Is there such a thing as a reliable, accurate "point & shoot" meat thermometer?
My DIL has asked for a "point & shoot" meat thermometer for Christmas. I use an instant read and have never heard of such a thing. She thinks that one simply aims this thermometer at the roast and, bingo, the temp reads out.
Does it exist?
Is it accurate?
Where do I find it? (which I will do because she's a keeper!)
Sherri
Nov 30, 2007 07:38AM
I have see these used by Health / Food inspectors but they only mesure the temprature surrounding something (Fridge temp) or the surface temp of something not the internal temp so they would be useless for cooking applications
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One problem is that a point and shoot will give a surface reading, not one from the interior, which is what's important. They are used industrially, and can be had at Harbor Freight at a reasonable cost (item # 93984-5VGA is one model). Most likely at other industrial supply places as well.
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Yes there is. As the other posters have pointed out, the IR only gives a surface reading. However for many applications (such as making a custard), this is plenty good.
Personally, I like (love) the RayTek Food Pro Plus:
http://www.thermoworks.com/products/ir/foodproplus.html
It has good accuracy when used in IR mode and even better accuracy when the attached temperature probe is used. (This would be useful also for measuring internal temperatures such as a turkey.
)Do not be wooed into buying an "inexpensive" IR thermometer. There is a somewhat direct correlation between the price and accuracy. This arises because they use better quality parts as well as spending more time calibrating the measuring system with the actual temperature read outs. (For example, there will be a variances between the thermocouples that are used in the thermometers from one thermocouple to another so these differences must be taken into account in the electronics that reads the thermocouple.)
It is the RayTek Food Pro Plus that we use all around our chocolate factory and I have found it to be immensely useful. Sure, it is expensive but it is worth every penny.
-Art
Amano Artisan Chocolate
http://www.amanochocolate.com
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It's also "plenty good" enough and actually pretty convenient for deep frying - but even for that it'd be pretty silly to go out and buy one for the purpose. I have a lower end industrial HVAC version which is as far as I can tell quite accurate but I didn't get it for the kitchen and basically only pull it out when I'm in a boys-and-their-toys mood. ;)
If the OP wants to get a fancy, quick & easy-as-possible thermometer for the stated purpose, go for the Thermapen. I've never been able to bring myself to spend $85 or so on it, but critical review is pretty uniform as to it being the Rolls Royce of thermometers. Not sure who sells them, but Google around, maybe SurLaTable has them in their brick & mortar stores but I haven't otherwise seen them much in person. If the idea is for her not to have to bend over and pull the roast out, consider a probe thermometer with audble alarm; they have them with wired sensors and even wireless these days...
As for steaks and thermometers, just go in from the side, or second-best IMHO, at an angle from the surface!! (Best yet, for steaks, just learn to do it by feel, it makes more sense for thin cuts anyway.) I think one of the superior features of the Thermapens is that the thermistor is very close to the tip of the probe, though FWIW.
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Glad to hear there's a nice relationship. The laser or infrared thermometer doesn't work for cooking meat because it only measures temp on the outside, and what counts is the interior temp. There are, of course, various devices for determining interior temperature, including fancy electronic ones. However, watch out if you're thinking of using one for steaks. The electronic one I bought (from a steak purveyor!) says the probe must be inserted at least one inch into the meat. Pretty tough to do with a steak 1-1/2 inches thick.
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OP here, thanks to all who answered. Have just spent a delightful day with said DIL and explained that her wish is just that, a wish. She hasn't mastered the instant read thermometer (hit a bone on the last chicken and, while the readout was 95 degrees, that was bone temp, not meat. Back to the oven and ..... one over-cooked chicken later, she was hoping for a better answer). She thought if there was an easier, more accurate option, she'd like to have one. Instead we're going to begin some where-does-the-thermometer-go cooking lessons plus the cut-a-small-slit-in-the-bird-thigh-to check-the-color-of-the-juices along with the wonderful palm-of-the-hand truc because most of us usually have our hand with us when we cook.
Thanks again, your answers were very helpful.
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