, is this an issue?  Do I just roll with the Maverick readouts and adjust the smoker accordingly?

Please Help!

JT

 

[wes w]

JT, if you checked the Maverick I'd go with it.   I've  read stories here about factory thermos being out that much.   I know on my smoker I put tru-temp thermos in the doors.  They are useless.  There dead on temp wise, but they don't give you shelf temp.   $70.00 for nothing, but they do look pretty cool. 

I use the Maverick also.  I only use the smoker side of it now.   I know my smoker well enough that I just use a meat  temp prob when I get close to the end of a smoke. 

I'd just go with the Maverick and let the smoke roll!   Good luck!    Don't forget the Q-view!!

 

[jtucker]

Thanks, I just went with the Maverick.  I'm pretty disappointed that the MES is that inaccurate.  Kind of crazy.  What is Q-view?

 

[wes w]

Thanks, I just went with the Maverick.  I'm pretty disappointed that the MES is that inaccurate.  Kind of crazy.  What is Q-view?

JT we love pictures!   Take pictures of your prep and end results.      The more pictures the better!    

Most factory thermos are not true to temp.  There cheap and unreliable.   Some folks will replace them with quality ones.

 

[jtucker]

Also, quick question.  I took the meat out of the refrigerator at about 5:05 am, while the smoker was heating up.  I expected to put the meat on at around 5:30.  While I was trying to figure out the smoker temp issue, I realized the meat was still out.  I put it back in the fridge at about 5:50, where it stayed until i was satisfied with the smoker temp (about 6:30).  Did I jeopardize the safety of the meat being out of the fridge for about 45 mins, before I put back in the fridge?

 

[wes w]

No.   I think most folks leave there's out for an hour or so, so it can warm up a little before it goes into the smoker.   I take mine out first thing of a morning when I smoke.  On a cold day it can take my smoker up to an hour and half to get up to temp.    I don't see it as any different sitting on the counter  then sitting in the smoker.     It will be fine.

 

[jtucker]

Thank you!  I always get worried as I'm learning how to manage meat.  I'm feeding more people than just myself, including kids and a pregnant woman, so I stay on the cautious side. :)

 

[wes w]

I'll also add.  Being you got a late start.  If you see yourself running short on time to get your pork done, you can run the temp higher then 225.  I usually smoke butts at 250.   If by chance I am running behind,  I have ran the temp  up to 300 to get done on time.  Same great BBQ.   There is no difference in flavor or texture.  

 

[wes w]

Thank you!  I always get worried as I'm learning how to manage meat.  I'm feeding more people than just myself, including kids and a pregnant woman, so I stay on the cautious side. :)

That is totally understandable.  The folks here are big on safety.   I like that.   Our son is also a cook in the Marines.  He keeps drilling meat safety into me as well... :-)   The biggest thing I had to adjust to was anytime you touch meat, wear gloves.  Even the smallest cut on your hands can spread thousands of bacteria.   You'll learn a lot here just by using the search bar and reading.   Theres not a question about smoking  that can't be answered here.   If you don't get the answer you want in the search bar, just ask.   There are no dumb questions. 

 

[Bearcarver]

I think most folks go right from the fridge to the smoker. Any time once out of the freezer adds to the 40 to 140 in no longer than 4 hours "Danger Zone" timing. It shouldn't sit out on the counter or in a smoker that takes 1 1/2 hours to heat up.

I preheat my smoker---Then remove from fridge & right into smoker.

Bear

 

[wes w]

I think most folks go right from the fridge to the smoker. Any time once out of the freezer adds to the 40 to 140 in no longer than 4 hours "Danger Zone" timing. It shouldn't sit out on the counter or in a smoker that takes 1 1/2 hours to heat up.

I preheat my smoker---Then remove from fridge & right into smoker.

Bear

I was thinking that only applied to chicken, turkeys.   Thanks for setting me straight on that.  

 

[s2k9k]

I was thinking that only applied to chicken, turkeys.   Thanks for setting me straight on that.  

It actually only applies to ground meat and whole muscle meat where the surface has been compromised as in injection or probing. With a whole muscle meat that has not been compromised the center of the meat doesn't have to get to 140* in 4, ever had a med/rare steak or roast? But if it has been injected the probe can push surface contaminates deep into the meat so then the 140* in 4 does apply. Any ground meat takes the risk that contaminates were ground into it so it must reach 140* in 4 unless it has been cured like sausage. One reason I never stick a temp probe in until it has been cooking for at least 3 hours, by then the surface is above 140* so there is no bacteria left to be pushed in with the probe. I also always wipe my probes with alcohol immediately before probing.

Edit: Now that doesn't mean you can leave intact whole muscle meat sitting in a 75* enviroment for 8 hours either. Get it in the heat and cooking as soon as possible to get the surface temp up then the IT isn't really a factor.

 

[Bearcarver]

I was thinking that only applied to chicken, turkeys.   Thanks for setting me straight on that.  

What S2K said.

Bear