Thermometer question

[Kidchyron]

Okay, this might be a dumb question with a obvious answer that's just eluding me, but I was a good noob, did several searches and couldn't find an answer:

After doing a few 1-gallon kit brews, I just bought the gear for my first full 5-gallon from-a-recipe brew. Among the equipment I bought was one of those 12" dial thermometers that clips onto the side of the brewpot. I see from other threads that a lot of brewers use these thermometers, but no matter how I clip it onto the pot, the probe is resting against the inside of the pot, and I've read (in those same threads) that that's going to give me an inaccurate reading.

So my question is, what am I missing here?

(And don't get me started on my idiotic discovery that my new immersion chiller can't be attached to the spray faucet in my kitchen. I found those threads just fine... )

 

[jonmohno]

Dont use the clip i dont,it sits in more.

 

[ACbrewer]

I have a cooking tool (several actaully) that can go from one side of the pot to the other, and also can hold my thermometer - I put it in one of these and have it somewhat in the middle.

Alternatively, you will have to diy on a clip adjustment to have it off the sides

 

[commonsenseman]

Mine rests against the side of the pot too, until I add water. Then it sits nicely at a 45-degree angle.

 

[Kidchyron]

Thanks, AC! It took a bit of trial and error before I found a tool that the thermometer didn't swing around freely on, but once I did (a potato masher, believe it or not) it works like a charm.

(commonsenseman: I haven't tried it with actual liquid in the pot yet, I hope mine does the same thing....)

 

[ACbrewer]

Well I'm using a meat thermometer, so I have to guess when it is above about 195 - although the rolling boil is a good clue so I don't have a clip, and therefore have to use something like a potato masher, etc to hold it.