Understand what is meant by the warning notification: "Estimated cook time for this target temperature might be inaccurate."
About This Alert
This warning helps you understand why cook times may change during long, low-and-slow cooks over 195°F/90°C. The cook time estimate provided by the MEATER app can be affected by several factors.
When This Alert Appears
This alert will appear when you set a target temperature over 195°F / 90°C. It should appear only once unless you delete and reinstall the app between cooks.
What to Do When This Alert Appears
This warning is for your information, letting you know that the Cook Time Estimate may vary.
Key Information for High Target Temperatures
Factors that affect the Cook Time Estimate include the following:
- The Stall: The stall can vary, and it is one of the biggest reasons the app's estimated cook time may change. When the meat's internal temperature rises slowly or appears to peak, the time remaining can fluctuate in the app as it recalculates.
- The Size of the Meat: Larger cuts of meat can cool the surrounding air more when they are still cold. The probe’s ambient temperature reading may be lower than expected because of this, which impacts the estimate.
- Temperature Fluctuations: During long, slow cooks, the ambient temperature inside your cooker can fluctuate, especially if there are changes in fuel, air flow, or other conditions. This makes it difficult for the app to keep a consistent estimate, and the app will recalculate the time accordingly.
The Stall
When cooking large cuts of meat slowly, moisture evaporates from its surface, which cools the meat. This pauses the internal temperature increase. The duration of the stall can vary, which can make it hard to provide an accurate cook time estimate.
Size and Temperature
Larger cuts of meat bring down the temperature around them when cold, which affects the ambient temperature reading from the probe. This leads to fluctuations in the cook time estimate. Additionally, if the cooking environment's temperature fluctuates, the app will recalculate the time, further impacting the estimate.