Digital Temperature Gauge / Probe for Smoking/BBQ

[simonator]

Hi, can anyone recommend a decent temperature guage for accurately measuring the heat in my smoker. Digital prefereable, but I dont want to spend a fortune.

[grumbledoak]

Surely an oven thermometer would be ideal?

http://www.robertdyas.co.uk/P~140342~Tala+Oven+The... £4.99

[simonator]

Thanks, but i need something that can be monitored from outside the smoker, ie with a wire or a probe that sits inside the smoker. Taking the lid off the smoker to check the temperature results in a big drop, so i want to avoid this.

The gauge on the smoker is a bit inaccurate, which is why i am looking for something else.

[smack]

I use a Salter Candy one, as it reads to 200C, but you can estimate it to over 250C. No batteries, so I can leave it in a vent for hours and never worry about it going flat.

[smack]

Rubbish photo, but cost around £11.

[juice]

Didn't read the original post properly - thought you were looking for a wireless unit to monitor the internal temp of teh meat..

This looks good

http://www.maverickhousewares.com/et73.htm

Mind you - for a lot less a candy thermometer inserted into the top vent will do just as well...

[5678]

Good thread, I need to get some more thermometers after destroying our Salter oven thermometer at the weekend (leaving one on the grill while cooking/smoking leaves it coated in crap!)

I'm going to fit a gauge to the lid as per those on the newer Weber grills. I also like the look of that Maverick Industries one. Will look for a UK seller.

[smack]

As I said, I use this one, which I already owned (bouught to check oil temperature for frying) :

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Salter-509Orsscr-Confectio...

But you can buy an industrial thermometer with a thread, so you can drill a hole into your BBQ, attach it to your lid. Clicky here:

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/measuretemp.html
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/moretherm.html

[5678]

juice said:

Didn't read the original post properly - thought you were looking for a wireless unit to monitor the internal temp of teh meat..

This looks good

http://www.maverickhousewares.com/et73.htm

Mind you - for a lot less a candy thermometer inserted into the top vent will do just as well...

I've found one of the Maverick thermometers for sale here @ £29.99 http://www.smokingbbq.co.uk/product/OT-03BBQ_High_... This will be a better bet than putting a meat thermometer into the top vent as it will give you the temperature at the grill and not in the lid. The wireless display and temperature alarm sound very handy too.

[prand]

That's what I did with my Weber. I bought a thermometer with a 4 inch probe. It was threaded with a wingnut so I was able to drill a hole in the lid and screw the thermometer in. I calibrated the thermometer to 100C in boiling water and it seems to work fine for monitoring grill temperature.

I've bought a spikd digital meat thermometer for a few quid on ebay, for testing the internal temps of big chunks of meat, I'll be using this to know more accurately when a piece fo meat is ready to go from smoking to foil, then from foil to resting.

[shirt]

i'd be tempted to go for an industrial digital thermometer and thermo-couple (probe). it'll be more accurate and robust. look at maplins, screwfix et al.

[simonator]

Thanks for the suggestions, there's some excellent suggestions!

[sgrimshaw]

Lakeland do one as well ...

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/digital-thermometer/F/ke...

[juice]

If you're looking for a meat thermometer, you cannot beat this.

I've got one and it makes cooking big lumps of meat child's play. Its wireless, so you can sit back and drink while you "cook"



Basically - pick the meat you're cooking (Pork, Chicken, Beef etc) then pick how you want it done (Rare, Med-Rare, Med-well, Well done) and then insert the probe into the meat.
Turn it on and wait for it to beep. It even factors in the 10F carry-over "resting" heat.

Superb, wouldn't be without mine now.

http://ewins.com/items/0/WEB+32910/Weber_32910_643...