Remote Cooking Systems and Methods

An apparatus for monitoring a cooking item's status, comprising:

• a display;
• a memory having stored therein at least two cooking items' profiles, and a suggested correct cooking temperature associated with each possible cooking graduation of each cooking item's profile;
• a user input device adapted and configured to receive at least one user-selection of a cooking graduation of a cooking item's profile;
• a wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly receive the cooking item's current temperature;
• and
• a processor, in operable communication with the display, the memory, the user input device, and the wireless transmitter, being adapted and configured to:
• (i) retrieve, from the memory, the suggested correct cooking temperature associated with the user-selected cooking graduation of the cooking item's profile;
• (ii) compare said cooking item's current temperature to the retrieved suggested correct cooking temperature;
• and
• (iii) calculate, and display on said display, an estimated finish time at which said current temperature will reach said retrieved suggested correct cooking temperature.

A temperature monitoring system for monitoring a temperature status of at least one food item, the temperature monitoring system comprising:

• a first unit comprising a display and a processing unit in communication with a wireless transmitter and positionable at a location near the food item being cooked, the processing unit being operatively connectable to at least one temperature sensing device placeable at a plurality of locations relative to the food item by which a temperature of the food item is measureable during a cooking operation in a cooking device;
• the processing unit being adapted and configured to:
• (i) receive a current temperature from a first temperature sensing device;
• (ii) display the current temperature on the display;
• and
• (iii) wirelessly transmit the current temperature over said wireless transmitter;
• and
• a computer application, adapted and configured for installation on at least one second unit, said computer application further adapted and configured to:
• (i) receive the wirelessly transmitted current temperature;
• (ii) receive, store, process and display user-selectable data entry including one or more target temperatures;
• (iii) determine and display an estimated time when said current temperature will reach said one or more target temperatures;
• and
• (iv) transmit an indication to a user via an alert signal when the current temperature reaches said one or more target temperatures.

A method for monitoring a cooking status of one or more food items during a cooking operation, comprising the steps of:

• using a power supply in a case to deliver power to a temperature sensor, wherein at least a portion of the temperature sensor is disposed in a cavity in the case;
• removing the temperature sensor from the case and inserting the temperature sensor, which is configured to indicate a depth of insertion thereof, into a food item to an indicated depth of insertion;
• using the temperature sensor to measure the food item's current cooking temperature;
• using a wireless transmitter to activate and manage a wireless connection and wirelessly receive the food item's current temperature;
• storing the food item's current temperature in a computer application adapted and configured to execute on a processor;
• using the computer application to receive, via a user input device, a user selectable cooking item's profile;
• using the computer application to retrieve, from a memory accessible to the computer application, a suggested cooking temperature associated with the user selected cooking item's profile;
• using the computer application to calculate an estimated finish time at which the food item's current temperature will reach the suggested cooking temperature;
• and
• displaying, on a display operably connectable to the processor, the food item's current temperature, and the calculated estimated finish time.