Anyone know of a good meat thermometer for grilling steaks?

Question

Please, don't just google 'meat thermometer' and copy & paste the results here...I'm looking for someone who actually HAS one and likes it. And I need it for steaks, not one that needs to go in a whole inch!

Thanks for your help. 10 Points to the winner YAY!

Answer 1

I hate to say so, but a cheap, stainless steel probe thermometer works just as well as anything else, FOR STEAKS. (notice how I highlighted that)

With a relatively thin piece of meat, like a steak (as opposed to a whole roast), a surface-read thermometer is going to give a highly inaccurate reading; the surface of a grilled steak is going to be MUCH higher than it's internal temperature.

You can invest in one of those remote-probe digital "instant read" thermometers (in fact, I personally recommend them), if you feel it's worth the money. But I keep a "cheapo" metal thermometer outside, just for my grill. For steaks, I usually just give the meat a press to determine how "done" it is; but for chicken, etc. the thermometer is important to have.

By the way, when you're taking the temperature of anything thin, like a steak (using any type of thermometer), don't insert the probe down into the meat...that'll puncture through it, and you'll lose the yummy juices. Instead, insert the thermometer into the SIDE of the meat, holding the thermometer parallel to the meat, not perpendicular to it.

Answer 2

Seasoning and which cut is a matter of personal taste and economics so I'll skip that. I use a different seasoning each time for variety. The really important part is to not overcook the steak. A steak should have a hot pink center. Regardless of which cut you buy, you can make even a cheap steak like a London Broil come out great if it's not overcooked. Also, I never buy a steak that's not at least 1 inch thick. Thin steaks are for sandwiches. I have a gas grill (never cook a steak indoors in my opinion). I actually prefer charcoal but that's another story. I heat the grill for about 10 minutes on high then reduce to about medium. Place your steak on the grill. Watch for juices starting to come up through the top of the steak. This is your queue to turn it over. Now with the steak turned, watch for the juices to start coming up through the top (previously cooked side) of the steak. Once this happens your steak is DONE! if you push on it with tongs, it should give as if your pushing the center of your palm. NEVER EVER cut your steak before or during grilling. I use this method and it works every time. My free hand is usually holding a beer rather than a meat thermometer.

Answer 3

An important consideration we learned from reading about meat thermometers is that most non-digital models are actually giving you the average temperature across the entire length of the probe, which can alter the results, depending on the thickness of the meat. That said, on occasion we use a very short one designed specifically for steak made by Acu-Rite which we found at William-Sonoma at our mall.

Our preferred approach is the cookout calculator at charcoalbob.com. It uses factors such as the type of grill (gas or charcoal), cut of meat, thickness and desired doneness to calculate grilling times and it gives you printable instructions for how to grill steaks, chicken breasts, porks chops, etc. so that all items come off the grill at the same time cooked to the desired doneness for each item.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Well, you could go out and buy one of those infared thermometers - very accurate, but a touch pricy. I sometimes will use my microprobe (about $8 at walmart), but most of the time I just use the touch method. See how much the steak "gives" before you put it on the grill - the less it gives the more done it is. If it doesn't give then its well done (a bit too done for my taste). And remember - a steak keeps cooking for 10-15 minutes after you pull it off the grill.

Answer 5

My hubby bought us one @ Target for like $15. It's a TruTemp brand and it's been great. It has a long probe with a wire that plugs into the timer itself. You can set the timer to go off at a certain temperature (which is how we use it) or after a certain amount of time. Becauee the probe is removeable, it makes for really easy celan up and because the attached wire is somewhat long, it can always make it out of the BBQ or oven with no problem. The other cool feature is that theres a magnet on the back of the unit itself so it can stick right on the cool part or your grill or oven.

Answer 6

I have one of these but an earlier model that is wireless. The best thing about William Sonoma products is that they are lifetime guaranteed!

Voice Alert Thermometer

Our digital thermometer ensures perfectly cooked meats and poultry. It precisely monitors cooking temperatures and counts down cooking times, automatically adjusting itself if the cooking process is faster or slower than anticipated and alerting you with a voice or beep alert when your meat is almost done. Reminder intervals can be set from 30 minutes to one minute from completion. Use preset doneness ranges from rare to well-done for beef, pork, poultry and veal, or program your own preferences. Includes three AAA batteries. A Williams-Sonoma exclusive.

$29.95

Answer 7

Go for the Polder brand. It's digital and can be converted from C to F. I use it for everything from water temps to meat. I love it. And it's small and cute and only cost around $12.

Answer 8

Just get one of the instant-read ones from the supermarket, about $10 to $15. I don't like the digital myself, I like the analog where you can see how quick it rises. You don't need to spend a lot of money.

Answer 9

I use a "Chef's" brand digital & like it. I bought it from the Chef's catalog. They also have a web site.

Easy to use measures both -50 to+260C & and -50 to +500F

Answer 10

you really dont need one you get used of knowing when the steak is cooked but if u really really want one just jump on ebay and they will have hundereds on there!
goodluck