Cork wasn't "cork"


 
J

Jerry Pollard

TVWBB Super Fan
I am a newbie. Some good help from some on the forum for finding and using a Temp gauge on my new wsm. The cork idea seemed quick and easy.
Got one from a wine bottle, fit almost perfectly.
Put into operation yesterday. After about an hour cooking things were looking good!
Notice some movement in the gauge and started to straighten it. THe thing "melted".
just a little story. I'm going to drill an hole and make a permanent fixture for a temp gauge.
i guess the cork look is like a lots of things these days, "it aint what it appears to be"

Jerry P
 
Not all wine stoppers are made from real cork--which works just fine.

Drilling is certainly a method that works for a lot of people. If you want to go with quick and easy, try this thermometer sold by BBQ Guru. I have used it on high heat smoke roasting in the kettle as well as low and slow on the WSM and it won't melt.
 
Speaking of corks, I had an interesting experience with one a few days ago. I whittled a 'real' cork down to fit a lid vent hole and inserted a Nu-Temp probe in it.

My WSM got so hot that the reading was HHH, so I quickly tried to pull out the cork, but it had expanded and was stuck tightly into the hole. I did manage to get the Nu-Temp probe out and hope it wasn't damaged. I haven't had a chance to test it yet. I had to break the cork to remove it.

Rita
 
There's an alternative to cork, which I think is much better. Restaurant supply houses sell stainless steel pastry tips (for decorating cakes and pastry with icing). They come in a variety of different types -- the one you want has a very small sawtoothed hole in the tip, the smallest sawtooth hole you can find.

Just put the thermometer in through the big end, through the hole and use pliers to squeeze the sawteeth snugly around the thermometer probe. Wallah!

It fits snugly in the WSM, can be easily removed for cleaning and does NOT MELT.
 
I have a question about the thermometer from BBQ guru. Do you drill a hole for that or just place it in the lid vent hole?
 
Looks like you have to drill a rather large hole. They say "Mount fits 1/2"-7/8" hole"

Seems to me better suited for other smokers.

They make the eyelets for the WSM which work great with the Maverick ET-73 remote thermometer.
 
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