Barbecue thermometer: what is it and what is it for?

A thermometer should always be available for proper barbecuing. In a sense, barbecue is a science, in the countries of Europe and the USA, competitions, various competitions and festivals for barbecue cooking are constantly held. People visit them all the time to show their skills in grilling. If you like to cook for yourself and your loved ones, then in order for the dishes to turn out to be truly tasty, juicy and healthy, you cannot do without a thermometer.

The importance of using a thermometer is that a certain temperature regime must be maintained for each type of food. In the absence of this appliance, the dishes may turn out to be completely different from those described in the recipes. At the same time, it does not matter whether you often barbecue or not, but the quality of the dish prepared by you in compliance with all the conditions specified in the recipe is important - here you will not be able to do without professional grilling equipment.

It is possible to determine with a touch of the palm whether it is possible to start grilling or not. But the accuracy of determining the degree of roasting of a particular dish is a rather difficult task for both an amateur and an experienced culinary specialist, a master of his craft. In this case, you have to trust your intuition and hope for luck, but it is best to use a grill thermometer to prepare the perfect meal.

There are several types of grill thermometers.

1. Thermometers built into the grill dashboard. If the grill has a built-in temperature measuring device from the moment of its purchase, then this grill can be considered a fairly good purchase, since with the help of the built-in device you can always accurately determine the temperature of the dish you are preparing. If the thermometer breaks down, the manufacturer will always have a new device just for your model.
2. Grill-mounted appliances. If your engineering skills are sufficiently developed or the grill you purchased suggests the possibility of installing thermostats in the body or dashboard, then this option is right for you.
3. Thermometers for external use. This type of thermometer is the most popular and easiest to use. Most of them can be purchased in almost any store at a price affordable for a wide range of consumers.

Let's consider this type of thermometer in more detail.

There are several varieties of external barbecue thermometers. Let's consider each of them in detail.

This thermometer outwardly very much resembles the shape of a wristwatch: it has a rounded case, degrees indicators and even a "second" hand. As a rule, a rather fragile screen is installed in such thermometers, so when using it, you need to be more careful and not allow it to fall. The principle of operation is the expansion and contraction of solids. The device has a plate on which there are two metals. When one of them heats up, expansion occurs, which, in turn, forces the sensor of the device to move, resulting in a change in temperature on the thermometer scale.

Pros:

• quite low cost compared to other grill thermometers;
• can be purchased at almost any store.

Minuses:

• the device tends to wear out quickly, which means that there is a possibility of frequent purchases of this thermometer;
• if the temperature permissible for heating the device is exceeded, the screen may crack or burst;
• wait for the appliance to heat up and display the temperature of the grilled dish.

We all know what ordinary thermometers look like, with which you can measure body temperature. There is mercury inside these devices. When the thermometer heats up, the mercury begins to rise and reaches a certain temperature. In a liquid device, everything works in the same way, but instead of mercury, kerosene and alcohol with dyes are used.

Pros:

• low price, like the bimetallic version;
• availability of purchase in most stores.

Minuses:

• the imperfection of this device also lies in the rather fragile glass, which is at risk of breakage, which can lead to a spoiled desire to taste the prepared dish;
• the thermometer reacts rather poorly to temperature changes - hardly anyone wants to stand over the grill and wait for the readings to change.

One of the newest and most modern gadgets for high-quality cooking of various dishes. It looks more like an electronic alarm clock. It can be operated from the mains or using batteries, which greatly simplifies its use in everyday life. The device has three temperature probes - thin wires with metal tips. They are placed in the dish you are preparing, then the device instantly detects the temperature and gives the result.

Pros:

• the compactness of the device is its main advantage;
• the thermometer is convenient enough for use not only at home, but also in nature;
• to insert the probes of the device, you do not need to make any special efforts;
• you do not need to keep the device nearby - you can place it on a shelf;
• when the food is completely cooked or has reached a certain temperature, the device beeps, which is very convenient.

Minuses:

• temperature probes tend to deteriorate in a fairly short period of time, which may lead to their further breakdown in the future - it is necessary to use the wires carefully so that you spend your money and energy as little as possible on buying new probes for your device.

This device is very similar to a pocket knife. The device has a built-in digital display that allows you to immediately know the temperature of the food being prepared. This thermometer is small enough to fit easily in the pockets of your trousers or bag. Manufacturers are constantly trying to add any additional functions, but they are unlikely to be useful to you in operating the device - everything in it is already quite perfect.

Pros:

• the appliance immediately detects the readiness of the food being grilled.

Minuses:

• the price of this device is quite high compared to the devices described above.

After considering all possible options for using grill thermometers, everyone can draw their own conclusions and purchase exactly the thermometer that is most suitable. It is important to take a responsible approach to the choice, since the quality of the prepared dish and the mood of those wishing to taste it will depend on this.

The following video provides a comparative overview of some of the most popular barbecue thermometers today.