How to Use Meat Probe on Pit Boss Smoker?

Cooking in the Pit Boss smoker is fun. You get to enjoy the great delicacies that strongly connect to how traditional foods used to be prepared.

But, you might not have a smooth smoking experience, especially when you can't monitor the internal temperature of your food correctly. Opening the lid frequently to check if your food is properly cooking can interfere with the cooking process, and it can also be tiring.

However, using a meat probe to monitor food temperature can make smoking easier. Below, I will show you how to use a meat probe on a Pit Boss smoker. I will also guide you on where you can get the probe, plus some tips.

Defining a Meat Probe

Before we see how a meat probe is used, let's start by knowing what a meat probe is.

A meat probe, also known as a digital thermometer, measures the internal meat temperature. Meat probes are directly plugged into the cooker's P01 and P02 slots. The temperature is then displayed on the grill's control board.

How to Use a Meat Probe

Opening the cooker's lid too often when cooking may reduce the temperatures, thus slowing down the cooking. Frequent opening of the lid can also make you vulnerable to burns.

Here are some simple steps to follow when using the digital meat probe:

Inspect the temperature probe

Start by checking if all the parts of the Pit Boss thermometer are in perfect condition. Ensure that the tip and the wiring are not damaged. When these parts are damaged, the probes might not produce accurate temperature readings.

Testing the accuracy of the meat probe and probe calibration

Checking the meat probe for visible damages is crucial but not enough when preparing for a cooking session. It is also important to check the accuracy of your probe.

How would you feel when your expensive meat cut got burnt due to inaccurate probe readings? It can be frustrating.

But, you can test Pit Boss meat probe accuracy before you begin to cook. How is this done? You can either do cold or hot water testing and calibration.

Coldwater testing and calibration

Take a long glass filled with ice cubes and ice water. Insert your probe in the glass and hold it for about thirty seconds. Ensure the probe stays in the water and doesn't touch the glass.

Then, if the probe reads thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit, the probe is suitable for cooking. 

But, if the probe isn't reading anywhere around thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit, you can calibrate it. Calibration refers to adjusting the probe readings to match the correct readout.

To calibrate the probe, do the manual temperature adjustments when the probe is still in the cold water. You can seek professional help if you cannot do the adjustments or buy a new probe.

Hot water testing and calibration

Here, you will boil some water up to the boiling point. Pour the boiled water into a long glass and then insert the probe making sure that the temperature sensing probe tip doesn't touch the glass.

Let the probe stay in hot water for about thirty seconds. If the probe reads between 99°C and 101°C, it's fit for use. But, if the readout isn't around that range, you can do pit boss thermometer calibration.

To calibrate the probe, do the manual temperature adjustments when the probe is still in hot water. You can seek professional help if you cannot do the adjustments or buy a new probe.

Plugin the digital control meat probe

A meat probe is plugged in before starting the smoker. So, insert the digital probe food thermometer into either P01 or P02 slots on the grill.

But, can you tell whether you have inserted the probe correctly? Well, this is simple. You will feel the probe snap into place when inserting it.

Insert the probe tip into your meat

Now, insert your probe tip into the deepest part of your meat chunk. If the meat is bonny, ensure the probe doesn't contact the bones. Direct contact of food probes and bones can give inaccurate readings.

For roasts or steak, insert the probe at the center, especially at the fattiest spot on the meat. Ensure you don't drive the probe extremely deep down the meat cut. If the probe touches the grill, it will produce an inaccurate readout.

Also, ensure that the pit boss temperature probe is not directly contacting flames or hot coals. Excess heat can damage the probes.

Temperature monitoring

Close the lid of your cooker and keep an eye on the temperature readings on the digital display. This way, you can carry on with your other activities without opening the cooker to see how your meat is cooking.

This digital display shows the current cooking temperature. Therefore, you can easily tell when your food is ready.

Ready to eat food

When it attains a specific internal cooking temperature range, your meat is ready or safe to eat. At this point, you can open the lid of your smoker and remove the cooking probe thermometers.

How to Remove the Cooking Temp Probes

Probes get hot during the cooking session, and attempting to remove them from the meat can be disastrous on your bare hands. So, use grill gloves or potholders when removing the Pit Boss thermometer from your BBQ grill.

Remove the thermometers from the meat and unplug them from the grill slots. Leave them to cool down before attempting to clean them.

How to Clean Stainless Steel Probe

After using your probes, the next thing you will want to do is clean them as they await the next cooking moment. So, you can either use alcohol wipes or soapy water to clean the probe tips.

Remember not to submerge the probes in water since this can damage the wiring. Also, it's not safe to use the dishwasher to clean the probes; use your bare hands to clean them.

You can clean the probes when they are a little bit warm. This ensures that no oils or food particles remain on the tips after the cleaning session.

What if there are stubborn food particles stuck on the probe tips? In this case, you can use your fingertips or soft cloth to clean the tips gently. You can then wipe out the dirt with alcohol wipes or a wet cloth.

At last, your probes are clean! You can now store your probes in a safe cabinet to keep them from any damage.

Getting New Stainless Steel Probe

As we have seen, probes are essential while cooking in a Pit Boss smoker. But, what if your smoker didn't come with the probes, or you want to do Pit Boss meat probe replacement?

Here are some of the great cooking probes you can choose from when buying:

FAQs

1. What is the Pit Boss P setting?

The "P" means "Pause." The setting is used to pause the grilling cycle, especially when the desired temperature has been attained.

2. How to install the IT smoke App

You can use a strong WiFi signal to download the smoke App on your phone from the Apple App store or Google Play Store.

3. Which temperature is too high for brisket?

The brisket is usually done at a temperature of 210 F.

4. How do I fix my meat temperature probe?

One of the reasons behind the Pit Boss meat probe not working is trapped moisture in the probe. You can consider baking the probe for ten to fifteen minutes at 250 degrees Fahrenheit to solve this problem.

Conclusion

How would you feel when you are served with meat that looks done on the outside but uncooked inside?

According to a study conducted by a USDA, one out of four hamburgers looked done on the outside but hadn't attained the right cook temperature on the inside.

But, we have seen how to use a meat probe on Pit Boss smoker. Therefore, you can now bid goodbye to poorly cooked meat and other foods.