Temperature Differential Between The Lid and The Cooking Grate


 
C

Clay Cope

TVWBB Fan
Quick question. I had always assumed that the lid was a higher temp than the cooking grates based on the Measuring Temperature in the WSM
page. On this page, it states that
when the Weber Bullet reaches a stable temperature of 225-250°F measured through the lid, the lid temperature averages 12-15°F higher than the top grate temperature and the top grate averages 4-10°F higher than the bottom grate.
Click to expand...

I just put in two (yes 2 to double check) thermometers on my cooking grate in my new 18.5" WSM, and I averaged 30 to 40 degrees warmer on the cooking grate than the lid thermometer is showing.

Is anyone else measuring both temps? Are you experiencing the same thing? Maybe the lid thermometer that came with the WSM is off?
 
I did a brisket last weekend. Put an oven thermometer on the top grate and have a tel tru mounted in the lid. The grate temp was 20-30 higher every time I checked.
 
Clay,

Did you have meat in the cooker when you monitored temps? I think the meat can act as a heat sink early on, causing grate temps to be higher than lid temps.

But I did end up ditching the thermo that came with my 22 because it was so inaccurate.
 
Good point about the meat acting as a heat sink. I measured after the brisket was in the smoker. I'll have to check next time before putting a brisket on.
 
I stopped measuring in the lid when I'm going low and slow. early on, my meat wasn't cooking because my grate temps we not what I thought they were. Once I figured that out, I stopped relying on it for accurate info.

Now I use the eyelets, but those can be problematic if the probes are close to or touching the meat or if the probe happens to be in the column of heat coming up around the pan.
 
J, what does that mean you use the eyelets? I'm trying to figure out the best way to measure the true temp of the cooking grate.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Clay Cope:
J, what does that mean you use the eyelets? I'm trying to figure out the best way to measure the true temp of the cooking grate. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Clay, see here for a discussion on the eyelets. Or, if you want to visit the product page for the eyelets, go here.

Basically, the eyelets take the place of one of the bolts holding the grill straps up. The eyelets are hollow, allowing wires/probes to pass through them. Using the eyelets eliminates the need to run wires under the lid. I don't have any yet, but this is a planned modification (my first, in fact) for my WSM.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I'm trying to figure out the best way to measure the true temp of the cooking grate. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

you can pierce a half potato with your probe so the tip sticks out, then put the potato probe (cut down) on the grate next to the meat. this is a useful technique with offsets so you can move the potato around your grilling surface in order to identify hot and cold spots.

If you go the eyelet route, this little guy is a fairly inexpensive probe:
http://www.sausagemaker.com/in...=VIEWPROD&ProdID=296
the drawback is the wire is plastic coated so you can't use it inside the wsm and its maximum is 300* so its only good for low/slow.
 
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