How to Use Traeger Meat Probe (6- Steps)

Grilling is a popular way to cook food with a variety of flavors. But how do you know when your food is done? That’s where the Traeger Meat Probe comes in handy.

This little device will alert you when the internal temperature of your meat has reached a safe level for consumption.

You have been working with your Traeger temperature probe for a while now until you try to use it one day, but it is functional.

You try all you can to troubleshoot the prong-type device, but nothing helps. What happens now?

Risk undercooking your meat? 

When using a Traeger grill or smoker, Traeger probe calibration is a crucial step in assuring accurate temperature readings.

Calibrating the probe regularly can help to ensure that your food is cooked to the desired temperature and can improve the overall grilling and smoking experience.

If you’re looking for a way “how to use Traeger meat probe”, then look no further. Here are some of the best tips and tricks for getting the most out of your Traeger probe.

How to Use Traeger Meat Probe

Traeger Meat Probe

A Traeger meat probe, also known as a ‘Traeger temperature probe’, is a thermometer-type device that has a pointy sharp metal stem for insertion into meat to get the internal temperatures.

It is used to test whether foods have reached a certain temperature.

This thermometer-type device is inserted into the meat so that it can get the internal temperature.

It is used to track when the meat has reached a certain temperature so that it can be pulled off of the grill. There are many benefits to using this device such as being able to see how long the cooking process is taking, knowing when it’s time to pull it off of the grill, and not having to use a knife to try to pierce through the meat.

How far to insert Traeger meat probe?

To get the best results, insert your probe as deep into the meat as you can while staying clear of fat and bone. Both fat and bone tend to be hotter than the surrounding protein.

It’s often hard to insert the whole probe. Try getting at least 2 inches into your protein.

How to calibrate Traeger probe?

When cooking a thick cut of meat, it’s important to get the most accurate reading on the temperature.

First, ensure that the Traeger meat probe is drilled deep into the meat to get the most accurate reading. When doing this, the trick is to calibrate Traeger probe into the thick part of the meat without touching the bone or getting it through the other end.

The trick is to make sure the probe doesn’t touch the bone, so be careful not to accidentally poke it through the other side so that it does not get into contact with the grill.

The Traeger grill thermometers come in a set that includes two, easy-to-use devices.

(a) A grill thermometer that measures the internal temperature of the grill. The easiest way to set this up is to attach the gas grill thermometer to one of the bars on the grill.

(b) The probe thermometer that constantly monitors the internal temperature of the meat

To use the Traeger cooking thermometer on a grill, set up it on the meat and then place another one into your grill.

You can let the meat cook while you relax and stay close to the monitor that gives you reading even up to 300 meters away.

Ideally, you want the probe to reach all the way to the center of the meat you are cooking. The thermometer should be inserted at least one inch deep.

Traeger probe calibration Instructions

Here are the stepwise instructions for Traeger probe calibration

1. Plug the probe into the grill on the Traeger controller at 3.5 mm.”
2. Put the probe at the thickest part of the meat, making sure to avoid fat or bones. The thickness of the meat will change the insertion spot for the probe.
3. Set the temperature reading to the desired level on the front display of the grill and keep monitoring. We can also do monitoring using the Traeger Wi-Fi App. The app also lets you monitor the grill’s temperature, and internal meat temperature, and control some settings while you’re away.
4. When the grill reaches the desired temperature, place meats on it and close.
5. Monitor the internal temperature of the meat at intervals of approximately 30 minutes or until the notification beeps. The app or the grill will beep to notify you when the meat has reached the set temperature.
6. Remove the meat from the grill when it reaches the desired cooking temperature.
7. Let the meat cool for a little before cutting it.

Also, check Which Traeger Grills have WiFi/WiFIRE

Can’t Get My Traeger To Connect To WiFi/WiFIRE (9-Steps)

How To Reset Traeger WiFIRE

What are the best meats to cook with a Traeger Meat Probe?

Traeger Meat Probe has been created to meet all of your meat cooking needs.

However, you’ll need to take into account the thickness and preferably re-adjust the temperature accordingly.

