POS Probe Thermometers

I now have no working thermometer thanks to Maverick and Polder. How long should I let this 13 pound butt cook before pulling it. >

Depending on your temp setting butts can take anywhere between 1 to 2 hours per pound. There's many variables that can make your average fluctuate. I would recommend you start checking at the 1-1/2 hr/pound mark. You can use the probe from your Maverick to test the doneness of the butt. If the probe slides all the way in with no resistence then it's done. If you get resistence let cook more and check it in an hour or two.

Once I get to a certain time on my butts I use the temp as only a guide and always use the probe to check for doneness.

I have never got a true reading on butts, even with at thermapen the temps are all over the place. I always check at 12 hours, 14hr, 15hr. I have never had one top 15 yet. I either pull the bone and slide a metal cake rod and check for resistance.

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/tpen_home.html

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/tw362a.html

Interesting problem.. I have a couple of Taylors.. about $14 at Target.. been using it for about 4 years now.. nary a problem.. not even battery replacement. Have a Maveric for two years.. almost never use it cuz the Taylors work so well.. just doesn't have the "remote" capability.. just a beeper.

Lately, I've been doing my butts in the Amerique. It has a built in probe.. but I still run the Taylor probe down a smokehole. Usually when I'm in the process.. the Taylor and AQ probe read about 10º different.. but toward the end of the smoke they get closer and by the end.. both are the same. I usually put it to where the tip of the probe is placed.. one might be in a fat pocket.. the other in meat.

This, as you say is either a joke.. or it's a "joke". What ever you do.. check them in ice water and boiling water first to make sure they are within reasonable limits of what they should be.. 32ºF and 212ºF. Another thing.. until the probes get seasoned.. which they may(?) need.. you might try putting the probes (only) in the oven at, say 300º and let them bake for an hour.. may have gotten moisture in the probe. Once that's done.. let 'er cool and recheck. IF that solved the problem.. I'd put the connection area.. where the cable and probe meet.. in hot cooking oil.. to get oil into the connection area.. and bake it for a bit.. that'll usually seal the joint and eliminate moisture issues.

PS.. my times seem very different from the gang's.. I've never had butts or turkeys go as long as some mention.. and both my CS' run pretty dern true to what the setting say.. The AQ is for more closer range.. but the 008 averages out pretty true.

My butts take anywhere from 10-12 hrs.. but I've never cooked one as large as 13#.. mine usually run about 7#

As a fall back, you can just use them like a big toothpick and poke them into the butts. As they cook, you'll feel less and less resistence. After all, many of us learned to smoke before they told us about temps (via the Internet) and sometimes we just focus on the temp.

As to the quality, depends on where you bought them, but I'd take them back.

You can also try the boiling oil method to revive them, sometimes it helps (if you can't return them)

I took the Maverick back but already, it had the same problem as this Polder. Both read temp levels way higher than they should. The Maverick had a reading of 380 degrees at room temperature. The Polder is reading right now 185 and it's been sitting on my counter for 6 hours. Are these problems indicative of a moisture issue?

Could be if you soaked them in water. Water will find its way in at the connection of the braided cable and metal probe. You can try boiling in oil to get all the moisture out.

The only moisture would have came from either being inside the meat or from moisture built up in the smoker. I stuck it in the oven and cranked it up to 350...when I took it out it dropped back to normal. I reluctantly opened the door and reinserted the probe. It's reading 158 after 15 hours so evidently it's in the fat rendering stage. Hopefully the probe will not malfunction again.

9 hours later and the probe is still working. Not entirely sure if the temp is 100% accurate, but I believe it's reading lower than higher. That being said, I'm pulling my butt at 195 and I should be good.

Another thing I am careful to do is be sure the curve in the probe is pointed down when in the smoker. My thought is moisture in there can run down cable to probe joint. I had problems early on, but since doint that, and subsequently sealing the joint area with heat shrink tubing, I haven't had the problems.

The maverick probe I took back had the 45 degree angle in the design, but the polder model is a straight piece. Ever since I baked the moisture out, all's been well.

So they are working good now?