My latest mods to the Mini-Joe Gold


 

Robert McGee

TVWBB Gold Member
While I was visiting my son, Shannon, in North Carolina, we broke in his new Mini-Joe Gold. He had a couple of innovations that I decided to incorporate in my Mini-Joe Gold. In spite of the fact that I have a Maverick 732, I also wanted a dial thermometer for those cooks that I don't use the Maverick (chicken and ribs are two that come to mind). So, I installed a Char-Broil thermometer that only extends an inch or so into the cooking chamber. Well, after using it for a couple of cooks I realized that it wasn't doing a particularly good job. It wasn't a fault of the thermometer (even tho' we all know that the analog therms are not all that accurate). The problem was the thermometer, because it only extended an inch or so into the cooker, was measuring the super heated air/smoke that comes around the deflector and runs up the insides of the cooker. The food is mostly towards the center of the cooker.


Shannon used a bit different approach. He went to a local hardware store (he has a VERY large, old fashioned local Hardware Store available to him), bought a Weber long stemmed thermometer and found a flared type brass fitting that was a slip fit for the thermometer stem. The problem with a permanently mounted, long stem thermometer is it will interfere with installing or removing the food grates. However, Shannon's method is to install the flare type fitting that has a small hole that is just big enough for the stem of the thermometer. After you have the food grates installed, you just slip the thermometer in the fitting and you are "good to go". Slick as can be.

The flare type fitting (get the thermometer first, then buy the particular fitting that fits the stem):


The flare fitting installed (from the inside). You will see it hardly extends into the inside at all (less than an inch):



Here is the long stem dial type Weber thermometer (this is the thermometer from the Performer of a few years ago. It is still a stock item at Weber dealers but might not be in the future (the new Performer has the therm in the dome, not through the handle):





This thermometer is installed just under the food grate (which is installed about 4" below the top of the pot). This is the most useful position to put it. It will give the average temperature where the food actually sits. When you need to remove one or more of the food grates, just slip the thermometer out, lay it under the Smoky Joe and finish what you need.

Shannon does one other thing. He can see his Mini-Joe from inside the house (the kitchen looks out on the deck where he grills). He is too far away to read the numbers on the therm but he can see the hand. If he chooses to cook ribs at 275 degrees, he turns the dial so that the temp is on top (12 o'clock position). If the dial hand is straight up and down, he knows the temp is correct. You can do that with any temp you pick. This also adds a good bit of utility value to the installation.

That is tip number one...

Tip number two: is to remove the knob from the original steamer lid. Drill a hole in the top vent tab on the Smoky Joe and install the knob - now you have a heat proof knob to adjust the top vent. Be sure that you drill the hole high enough that the knob doesn't touch the top of the lid (it is plastic and will melt).

Tip number three: is to put a small piece of duct tape over the screw hole in the center of the steamer lid (where the knob screw used to be). Now, you have a perfect tray to sit the assembled pot on to avoid marking a table top, or your patio surface (with grease from the cooker). Further, you can put the "barrel" on the lid, take the unit into the kitchen and load it up with meat (we filled both cooking and rib racks with eight half racks of spares in the kitchen and carried it outside without fear of any rub, oil, or grease stains dropping out of the pot). This really adds to the utility value of the cooker. If you have to refuel during a long cook, you can use the lid to set the pot on without removing the lid (it will hold heat amazingly well while adding charcoal to the Smokey Joe). Then just set the pot back on and resume. No harm, no foul...

Thanks for listening...

Dale53:wsm:
 
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Very nice. That's exactly what I did with my UDS. But on the mini I use the lid vent to insert my thermometer, and that approach works well too. :)
 
Here is a picture of the knob from the steamer lid that I installed on the Mini-Joe. It just required slightly bending the tab and drilling a clearance hole. I needed a slightly longer screw and found one in my junk bin.



Dale53:wsm:
 
Nice mods! I will be using my deep fryer thermometer on my mini this Thursday to monitor temps in a similar fashion you did.
 
Robert-
Are there any problems with the thermometer slipping out? Since the "reader" is heavier than the stem, should I worry about it falling?
 
E Mann;
There is actually very little "wiggle room" and the stem is long. It's not been a problem. Of course, if you pick it up to carry it, it could fall out. Just slide it out before you move it.

FWIW
Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 

 

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