Chicken, beef, and all other meats are different because they have different thicknesses, but we can cook them all with the Meat Probe just in case you’re wondering.

For instance, the uniformity in size and shape of chicken breasts makes them a good choice for the Traeger Meat Probe for accurate readings.

Tenderloin is also a good choice as it has leaner meat cuts, hence lower chances of getting overcooked. Steak can also be perfect for the Traeger Meat Probe as it can have varying degrees of cooking, with lots of flavors. 

Traeger Meat Probe Problems and Solutions

The main challenge encountered with using a Traeger probe is calibration. You may either have it calibrated improperly or not at all.

This lets you end up with either an overcooked or undercooked meal.

The choice of meat is also a common challenge when using the Traeger Meat Probe. Every meat will pose different questions, problems, and confusion when using the tool.

There is also the problem of having incorrect temperature readings. The arc controller may have issues displaying the meat probe’s temperature.

Sometimes, the grill turns off when plugging meat into the probe due to electrical discharge. 

The probe can also get broken to show negative readings instead of the normal range of the Traeger Meat Probe tool. It is thus crucial to understand the Traeger meat probe to get the best results for the barbeque.

Solutions to Traeger Meat Probe Problems

If the issue is due to production errors, then return it to the store you bought it with its warranty for replacement.

Otherwise, for issues to do with faulty calibration, follow the process given in this article to recalibrate the device. 

In the case of using the device on different types of meats, follow the recipe of each meat as recommended by the manufacturer of the device to get the best results without disappointment. 

 To avoid improper temperature readings, ensure that the grill temperature panel is functioning properly and set temperatures as recommended for each recipe.

The probe thermometer will consequently read the correct temperature readings. 

In the case of a broken Traeger meat probe, seek repair services and if we cannot salvage the device, then it is time to seek for a new replacement.

How to Troubleshoot a Traeger Temperature Probe

These are some tips that you can use to troubleshoot the Traeger temp probe calibration.

• Check if the meat probe tip is broken. A broken tip can be replaced with a new one. Otherwise, contact the Traeger customer care desk for them to instruct you better in case you are missing out on something. 
• Inspect the condition of the 3.5 mm jack. This is part of the Traeger Meat Probe which inserts into the grill controller. When it breaks in the controller, the pieces need to be removed from where it lodges. A jack removal tool can help in this process. After removing the broken jack and it does not resume normal functioning, consider purchasing a new meat probe as a replacement. 
• Examine if there is an electrical discharge before connecting the grill to the meat probe. An electrical discharge may cause the grill to turn off after connecting to the meat probe. To see if it’s a problem, touch a grounded frame when you insert or remove an electric cord from the grill.
• Check for erroneous temperature readings. If the thermometer calibration and readings seem inaccurate, solve the issue with probe calibration. Don’t worry about how to calibrate a Traeger meat probe. It is easy, especially with the right understanding of thermometer readings.

Traeger Meat Probe Calibration

The calibration process is simple and takes only a few minutes. Start with ice water. Proceed to insert the probe into the ice-cold water.

The thermometer should read 32 degrees celsius. If it does not read that, then adjust the calibration settings accordingly. 

Traeger Meat Probe Replacement

Before thinking of a replacement, check if you can troubleshoot the problem. Also, note that setting up the probe wrongly may be an issue, and the temperature readings will be automatically wrong.

Check if this could be the issue leading to undercooked or overcooked meat.  

If the Traeger meat probe completely fails to work, return it to the store where you bought it and explain the issue. The store will replace those damaged parts.

If there is a warranty on your model, then it may make things easier when trying to get them replaced. 

Conclusion

The Traeger temperature probe is perfect if you’re looking to cook meat the right way.

The tool allows continuous monitoring of the meat’s internal temperature to adapt and adjust to the cooking time. However, it can result in various problems and challenges that discourage many interested users. 

If you are one of those who were wondering how to use Traeger meat probes without problems, this article is of great use to you.

It shows how most of the problems people encounter while using the device can be easily addressed.

If you have a Traeger meat probe, how to use it should no longer be a bother again. Follow the above-discussed steps in instructions and troubleshooting tips and you will overcome the problems and you will get the best result for your barbeque.