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NOTE: THIS UNIT HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BY THE MANUFACTURER
The iGrill is a thermistor thermometer with a probe that can be used for meat or oven/grill/smoker temp. Switch it on, and it sends a Bluetooth signal to an app on your iOS or Android device so you can watch the game while the roast is cooking, cut the lawn, or take a nap because you can set it to beep when one of the probes hits a target temp or time. It will only pair with one device at a time.
There is a jack for an optional second probe so it can measure both your meat and your cooker or two dishes at once. Some come with one probe some with two. The one with two is a better bargain. This device uses the type of probe that can be ruined if submerged. To clean it, just wash the tip and wipe it clean. For more on this, scroll up to the section on Common Malfunctions.
The bigger problem is that I and others have had occasional problems getting it to pair with devices. They sent me a new one and it works like a charm.
The website has troubleshooting instructions that involves turning Bluetooth on your phone or pad off, rebooting, turning it back on, turning off the iGrill, removing the batteries, and rebooting by holding all the buttons down at once. That usually works.
The base unit, a little larger than a deck of cards, is available in white or black, and has a convenient way to wrap the probe’s cable around its body and store the probe so the cable doesn’t kink and break and you don’t stab yourself, both issues I have had with other thermometers. It runs on two AA batteries (included) and has a built-in display so you don’t need to pair it with an Apple device, but the white model I have is almost impossible to read in bright daylight. I suspect the black will be easier to read. The manufacturer claims it works up to 200 feet, but actual distance will depend on the thickness and material in your walls.
It has a folding stand that doubles as a hook so you can hang the unit from the side table on your grill or a nearby hook. It will only go from 32 to 400°F (0 to 204°C), so you need to be careful that you don’t put it in a really hot grill. I have tested it against a lab instrument in a smoker and it is pretty close to precise.
The body does not have any buttons that protrude, it has three touch sensitive hotspots, so it can survive a light drizzle, perhaps even rain. Alas, the on off switch is slow to respond, and there is no click or feedback so you don’t know for sure if it understood your command.
There is a free app that displays the temps of oven and meat, traces the temps on a chart, and exports the data to an email attachment in pdf or csv (spreadsheet) formats if you wish. The csv file has readings every 2 seconds, the pdf is not very helpful because it is a snapshot of only the reading at only one moment. When it was working, I found the csv download very helpful in developing recipes and I am sure that competition teams could use this to help perfect their methods and timing. You can also set temperature alarms, timers, and countdown timers. Alas, if you switch aps to check the score in the football game, the graph breaks while you were gone.
You can name your probes in the Pro app, name the alarms, switch from C to F, and you can set timers to remind you to add charcoal or to put the beans on. You can select preset temps for meats, but I disagree with some of the numbers. Fortunately you can enter your own preferences (click this link for a better meat temperature guide).
The manual is built into the app and they send updates, but this is not much help if you don’t have an Apple device. They are promising an Android version in 2012 and version 2 in 2013. This is a great start to a promising device.
Note. This device is a thermistor and it has a plus or minus error tolerance of 3°F. It is also slow to read and it is not good at reading thin pieces of meat like chicken legs, pork ribs, or steaks and chops. It is best for pork butt, beef brisket, turkey breasts, and roasts. For thinner cuts you should get an instant read thermometer like the Thermapen.
Product Information:
Manufacturer:
Weber-Stephen is one of the oldest and most respected manufacturers of BBQ equipment and related accessories in the world. Weber grills and smokers cook beautifully and have great features that are clever, effective and easy to use. As popularity and demand for BBQ gear grows worldwide, Weber continues to earn their long standing reputation for quality, durability and outstanding customer service and support, (7 days a week from 7am to 8pm CST), in an increasingly competitive environment. Even in this crowded marketplace, many consumers are still willing to pay more for the Weber name and they are rarely disappointed. They make a variety of cookers and smokers. Their iconic black charcoal kettles are known throughout the world. Indeed Weber is expanding globally.
Weber-Stephen was family owned since it was founded in 1952 by George Stephen. At the end of 2010 the Stephen family sold a majority stake to Chicago investment group BDT Capital Partners. In 2012, Weber settled a class action suit out of court regarding their use of the phrase, “Made in USA”. Weber previously qualified the “Made in USA” statement by specifying their products are assembled in the USA with some components that are sourced globally. Here is an excerpt from Weber’s statement “Weber believes that because all Weber grills and the disputed accessories are designed and engineered in the USA, and all grills save for one line [Spirit]* are manufactured and assembled in the USA using component parts primarily made in the USA, it did nothing wrong and therefore has valid defenses to plaintiff’s claims. The court has not held a trial or ruled in favor of either party on any disputed issues. Weber and the plaintiff have agreed to settle the matter to avoid the costs of continued litigation.” As a result of this suit, Weber can no longer claim to be made in America.
Since then Weber, like many others, has outsourced manufacturing of more product lines. Things change, but we believe Weber’s commitment to quality and innovation has not.
The biggest barrier for many folks is price. Webers are not cheap, but when you consider that they last decades, the price is easy to justify. Many some cheap grills fall apart after three years or so.
Our main complaint: All Webers have the obligatory bi-metal dial thermometer in the hood that gives you a ballpark reading of what the temperature is high above the meat. Since we cook on the grates, though, it’s always better to bring your own digital thermometer and place a probe there. It appears this is beginning to change as Weber enters a new era of digital technology and software based products.
Published On: 6/6/2014 Last Modified: 1/28/2021
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When you make rubs at home we recommend you add salt first then the herbs and spices because salt penetrates deep and the other stuff remains on the surface. So thick cuts need more salt. We put salt in these bottled rubs because all commercial rubs have salt and consumers expect it. You can still use these as a dry brine, just sprinkle the rub on well in advance to give the salt time to penetrate. For very thick cuts of meat, we recommend adding a bit more salt. Salt appears first in the ingredients list because the law says the order is by weight, not volume, and salt is a heavy rock.
Sprinkle on one tablespoon per pound of meat two hours or more before cooking if you can. Called “dry brining,” the salt gets wet, ionizes, becomes a brine, and slowly penetrates deep, enhancing flavor and juiciness while building a nice crusty “bark” on the surface. Sprinkle some on at the table too!
Are they hot? No! You can always add hot pepper flakes or Chipotle powder (my fave) in advance or at the table. But we left them mild so you can serve them to kids and Aunt Matilda
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