Rant: That $30 meat thermometer I bought on clearance was a total bust

I grabbed a cheap wireless thermometer from a discount bin at a local hardware store near Charlotte last month. Figured it would work fine for my brisket cooks, but the thing was off by almost 15 degrees when I tested it against boiling water. Ruined a whole 12-pound packer brisket because it said the meat was at 203 when it was really only 185. Ended up pulling it early and the brisket was tough as leather. Has anyone else had bad luck with those off-brand thermometer deals?

2 comments

2 Comments

linda_clark8d ago

Did you test it against boiling water before you used it on that brisket, or did you just trust the clearance sticker? Most of those cheapo wireless units skip basic calibration steps in the manual. Also, 15 degrees off is a huge swing even for a dud, makes me wonder if the probe was even fully submerged in the meat.

pat_hall878d ago

Heck, I once trusted a clearance thermometer and ended up eating charcoal disguised as chicken...