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By: Bill McGrath
The ThermoPro TP-826B joins a long list of the company’s food thermometers with useful features at a very affordable price. This model is a two-channel, wireless remote thermometer that boasts a 500′ (150 m) range.
The package has a transmitter that displays the temperature of the probes only. The receiver displays the temperatures of both channels, as well as the alarm limits and the timer’s status. Each unit has a backlight for easy reading in the dark.
Temperature alarms can be chosen from a list of meat types and doneness levels, or you can set your own parameters. The programmed values are very conservative and will likely produce overcooked food. If you select BBQ mode instead of a food type, you can set both a lower and an upper temperature limit. When an alarm limit is breached, there is an audible tone, and the backlight flashes. The alarm annunciator can be switched off if desired.
There is a timer function as well. You can either start at zero and count up or you can set a time and count down. In the latter mode, reaching zero will sound an alarm.
The transmitter has a seal around the battery compartment to keep moisture out, but the unit itself is not waterproof. The receiver, which would normally be indoors, does not have any seal around the battery box. The units are IP rated at X4, so be careful around water. The probes are also susceptible to moisture and cannot be submerged while cleaning.
Both the transmitter and receiver have legs that allow them to stand upright. The receiver has a magnet on the back to allow it to be affixed to a cool ferromagnetic surface. The transmitter has an extendable tab to allow hanging it from a peg or a nail.
The receiver will turn off automatically if it fails to get a transmission for more than 30 minutes. This is not really an acceptable approach as food could be cooking for half an hour with lost reception before the cook is notified. A one-minute beep will sound before it shuts down, but by then the damage would be done. The transmitter will shut down if both probes stay below 40°C (104°F) for two hours.
All in all, this low-priced unit is made to fairly low standards. It performs well for the most part, but it is likely too susceptible to moisture and its response to a lost signal is problematic. Given care, it would perform well for its price, though. The extended range feature could also be a big plus for some users. Overall, we’ll give it a Silver Medal for good performance but only moderate quality.
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Published On: 1/6/2022 Last Modified: 1/16/2022
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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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