The art of probing

[Chiles]

I have a question about using probes. Which part of the probe is actually picking up the temp. For example, if I have a smaller cut and the probe is long enough that it would almost penatrate all the way thru, should I put it in so the center of the probe is in the center of the mass? I have pulled probes and relocated them and found that there can be different temp readings.

What about poultry? Do I keep the probe away from the bone and in the center of the meat? If I do, it seems that half of the probe is not in the meat and could be picking up surface temps.

Ever used probes on ribs? It seems to me the easiest way to tell when Ribs can come off is when the meat shrinks enough to expose about 1/4 inch of the bone.

Is this cooking or science 101? I'm really hooked.

Chiles

 

[Nick Prochilo]

The tip of the probe picks up the temp. Always try to place the tip in the center of the meat. Do not let it touch the bone.

 

[Finney]

What Nick said. But you want to make sure that you have enough probe in the meat so that the reading aren't elevated by the higher pit temp because the shaft of the probe is transfering that temp to the tip via "conduction".

 

[wittdog]

Also want to try a make sure the probe isn't sitting in a big fat pocket..that will throw your readings off as well

 

[Nick Prochilo]

What Nick said. But you want to make sure that you have enough probe in the meat so that the reading aren't elevated by the higher pit temp because the shaft of the probe is transfering that temp to the tip via "conduction".

To do this on a thinner piece of meat, insert it off center slighlty at an angle toward the center, then push it in and stop when you think the probe is centered.