40 F Temp Split


 
J

Jimbo M.

TVWBB Fan
Has anyone seen a 40 F temperature split between the dome temp and the top grate temp? I think maybe I overloaded my WSM, but I'm reading a 250F dome and between a 195 to 200 temp on the top grate.

I'm going to go by the dome because I know a dome temp of 250 is 235-238 on my WSM.

I ask because I have about 38lbs in 4 pork butts on the two grates. Looks like I'm in for a long haul ...
 
Jimbo,

I see this quite often with that much meat in the smoker. Hard to find a place for the probe that is not quite close to the "cold" meat. The difference should decrease once things get "cooking."

JimT
 
Thanks. Thought I had a bad probe but it seemed to measure air and an empty WSM just fine.

Yeah, I *definitely* overdid it this time. I'll be smokin' 'til Sunday I bet.
 
This is the main reason that I go by the lid temp all the time. Even my Guru Pit temp probe is in the lid vent. Being by the cold meat gives bad readings at the start of the cook.
Jim, I had 3 grates full of butts before, that was when I decided to use the lid vent. Never a problem since.
 
Bob,

I think I'm a new convert to the lid temp. I don't have a Guru, but I'm planning on adding a Tel-Tru thermo per Chris' instructions.

If the empty WSM measurement is accurate, I found I'm about 14 - 16 F hotter at the dome than at the grate. I'm pretty sure even I can handle the math to keep my grate temps 225 - 235.

BTW -- took 16 hours to cook 38# to 190. Funny, I was planning on longer, but once through the plateau with the temps being measured from the dome, things progressed nicely.
 
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