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Cooking Outdoors

Remote Grilling Thermometers

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)

6 years ago

I invested in a Kamado grill by Kamado Joe. It's apparent that close monitoring of the internal temp of what's on the menu is a pretty important contribution to the cooks skillset. Who uses a remote thermometer that monitors both grill and meat temps? Do you like it or not? What brand/model is it? Is there anything else you can share that will guide me to the right choice? It doesn't seem like it's a huge investment (under $100) in the face of what the grills cost, so price isn't much of a factor.

Al

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Comments (4)

Kim G
6 years ago
Look at Maverick and ThermoPro. We have had both. The Maverick bit the dust as it got very wet in an outside drawer (our bad). It was replaced with a termopro to try something different. Both work well and have two probes. You can use one for the grill and the second for your meat or use both in two different meats.
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks, Kim. My research beyond Houzz showed that the ThermoPro consistently got much better reviews, so that's what I purchased - Model TP20, which has 2 probes. I've used it thrice since it arrived and it performed as promised each time, though one of the probe sockets is a bit temperamental. The probe wants to pop loose from a firm connection and give a bad reading. Once everything is set up and the sending unit situated so it doesn't get jostled, all seems to work very well. I did an overnight low & slow smoke of a 12 lb brisket over the weekend, pulling it out of the grill when the internal temp read 195*. If it wasn't my first brisket, I'd be inclined to say it was perfect, but I'll wait until I have a better basis for comparison to risk sounding like I'm boasting (the grill deserves the credit, not me). I know one thing, I wouldn't trade the Kamado Joe for a dozen of the best gas grills. Since I moved back to charcoal by way of the Kamado after at least 20 years of using top of the Weber gas grill line, I do have a good basis for comparison between the two. Plus, it's great fun learning all the different techniques you can use to grill, bake, smoke ....... An artisan bread and pizza will be my next endeavors.

Thanks again for the reply.

Al
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Today I put a new thermometer on my Virco Classic gas grill. The stock one is inaccurate and prone to warping. Instead, I put in a New Braunfels thermometer ($30, Home Depot). I got this thermometer a couple of years ago; I notice that Walmart carries a very similar unit for only $20. The New Braunfels thermometer is very accurate. However, it requires a larger hole to mount than the stock Virco thermometer. To do this I enlarged the hole in the hood from about 1/4" to 7/8" using a bimetal hole saw. IN order to center the hole, I bolted a 1/4" piece of plywood onto the hood using the existing thermometer mounting holes. The resulting hole was a litte oversize, so I found a large brass washer in my workshop to cover the hole and also the original mounting holes, which were no longer needed. This helped stabilize the mounting and also seal off the gaps. To secure the New Braunfels I found a large nut in the plumbing supply department of the local hardware store, and fastened that to the threads protruding inside the hood. The nuts rests against the inner lining of the hood, which gives a little, but which is good since it acts like a lock washer to help keep the nut in place. I did a test run with a very accurate glass oven thermometer resting on the warming shelf. With all three main burners going full blast, the oven temp reached 550F in less than 10 minutes. With just the central burner, the grill reaches about 450F. The new thermometer responded much faster than the glass thermometer, but once the temp stabilized they both agreed within 10 degrees. Here is a link to some photos of the new thermometer and the brass washer backing. Here is a link that might be useful: New thermometer for Virco Grill
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Thank you! That particular model does not seem to be available anymore, but they have a number of others. Have not had good luck with Acurite or even Radio Shack so maybe that is a better company. All Walmart had was Acurite. Checking at Oregon Scientific website.
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Kim G
6 years ago
No Problem - glad the termoPro is working for you. Not sure of the warranty but I would see if you can get a replacement or new part for the temperamental probe Totally agree about going back to charcoal. We have two Primo grills and ditched the gas. We owned a $5K gas grill in our last house and once we tried the ceramic girll - NO MORE gas grill for us in our new build. Pizza works great on the grill - enjoy!
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