The Fourth of July is nearing and that means it’s time to fire up the grills and smokers! Grilling, spending quality time with your family, enjoying delicious meals or having a neighborhood cookout all make for fantastic memories. Speaking of memories – here’s something you may have heard me say, or write in an article, before. “You want all of your guests to remember the fantastic time and great food – not a trip to the emergency room due to food poisoning.”
All the more reason to make sure you follow a few simple safety tips. For many outdoor cooks refrigeration, and the closest sink, is located inside the house and away from the grill. Chances are there won’t be any food safety related problems during your next outdoor grilling session but I thought sharing three safety tips would be a good idea.
That means this article will be based on the thought that I believe food thermometers are a must. I use them every day, that’s the way I’ve been trained. In 2017 – it’s probably a safe bet to assume that anyone involved with commercial food production, has military FS experience, or serves food to friends at both small and HUGE tailgate parties – probably uses a digital thermometer. If not, you need to!
CAPPEC Digital Thermometers
I’ve been using CAPPEC digital thermometers for years. Their website proudly states that they are leaders in the technology and dedicated to providing high-quality devices that utilize the latest technologies. “With products ranging from the best grill thermometer to accessories designed for brewers and candy makers, we are always striving to meet the demands of every chef and hobbyist.”
Full disclosure, I’ve written several blog posts and tested a few recipes for the company over the years. I reached out to them for some newer items to review for this article in the NBN. They provided several with the understanding that the review would be truthful and honest.
The CAPPEC Bluetooth Blaze and Glow Digital Thermometers.
I’ve never used a digital thermometer with Bluetooth capabilities. After using the ones from CAPPEC – I’ll probably never go back to my old remote thermometer. My old one looked like a bigger and bulkier version of the CAPPEC Blaze Bluetooth product.
It, my old version, had the ability to transmit the internal temperature of my smoker or meat, depending on where the sensor was placed, to the remote display which I often placed in my kitchen window. The problem was that if I closed the window on a winter day the signal would be lost. With new batteries, the signal could be picked up by the display about 40-50 feet. Also, the old version was limited on settings.
Both the CAPPEC Blaze and CAPPEC Luxury far surpassed my expectations. The directions are very simple, the settings are easy to work with. The CAPPEC Luxury has dual sensors which allowed me to monitor the chamber temperature as well as the Boston butt! Plus, the Blaze and Luxury’s Bluetooth feature meant the readings went straight to my phone using the free CAPPEC app for Android and Iphone.
I did have a slight hiccup when it came to the app but that was resolved by updating my phones Android software. The CAPPEC Glow is now part of my smoker and grill setup!
The CAPPEC Flare – My Favorite!
What started all of this is that my old CAPPEC digital thermometer was… liberated; for lack of a better word, during an event over a year ago. In a pinch, I headed to the nearby Walmart and purchased a cheap digital thermometer from the kitchen section. When I opened it to use it didn’t turn on. I returned and swapped it – the new one lasted about three weeks.
Then I bought another cheap one… and the plastic case cracked within a few uses. So, I FINALLY went online and purchased the CAPPEC Flare Digital Thermometer. I hope CAPPEC keeps this design around for a long time.
The CAPPEC Flare is a folding, pocket sized, instant digital thermometer that fits in a sturdy carry holster/case. It has a very bright screen with easy to use buttons – aka – fat finger friendly! And, unlike the cheap versions sold a box store for a couple of bucks the Flare has programable temperature settings. My favorite feature is the fact that the thermometer folds – this allows me the ability to get a reading from the back side of larger butts and still can see the screen.
Bottom Line: I’ll probably use my CAPPEC Flare several times a week for everything from recipe testing to grilling or smoking larger cuts of meat. It’s guaranteed to be used on the Thanksgiving Turkey! As for the CAPPEC Bluetooth thermometers – I’m going with the CAPPEC Blaze for ease of use, small rugged design, and connection via Bluetooth app. The CAPPEC Glow is more than capable, has all of the features needed… but I really like the Bluetooth feature with the CAPPEC Blaze. Also, just for everyone’s information. I will continue to use the Flare and Blaze – all other items have been/will be donated to charity.
_ Kent Whitaker is a culinary writer and cookbook author. He is the winner of the Emeril Live BBQ contest and winner of an American Authors Association Gold medal. Kent’s books are in bookstores nationwide and are available online. Kent lives in East Ridge, Tennessee. Visit him online at www.thedeckchef.com)
