A question about cooking temps


 
M

Mike Hartwell

TVWBB Pro
This concerns the cooker temps listed in the recipes on the website. All my decades of charcoal cooking have always been time and food temp related, I have never been concerned with the cooker temp.
Are these temps listed in those recipes taken at the lid or at the grate?
I have noticed the center grate temps at about 25-30 degrees hotter than at the lid/vent.
Thanks in advance for any help.
 
I believe Chris uses the lid. Some here use the lid, others the grate, some both.

My advice: get used to one place or the other. Me, I prefer the lid - at the vent (not an installed therm).

Neither time nor food temp works very well in determining 'done' with barbecue. The meat will tell you when it's done by feel. Meat can be cooked at many temps. It can become tender over various periods of time. When tender, a probe can read a variety of temps. But, when tender, it always feels the same.
 
Thank you for your reply.
I have looked at some of the techniques and methods you have generously contributed over the years and will continue to benefit from your experience, hopefully.
 
I assumed most were lid temps but I measure at the top grate but use the same target temps, usually 250º~275º.
 
I don't worry much about exact temps either. I just plan on finishing my cooking early.

For some reason, my fire methods, vent adjusting, or whatever...my cooker generally settles between 250-260, measured through the top vent with a Taylor digital probe. I don't try and fight it.

Dennis
 
I believe all the cooker temps in the recipes are lid temps. I personally just use the original equipment thermometer on mine. I've used several of the recipes doing low and slow as well as HH and have never had any problems (but whatever works.) I agree with Kevin that one should probably get used to one or the other.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top