Instant-read probe thermometer

[DrakeRemoray]

Wiley,
I generally bake loaves of the same size at the same time, but I do find that the ones closer to the walls bake faster. So if I am doing baguettes, I take the door off, pull a loaf from the middle and drag it to the entry area then flip it over and test from the bottom, then test a loaf from near the wall the same way. Then put the door back on quickly (if needed). In later baking cycles (I have done as many as 4 bakes) I may have a large sourdough and a dense rye in the same bake, and they would be done at different times, and for that matter be done at different internal temps (200-205 for the sourdough and maybe 195 for the rye) so I would take the temp of both of those loaves.

Again to the cost of the thermometer. Everyone has something they indulge in, for me it is cooking. I have a bunch of the big Le Creuset pots and they are way too expensive, but I don't own any expensive running shoes or a sports car...

Drake

[Wiley]

Thanks Drake,
Oddly enough just last evening I was reading in Peter Reinhart's "The Bread Bakers Apprentice" about the need for the internal temp of bread to reach 180 F for proper gelatinization. I think I'll spring for the better quality instant thermometer. After all it's only the price of a tankful of gas :-)
Wiley

[asudavew]

Originally Posted by PizzaPolice

Geez, Frances... What the heck is going on in Switzerland? ...Stabbing people with thermometers. I've taken guns, butcher knives, ball bats and even a homemade bomb from people. Not one thermometer.

The stabber probably thought the victim had a cold and was checking for a fever.

[CajunKnight]

Roflmao!!!

[SpringJim]

I know CJ swears by the thermopen. Used it for everything....steaks, dough, bread....pricey yes....maybe someday...fathers day?

So Frances, was he done or not?

[RTflorida]

Drake,I'm thinking the thermapen would be a toy me, IF I did alot of baking, I don't. other than an occasional poke into a chicken or turkey, I don't use a thermometer much. I guess it is all in what you make. I guess it is in the same league as an IR.....very usefull if you have specific needs. I would not give up my IR for anything, when it dies or gets lost, I will gladly pay $100 for a new one....Guess I'm trying to say....I understand your fascination for the item. What the heck....I will add it to my Xmas wish list and see if Santa comes through.

RT

[CajunKnight]

OK for the price and this is a hard one to beat. Not as fast as the thermopen but still a nice tool with a nice price

CDN ProAccurate ProAccurate Quick Tip Digital Cooking Thermometer - CDN Thermometers


Inexpensive Instant-Read Thermometers—Updated-Equipment Ratings-Cook's Illustrated*9/2007
CDN ProAccurate Quick Tip Digital Cooking Thermometer DTQ450
Price: $17.95
Source: CutleryAndMore.com: Wusthof Knives, All Clad Cookware, Henckels Cutlery, Calphalon, Le Creuset, John Boos & More.
Average Response Time: 10 seconds
Probe Length: 4.7 inches
Comments: CDN won us over by meeting the testing criteria on all fronts. Quick 10-second readings put it only a step behind the test kitchen’s high-end favorite, the ThermoWorks Super-Fast Thermapen.

Thermopen will snap a reading in 5 seconds.

oh yeah and for the record I will probably be getting the Thermopen, its not a toy. A good thermometer is a serious tool for me.

[Ken524]

Since this is the Forno Bravo Forum, I should throw in a recommendation for the thermometer that James is selling:
Infrared Thermometer :: Pizza Oven Accessories :: Forno Bravo Store

The description doesn't mention it but the FB infrared/laser thermometer has a built in probe. I've used it for beef, chicken and turkey. It give a near instantaneous readout.

One tool gives you an oven thermometer AND a food probe.

James...you might want to update the description for the Thermometer!

[CanuckJim]

Guys,

Been super busy with oven installations and teaching courses, so little time to post. All I can say is that the Thermopen is the one baking tool I use the most, including peels, mixers, etc. The cost is high, true, but the speed of the chip and the accuracy make it well worth it. As Drake and SJ point out, I use it for everything: air, water, flour and finished bake temps, plus meats of all kinds.

If you find a similar looking item on line for $40, beware; there are cheap Asian knock-offs that don't have the speed or accuracy.

The baking time difference for a fully baked baguette, for example, compared to an under or over baked baguette is very small, so it's important to get an instant reading you can trust. This is especially true if you're working with a 600 F hearth. My mother tapped the bottom of her loaves, but even she produced the occasional gummy loaf of bread. Not so with an instant read.

Jim

[PizzaJNKY]

You've convinced me! Sounds like the Thermopen is the way to go. Now I just have to convince my wife, let her know she can use it too.