Meat probe temp dangerously off

[Lou17]

I have a Timberline 850 with the D2 Wifire controller and am having issues with my meat probe temperature. I calibrate at 32 F with ice water and double check with my Thermopen MK4. But when I check with a cup a cup of hot water my termopen reads 160 F but the meat probe is reading 171 F. Traeger has sent me a new meat probe and a new controller. Has anyone done this test? I have verified that my Thermopen is working correctly with another one so it is not that as tech support suggested. The first controller was giving me an even bigger gap. Tech support tried to tell me to adjust the offset but that would be completely wrong thing to do as thermometers should be calibrated at 32 F or 0C and not hotter.

Has anyone done a similar test? This can be an issue and has been as I have cooked a couple turkeys lately and decided to verify with my Thermo pen. As you can expect when I thought it was done at 165, it still had a while to go.

With 2 different meat probes giving me very similar readings and with a second controller giving me a different gap in temperature compared to the first one with same two probs, I am starting to think this is yet another flaw with their D2 wifire controller.

 

[bobbytuck]

I'm not sure that's 'dangerously' off -- it's off, but that's a pretty normal variance.

I have the exact same grill. And I, too, see a difference between the cooker probe and a thermoworks probe. About the same difference, too -- sometimes more -- up to 25F to 30F.

However, it really doesn't matter. Every single smoker I've had -- Cookshack SM025, WSM 18 (BBQ Guru versus temp dial on lid), and now the Timberline 850 D2 -- show similar differences. My rule of thumb is always to use the probe as a guide -- not an exact measurement. Even if I'm cooking a brisket the differences really don't matter. One probe says 210F, the other says 225, but when I probe the meat, it still needs more cooking.

Ditto for a pork shoulder. One probe might say 205, the other 215 -- and both are essentially telling me, okay, the pork shoulder is pretty much ready to go.

*shrug*

The danger -- the real danger -- is if the grill probe (as opposed to the meat probe) says, say, 225F -- and the actual, internal temp of the cooker is something like, say, 500F -- and rising.

That'd be weird -- and dangerous.

 

[Dzacco]

I adjusted the offset at boiling temperature - 203* at my elevation. It’s closer to cooking temp than 32* . Why not use the offset adjustment for the temperature you use most? This is for the meat probe and doesn’t have anything to do with the smoker internal temp.

 

[TheHardWay]

My Ironwood 885 is the same way. Calibrated the probe, and find that it is still off. It is definitely inconvenient, especially when doing a programmed cooked based on temperature. If you aren't paying attention, the grill will end the cook cycle, and go into shutdown mode to drop the grill temperature thinking the correct IT of the meat has been achieved when really it has not.

 

[Lou17]

I adjusted the offset at boiling temperature - 203* at my elevation. It’s closer to cooking temp than 32* . Why not use the offset adjustment for the temperature you use most? This is for the meat probe and doesn’t have anything to do with the smoker internal temp.

Because in the culinary world that is not how thermometers are calibrated!! The closes anyone at home can come to an almost perfect science to calibrate a thermometer is with ice water.

I really wouldn't be bothered by something like this but as @TheHardWay stated you use the meat probe to control the D2 wifire cooking cycle. What good is it if its only accurate at one temp? Turkey / chicken is at 165, Pulled pork / brisket at 204.

@bobbytuck I would have to respectfully disagree with you. Now everyone is entitled to their opinion. Food poisoning is a real thing and I cook a lot of poultry on the grill. You want to be sure to hit 165 and not 145 as they are not the same. Even for brisket and pulled pork, if you are hitting 220 then you might be computerizing taste. If the internal temp of the grill is 225 opposed to 250, well that isn't going to make anyone sick. It's the food that will make you sick.

I also wouldn't be so bothered if I only paid a few hundred dollars for this grill but I paid nearly $3000 so I would expect a meat probe to be within 2 or 3 degrees throughout the entire cooking cycle and not just be accurate at one temp, and 15 degrees off at another temp. I paid for convenience and wold expect Traeger to come closer than they have.