Maverick Probes vs Poultry: PROBLEMS?

JMSetzler · 12-02-2012, 06:27 PM

Over the last three weeks, I have cooked two turkeys and one whole chicken. On the two turkeys, I used my Maverick ET-85 and on the chicken tonight I used the new Maverick ET-732. I experienced the same problems with both Maverick thermometers on each of these three cooks.

The problem I'm having is with the meat probe. When my turkeys and chicken registered 160° in the thick of the breast with both thermometers, I double checked with the Thermapen and found out that the Maverick probes were reading 15 to 20 degrees HIGHER than the Thermapen. After my first turkey, I decided to check the probes with the boiling water test. The Maverick ET-85 and the Thermapen both read correctly in boiling water. Today I tested the ET-732 and the thermapen again with boiling water and the results were the same... both read identical temperatures.

Last weekend, I cooked a boston butt with the ET-85 and did not have the temperature variation problem in that meat.

So in a nutshell, the only time I'm having the problem is when reading poultry temps. I think i have ruled out calibration issues with the boiling water test.

What could be causing my problem?

smokeyokie · 12-02-2012, 06:31 PM

JM I have often had some temp variances and I wonder if the probe in the meat in the hot enviroment does not transfer heat down the probe and heat up that area around the probe and when you test temp somewhere else it is not as hot. I have only had a couple of issues with it but that is the way I am thinking.... not completely sure tho

jimbloomfield · 12-02-2012, 06:43 PM

I'm with smoky okie I think in the pit the probes read higher. The hotter the pit is the more I notice it. Just us it as a guide of when to check. I know when my in pit read 190 is when my chicken is done .

HeSmellsLikeSmoke · 12-02-2012, 06:57 PM

The sensor of the Thermapen is in the tip. Perhaps the sensor in the probe is more to the middle? If so, you may think you are measuring the temps at the same depth, but may not be doing so? That would be consistent with the middle being hotter than deeper in the bird.

Perhaps the way you inserted the probe into the butt and then the Thermapen worked out to be the same depth for each sensor?

JMSetzler · 12-02-2012, 07:04 PM

Ok... thanks for these responses. That gives me something a little more solid to go on here. With the grill temp being in the 375-400 range, I could be transmitting heat into the probe that doesn't exist inside the meat. Maybe I need to wrap the exposed portion of my probe in a little foil or something to see if the variation goes away. That would also help to explain why I didn't see the varation when cooking in the 250 degree range. There was not enough external heat to transmit down to the probe inside the meat....

You guys are too smart :) Why dinnI thinkadat?

---k--- · 12-02-2012, 07:29 PM

I just did a turkey in a 300* drum. My Maverick read within 1* of my Thermopen.

12-02-2012, 06:27 PM	#1
JMSetzler Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-25-11 Location: Valdese, NC Name/Nickname : John	Maverick Probes vs Poultry: PROBLEMS? Over the last three weeks, I have cooked two turkeys and one whole chicken. On the two turkeys, I used my Maverick ET-85 and on the chicken tonight I used the new Maverick ET-732. I experienced the same problems with both Maverick thermometers on each of these three cooks. The problem I'm having is with the meat probe. When my turkeys and chicken registered 160° in the thick of the breast with both thermometers, I double checked with the Thermapen and found out that the Maverick probes were reading 15 to 20 degrees HIGHER than the Thermapen. After my first turkey, I decided to check the probes with the boiling water test. The Maverick ET-85 and the Thermapen both read correctly in boiling water. Today I tested the ET-732 and the thermapen again with boiling water and the results were the same... both read identical temperatures. Last weekend, I cooked a boston butt with the ET-85 and did not have the temperature variation problem in that meat. So in a nutshell, the only time I'm having the problem is when reading poultry temps. I think i have ruled out calibration issues with the boiling water test. What could be causing my problem? __________________ [URL="http://facebook.com/mancavemeals"]http://facebook.com/mancavemeals[/URL]

12-02-2012, 06:31 PM	#2
smokeyokie is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-26-11 Location: Vinita, OK	JM I have often had some temp variances and I wonder if the probe in the meat in the hot enviroment does not transfer heat down the probe and heat up that area around the probe and when you test temp somewhere else it is not as hot. I have only had a couple of issues with it but that is the way I am thinking.... not completely sure tho __________________ [FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][FONT=Arial]open brick fire pit[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=3]weber smokey joe with homemade WSM[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3]2 weber kettle[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]maverick ET 732[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]1 really, I mean really UGLY Drum Smoker[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]super fast RED and BLACK thermapens[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]_____________________[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]Billy:flame:"Smoke on Brothers and Sisters"[/SIZE]

12-02-2012, 06:57 PM	#4
HeSmellsLikeSmoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-02-07 Location: Warren, Vermont	The sensor of the Thermapen is in the tip. Perhaps the sensor in the probe is more to the middle? If so, you may think you are measuring the temps at the same depth, but may not be doing so? That would be consistent with the middle being hotter than deeper in the bird. Perhaps the way you inserted the probe into the butt and then the Thermapen worked out to be the same depth for each sensor? __________________ Jim - Another transplanted Texan Former KCBS CBJ Large and Medium Big Green Eggs , Black 18.5" WSM, Blue Weber Performer - Stainless, Green Weber OTG Kettle , Brinkmann SnP Pro, and a Stainless UDS. One retired Portable Kitchen grill. Red Thermapen, Maverick ET-732, EdgePro Apex Sharpener. Avatar is the original 1951 Weber Kettle

12-02-2012, 07:04 PM	#5
JMSetzler Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-25-11 Location: Valdese, NC Name/Nickname : John	Ok... thanks for these responses. That gives me something a little more solid to go on here. With the grill temp being in the 375-400 range, I could be transmitting heat into the probe that doesn't exist inside the meat. Maybe I need to wrap the exposed portion of my probe in a little foil or something to see if the variation goes away. That would also help to explain why I didn't see the varation when cooking in the 250 degree range. There was not enough external heat to transmit down to the probe inside the meat.... You guys are too smart :) Why dinnI thinkadat? __________________ [URL="http://facebook.com/mancavemeals"]http://facebook.com/mancavemeals[/URL]

12-02-2012, 07:29 PM	#6
---k--- is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 09-07-10 Location: Chicago, IL - West burbs	I just did a turkey in a 300* drum. My Maverick read within 1* of my Thermopen. __________________ -Ryan Proudly Smoking on a UDS, PBC & Accidental Winner of the 2012 "Saucy" Throwdown.

12-02-2012, 06:43 PM	#3
jimbloomfield Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-04-08 Location: Saugus, CA	I'm with smoky okie I think in the pit the probes read higher. The hotter the pit is the more I notice it. Just us it as a guide of when to check. I know when my in pit read 190 is when my chicken is done .