# Weird temperature readings...



## zcomanche (Nov 13, 2010)

Wife brought home a 2 pack of pork butts from Sams last night, and yes they were very cold. As soon as she got them home @ 15 minutes, we placed them in the fridge. Well this morning got them out and rubbed it down and placed one of them on the smoker and inserted my Maverick thermometer....the internal temp. was 84 F???? The fridge sits at a perfect 36 F all the time.....everything in the fridge is perfect.....the milk and juice this morning was ice cold, the pork ribs sitting with the butts was so cold when I made them St. Louis style, I had to hold the ribs with a towel to keep my hand from freezing.... so I know its not the fridge.

I was thinking it was my Maverick thermometer, so I took it oit of the meat and sit it in the smoker and the temp. on the food and oven read @ 230 F. I then inserted the probe back into the pork and it still read 84 F??? 

This is really bugging me....I keep my smoker between 225-250 and 2 hours into this smoke my internal temp is 125 F on the pork butt.


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## eman (Nov 13, 2010)

If the butt was cold to the touch then you know it wasn't 84°.

Guess it's one of those weird things that just happen.

Unless maybe the number on your thermo that you are seeing as an 8 is actually a 3???

 Hope you have an extra thermo unit to verify w/ during cooking.


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## richoso1 (Nov 13, 2010)

I'd give it one more try by checking it in boiling water. If it is not near 212°, I'd call customer service. Good luck my friend.


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## SmokinAl (Nov 13, 2010)

More often than not it's the probe that's bad, not the unit itself. I use Taylor's & Accurite's, and have extra probes for both of them. However I have never had a bad probe with the Taylor's, but with the accurite's I've had quite a few fail. I'm sure customer service will send you a new probe. If you need something right now just use a simple meat thermometer. Just a couple of bucks at Walmart. I know it's not as convenient as a digital, but it will work in a pinch.


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## mballi3011 (Nov 13, 2010)

Now I'm on the do the boiling water testing band wagon on this one. I test my thermo meters every month or so. I'm just that way.


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## pit 4 brains (Nov 15, 2010)

After you figure out if your probe is accurate or not, stop stabbing meat when you put it on. Let it cook for a half dozen hours then probe it.. It's safer by the food laws, you don't run off your battery, and you won't waste so much time staring at your thermometer while you wonder if it will ever get done.... I agree with eman, it did not come out of the fridge at 84, but most likely 34. If your LCD is in the direct sunlight, it will start to darken the areas that form the images..


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## zcomanche (Nov 15, 2010)

Thanks for all the help guys......fyi I have a newer Maverick with the 2 sensor probe, one for the meat and the other that gives the oven temp.

I did the boiling water test on my therm. and it was right @ 212 F.

I then put the entire probe into the fridge for over a hour and the oven and food temp. was showing 84 and 80, its really 34-35, then my son opened the door and the unit was sitting on the edge of the door and when he opened the door, (he didnt see it) the unit fell and landed in the fridge and then the temp. instantly showed 34 degrees F and started beeping and flashing LO....guess it just needed to be dropped. So I guess its fixed.

Thanks again....


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## SmokinAl (Nov 16, 2010)

Wow! great fix, I'll have to remember that. If it don't work, just give it a heave across the yard!


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