The MeatStick
MeatStick 4MeatStick ChefMeatStick
  • The MeatStick Help Center
  • Product Support
    • The MeatStick FAQ
      • How to rename or delete a Stick
      • My Stick appears in the app but doesn't show any temperature
      • The app keeps telling me I am not connected? How do I increase the range of my Stick?
      • How should I clean my Stick?
      • Why are my Stick's temperatures off? How do I test accuracy?
      • How do I optimize my Stick's range?
      • How do I know if the Stick is charging / charged?
      • How should I store my Stick?
      • How do I use the same Stick for two or more consecutively cooks?
      • How do I update the firmware?
      • Can I calibrate my Sticks, and how do I test for it?
      • How to insert the Stick into your meat
    • MeatStick V
      • How to set up my Stick?
      • How to turn on the Smart Base
      • How do I place my Stick to the Smart Base?
      • How do I optimize the Base's WiFi/Xtender range
      • How do I charge my Stick?
      • How do I charge my Smart Base?
      • How does the Smart Base extends the range of my Stick?
      • Why is my Stick not connecting or not found in the App?
      • Smart Base LED Indicator
      • What do the Base's audible alerts mean, and can I turn them off?
      • How accurate are the sensors of the MeatStick V
      • How do I turn off my Stick?
      • Do I need to set up the WiFi each time I use the Smart Base?
      • Can I Charge the MeatStick 4 or Older Sticks on the MeatStick V Smart Base?
      • Can I Use the MeatStick V Smart Base's WiFi and Xtender Functions with Older Sticks?
      • Smart Base isn't working, what do I do?
    • MeatStick 4 and MeatStick Chef
      • The MeatStick 4 / Chef First Time Set Up Tutorial
      • How to set up my Stick?
      • Why is my Stick not connecting or not found in the App?
      • How accurate are the sensors of the MeatStick 4 and MeatStick Chef?
      • How do I turn off my Stick?
      • How do I charge my Stick?
      • How long does the Stick need to be charged?
      • User Manual for The MeatStick 4/4X and MeatStick Chef/ChefX
    • MeatStick and MeatStick Mini
      • How to set up my Stick?
      • Why is my Stick not connecting or not found in the App?
      • My MeatStick Mini doesn't show any ambient temperature, is this normal?
      • How accurate are the sensors of the MeatStick and the MeatStick Mini?
      • How do I turn off my Stick?
      • How do I charge my Stick?
      • How long does the Stick need to be charged?
      • The MeatStick First Time Set Up Tutorial - Video
      • The MeatStick Mini Introduction - Video
      • MeatStick (2020) Setup Tutorial
      • User Manual for The MeatStick (2021)
      • User Manual for the MeatStick Mini
      • User Manual for the Combo Sets
      • User Manual for MeatStick (2020)
    • The Chargers & Xtender
      • What kind of batteries are necessary to operate the MeatStick charger?
      • What does The MeatStick charger / X charger's LED indicate?
      • What does The MeatStick (2020) charger's LED indicates?
      • Can I use rechargeable batteries?
      • How does the Xtender (X Charger) work?
      • How does the Xtender (Red) work?
      • How close do the Xtender need to be to the Stick?
    • The WiFi Bridge
      • WiFi Bridge Set Up Tutorial
      • The MeatStick WiFi Bridge Features
      • How does the WiFi Bridge work?
      • The Bridge isn't connecting to my WiFi, what can I do?
      • My WiFi Bridge is stuck on booting, what can I do?
      • The Bridge is set up and I created a cook but when I leave the WiFi network I'm not getting a signal
      • The Bridge keeps showing up as "No recipe" and not "Check app"?
      • Is there an optimal placement method?
      • How do I turn off the LCD backlight?
      • What are the meanings of the audible alerts and can I disable them?
      • If I have multiple cooks, how do I tell which alert applies to which recipe?
      • Do I need to set up the WiFi each time I use the Bridge?
      • Can I use my own antenna instead of the included antenna?
      • How to update the WiFi Bridge's Firmware?
      • Why does my Bridge still show the temperature when I ended the cook on App?
      • How can Xtender mode be activated on a WiFi Bridge?
      • How do I use the Xtender and the WiFi Bridge together?
    • The MeatStick App
      • Where do I download the App?
      • I am having trouble logging in to the App
      • Why is it necessary to allow the "Location Services" while using The MeatStick App?
      • How to setup a cook on The MeatStick App
      • How do I set up more than one Stick?
      • How can I start a new cook in the App?
      • Why can't I see any remaining time on my cook?
      • Can I save my cook's temperature data to review on my own?
      • Do you add more recipes frequently?
      • How to re-apply past-cooks settings to a new cook?
      • How can I delete past cooks and how do I end a cook?
      • Can I use two or more Sticks at the same time?
      • What is WiFi Link and why is it important?
      • What is The MeatStick Cloud, and how to use it?
      • Can I switch between ºF / lb and ºC / Kg?
      • How can I edit the temperature during a cook?
      • What do the Stick's battery colors / levels represent?
      • How can I reset my app settings? I want to choose a different charger.
      • How can I change the sounds for my alert settings?
      • What do the Advanced Settings mean?
    • The MeatStick (2018)
      • How does the 2018 Stick work?
      • What do the MeatStick 2018 Charger’s lights mean?
      • Can I charge my MeatStick (2018) on The MeatStick (2020) charger?
      • Can I charge the 2020 Stick with the charger featuring a micro-USB charger (MeatStick 2018 Charger)?
      • The 2018 Stick isn’t charging what should I do?
  • Troubleshoot my issue
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  1. Product Support
  2. The MeatStick FAQ

