Most people rely too much on guessing when cooking meat on a smoker.
Sometimes, they open and close the cooking chamber to check if the meat is done.
It is essential to know how to use the meat probe on Pit Boss Smoker or any other smoker brand to make sure your meat is cooked properly.
Learning to use a meat probe can help you save money by preventing waste and making your cooking more efficient.
If you’re using the Pit Boss Smoker, here is a step-by-step guide on properly using its meat probe.
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How To Use Meat Probe on Pit Boss Smoker
A Pit Boss Smoker’s digital probe food thermometer helps you cook your meat properly at a safe temperature.
You can also cook your food faster since lifting the lid can often allow the heat to escape and the temperature to drop.
What’s more, it will lower your risk of getting burnt or overcooking your food.
Check out our review of the Pit Boss Vertical Smoker Review
Step 1: Check the Meat Probes
The first thing you need to do is inspect the meat probes for possible damage.
You have to check if the tips are broken or if there are any damaged wirings.
If the probes are damaged, they will not work properly, and the Pit Boss Smoker will not show accurate temperature readings.
If you have no idea how to check the probes, you can bring them to a repair shop and have them checked.
Step 2: Insert the Meat Probe Into the Receptacles
Once you are ready to insert the temperature probe into your food, the next step is to plug them into the receptacles.
The Pit Boss Smoker has two receptacles (labeled Probe 1 and Probe 2). The digital meat probe can be inserted into either of them.
You will know if you successfully inserted it into the plug when you hear a snap.
Next, run the tip of the meat probe through the probe slot near the hopper and immediately move on to the next step.
Note that all Pit Boss grills have the same slot, so you can use this guide no matter what model of Pit Boss grill you’re using.
Step 3: Insert the Probe Tip Into Your Meat
Once the probes are attached to the receptacles, insert the probe tip into the deepest part of your meat.
There are a few simple things you need to know if you want to get accurate temperature readings:
- When cooking meat with bones like chicken or ribs, make sure that the probe does not get in contact with the bones. Otherwise, the probe will record the temperature of the bones instead of the meat, which typically will be higher, resulting in undercooked meat.
- If you’re cooking steaks or roasts, the probe tip should be in the middle where the highest fast content of the meat is.
- Make sure you only put the tip in the middle, so you will know when the center is done cooking.
- The probe should not make direct contact with the flame or heat from the grill because it could be damaged.
- It is a “best practice” to leave the extra probe wire outside the cooking chamber to reduce heat transfer to the wire.
Step 4: Monitor the Temperature
After inserting the probe properly into the meat, close the lid of your Pit Boss Smoker and start monitoring the temperature from the digital display.
You can let the smoker do its job and simply monitor the temperature away from it.
The digital display will show the current internal temperature so that you won’t need to lift the lid to check the food.
Many of the Pit Boss Smokers are equipped with Bluetooth and wifi. If your smoker is not, you can check if the upgrade controller will fit your current smoker.
Step 5: Remove the Meat Probe
Once your food reaches the right internal temperature, you will know it is ready and safe to eat.
Open the lid and remove the probes from the meat. When handling the meat probe, always use protective gloves because it will be too hot to touch and could burn you.
You should remove it directly from the slot because it could be damaged if the smoker’s temperature is too hot.
Step 6: Clean the Meat Probe
The final step is to clean it properly. Don’t let the probe cool down completely.
You have to clean it while still warm because the food will dry on the tips and be harder to remove when it cools down.
Remember that meat probes have wirings, so you should never place them in your dishwasher or submerge them underwater.
You can just prepare soapy water and wipes to clean the tip. Use the wipes to clean the rest of the meat probe.
A little tip, if your probe has dry food on it, you can soak the tip end in a glass of hot soapy water. After fifteen minutes, you should be able to wipe the probe clean and rines.
Is Using a Meat Thermometer Necessary?
Learning how to use meat probe on Pit Boss Smoker and other brands is only half of it.
Enough practice is needed to ensure you can take advantage of its many benefits.
That said, is it really necessary to measure your meat’s temperatures? Yes, it is, and here are the top reasons why:
1. Prevent Illness
Some cuts of meat should be cooked to a precise temperature to ensure that dangerous bacteria are eliminated.
Undercooked meats can cause a lot of health problems. You can lower this risk by using a meat thermometer.
2. Prevent Overcooking
Overcooking your meat will most probably mean it would be dry and tough.
You don’t want to serve dry meat to your guests, so you should use a meat probe to make sure it stays juicy.
3. No More Guessing
Different cuts of meat require different temperatures.
Even if you are cooking the same type of meat, they would be different in terms of size and weight.
Bigger chunks would require a longer cooking period, so you need a meat thermometer to get the precise temperature.
4. Maintaining Safe Temperature
You can maintain and monitor the temperature of your meat to make sure it stays warm up until it’s time to serve it.
After all, meats starting to cool down might become a breeding ground for bacteria.
Get a Handheld Meat Thermometer Too!
Using a meat probe can make cooking easier and a lot safer.
With one, you won’t have to repeatedly open the lid of the smoker to check your meats.
Instead, you will be able to see the accurate temperature of the food you’re cooking from the outside.
While this digital meat probe is an amazing piece of equipment, it is still advised to use a handheld thermometer to check the meat before moving it out of the cooking chamber.
This is so that you can be sure you’re getting the right temperature for the meat.
FAQ
Can I add meat probe thermometers to my smoker?
If a smoker has meat probe receptacles it should be easy to source meat probes. If your smoker doesn’t have receptacles you will need a stand-alone meat probe thermometer. These units are available in wired and wireless. I firmly recommend a stand-alone wired thermometer for every smoker. I like the separate device that I can move from smoker to smoke a get consistent temperature readings. I also am not a fan of wireless because it is one more point of possible failure. The unit I am currently using is the ThermoPro TP-17 Dual Probe Digital Cooking Meat Thermometer. This unit is very reliable and budget-friendly, so check out the price on Amazon.com.
