Cook Time Estimate in the MEATER App

Understanding MEATER App's Cook Time Estimator

With MEATER’s Cook Estimator, you’ll know how long it takes for your steak, chicken, or other meats to cook before they’re ready to come off the heat to rest.

How Cook Time Estimate Works

The cook estimator in the MEATER app uses the probe's internal and ambient temperature readings, along with the type of protein you select when starting a cook, to calculate when you can expect your meat to be ready to remove from the heat. The estimator also accounts for the continued rise in temperature that occurs during the rest period before you cut into it.

How long does it take to get an estimate?

The estimated time to completion doesn't calculate immediately, so it's normal for the estimate to be blank at the beginning of the cook. The algorithm that calculates the estimate needs to gather enough data before it can give an accurate value.

• The cook estimate will display its estimate once the internal temp rises about 16°F or 8°C from the starting internal temp.
• Likewise, the app's ambient temp will initially appear as a dash until it reads 10°F/5°C above the internal temperature.
  
  

Best Practices for Successful Cook Estimate

The cook estimator works best when you follow a few simple tips, outlined in this MEATER Pro Know video.

• Let your meat come up to room temperature before cooking.
• The estimated cook time will appear when the internal temperature has increased ~16°F/8°C.
  • Frozen or cold food (e.g., straight from the fridge to the grill) will take longer to rise in temperature—another reason to allow your meat to come up to room temperature before cooking.
• More data means more accurate estimations, so you’ll get the most accurate estimates by cooking low and slow.
• The estimator will produce more accurate time estimates when the ambient temperature is steady.
• When cooking large cuts of meat like brisket or pork shoulder that have high target temperatures (195°F/90°C), it is common to experience a "stall" in temperature. The cook time estimator doesn’t account for this delay, as it can vary greatly from one cut of meat to the next.
• Remove your meat from the heat when instructed, even if it seems under the target temperature.
  
  • The algorithm accounts for “carryover cooking” during the resting period.
  • Rest your meat on a cool plate, rack, or cutting board and do not wrap it.
  • If you must wrap your meat, note that the algorithm doesn’t account for wrapping, so you may want to set a lower target temperature to avoid overcooking.
    
    

Cook Estimate Not Calculating

If the MEATER app's Cook Estimate isn’t showing an approximate time to completion, it’s usually not because it’s not working. It’s most likely a delayed estimate because best practices aren’t being followed.

1. Check your cook’s starting internal and ambient temperatures.
   • Starting with frozen or cold meat: Frozen or cold food (e.g., straight from the fridge to the grill) will take longer to rise in temperature. Since the estimator only displays an estimate once the protein’s internal temperature has increased ~16°F/8°C, starting with cold meat will take longer to get an estimation.
2. Check the cook length and how long it’s taken the internal temperature to rise.
   • The estimated cook time will appear when the internal temperature has increased ~16°F/8°C.
3. Check the ambient temperature.
   • The estimator will produce more accurate time estimates when the ambient temperature is steady. Constant changes can cause additional delays in the estimate calculation.

Cook Estimate Seems Inaccurate

Inaccurate cook estimations are a common concern that can usually be resolved by understanding your expectations, how you’re using your MEATER, and following best practices.

1. Type of Protein Being Cooked
   • Positioning the probe in a thinner section of meat will impact the cook time estimate. These sections cook faster as the internal temperature rises more quickly, resulting in a shorter estimate than in the thickest part of the meat.
2. Changes to Cooking Temperature
   • If you change the heat applied to the meat, the estimate will reflect this. Lowering the appliance temperature will slow the rate of temperature increase, making the estimate longer. Increasing the appliance temperature will speed up the temperature rise, shortening the estimate.
3. Temperature Stalls on Large Cuts of Meat
   • For large cuts of meat cooked to high internal temperatures (like brisket or pork butt), there is often a stall when cooked low and slow.
   • During these long cooks, the heat of the appliance evaporates moisture in the meat, which has a cooling effect similar to when people sweat on a hot day. This causes the infamous barbecue stall that all pitmasters dread. The duration of the stall can vary greatly between different cuts of meat, so it’s tricky to predict how long it’ll last.
   • In these types of cooks, you’ll see the cook time change quite a bit in the app while the internal temperature rise slows down, adding more time to the estimated time to completion.
4. Using MEATER Probes in Small or Thin Cuts of Meat
   • Positioning the probe in a thinner section of meat will also impact the cook time estimate. These sections cook faster as the internal temperature rises more quickly, resulting in a shorter estimate than in the thickest part of the meat.
5. Flipping Meat
   • Flipping the meat will cause a fluctuating estimate as the temperature increase at the probe’s location slows each time the meat is flipped.
   • When you flip the meat, the cooler side that wasn’t exposed to the heat source now has to increase in temperature. The heat must penetrate the layers of meat to reach the probe’s location and continue cooking the meat at that spot. While this happens, the estimated time to completion will increase.