Why are my Stick's temperatures off? How do I test accuracy?

Why are my Stick's temperatures off?

Internal Temperature: Different parts of a piece of meat will have different temperatures during cooking. It is not uncommon for the internal temperature of a large roast or turkey to vary by as much as 15 to 25 °F throughout the meat or bird. Even a steak or a boneless chicken breast can vary in temperature by several degrees depending on how the Stick is inserted.

To get a correct reading, insert the Stick into the thickest part of the meat from the side. Try to avoid obvious bones or cartilage.

Ambient Temperature: Although the ambient temperature may seem off at first glance, it's actually working correctly because it measures the temperature directly around the meat, which tends to be lower than the other points of a cooking appliance. It also depends on the placement of the Stick: directly above the meat, the temperature will be lower than on the side of the meat over the heat source. The Stick will show the actual cooking temperature compared to the temperature reading of the appliance you are cooking on (once it reaches temperature).

Also, note that grills/ovens/smokers all have cold spots that can be as much as 50-75 degrees lower than what is being measured.

If you want to test the accuracy, feel free to do an ice water test. However, we recommend that the Xtender or WiFi Bridge is active at that time, as the signals get blocked very easily by water.

Testing Calibration Accuracy

In general, the two ways of testing accuracy are an ice water bath test and a rolling boil test. We recommend against a rolling boil test as that will put extra strain on the battery of the Stick and may damage the Stick if done incorrectly if the temperature exceeds the maximum internal temperature.

*WARNING READ THIS*

Doing the test requires a lot of patience. The way the Stick works is that it will broadcast the signal when there is a temp change. However, because the way the test needs to be done (holding the handle or submerging the Stick) your hand/utensil holding the Stick or water does interfere with the normal broadcasting of the temperature. As such, when the temp changes the signal may be lost and you will not see the updated temperature which may appear to be off. To mitigate that, please hold your phone next to the Stick when testing or right above it and/or use your Xtender or WiFi Bridge next to it to receive the signal (They're more sensitive to the signal than your phone) If it gets near but not quite at the temperature, most likely the signal was lost and we recommend you take it out of the water for a few seconds (you'll see temp jump a bit) then repeat. In actual cooking, the signal will not be blocked by your hand or extra interference near the antenna so this is not an issue.

Ice Water Bath Test

The easiest way to test the accuracy of any thermometer is in a properly made ice bath. If you do this carefully, your ice bath will be 32 °F within ± 3 °F. If you are not careful, the ice bath can be off by several whole degrees. (Just a cup with ice water in it can be 24 or more degrees too high.)

Step One: Fill with ice

Making a proper ice bath is all about keeping a proper ice-to-water ratio. Fill a vessel all the way to the top with ice. Crushed ice is preferred because there are fewer gaps between the ice, however cubed ice will also work fine.

Step Two: Add Water

Slowly add water to fill the spaces between the ice. Fill about 1/2" below the top of the ice. Let the mixture sit for a minute or two to allow the temperature of the water to settle. If you see the ice starting to float off the bottom of the vessel, pour off some water and add more ice. Water below the ice will not be at 32 °F.

Step Three: Insert the Stick

Once the mixture has rested for a minute or two, create a cook in the App, insert the Stick into the mixture and stir in the vertical center of the ice slurry. Stirring the Stick keeps the sensor from resting against an ice cube, which will affect your reading. Keep the Stick away from the side walls and don't allow it to rest against the bottom of the vessel. Doing so will give you inaccurate temperature readings. Stirring equilibrates the temperature throughout the vessel.

Step Four: Confirm Temperature

Your Stick should read 32 °F ± 3 °F in the ice bath. (In general, if the ice water bath isn't done right, it may show up around 35 °F /36 °F)

Rolling Boil Test:

Do not do this test. Putting the Stick in boiling water will put excess strain on its battery and will reduce its capacity and may damage the Stick if done incorrectly if the temperature exceeds the maximum internal temperature.

Last updated 10 months ago

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