top grate vs. bottom grate temps

[John09]

This week I did my biggest cook so far on the WSM, 4 butts, about equal weights, totaling 42 pounds. I have some observations and questions though. I put my pit temp probe just under the upper rack and keep around 225 for the majority of the smoke, no foil was used. I just have a clay saucer in my water pan

The lower butts finished first (I have no idea how much warmer that rack is than the top), one at 1.5 hours a pound, one took 1.75 hours a pound. I feel like they were the better butts.

The butts on the upper rack took 2 hours a pound. By this point I felt like the outer meat was starting to dry out. The thermapen showed (and you could tell by feel) that the all meat end was nearly 200 whille the areas closer to the bone were in the low 180s. They felt firm too. I kept cooking until thoe areas hit 200 and softened up, but by then the outer parts seemed to be drying out.

Have you guys observed this? Any advice? Right now I'm inclined to ramp up my butt temps to something more like 250 and see if higher heat gets the whole thing done more evenly.

 

[Glenn W]

Bumping to 250 should do it. I used the clay method as well and the bottom is hotter than the top vs. the water method where the top is hotter. Not sure how much, I use the dome thermometer and keep around 250 on most of my q.

If I only do 1 chunk-o-meat 225 does ok but I think I have better results at 250ish.

Think of it this way, more meat = additional heat sinks!

 

[Trevor Rickards]

When I'm cooking a big batch of meat like this, I like to move things around. About half way through, when I'd normally be spraying with apple juice, I like to move what ever's on the top to the bottom and vise versa, and I would flip the meat at the same time. I think this helps eliminate the problems of uneven heat in the cooker.