Grate Perimeter Temp Measurement


 
D

Dave Russell

TVWBB Honor Circle
I've seen a couple of posts by Bob Bass and maybe someone else where they mentioned that Harry Soo puts his ATC probe just an inch or two inside the wall of the cooker, away from the meat. Anyone else tried this? I understand the reasoning. I just don't know how to adjust my times and temps. For instance, I've got a couple of 9 pounders I wanted to smoke tonight and most of tomorrow, low-n-slow, so I don't have to hold them hot long before for supper tomorrow night. We like 'em with the bark still crisp. Sixteen hours would be what I'd normally shoot for, cooking at approx. 225-235.

So to make it a rough 16 hr. cook, what should I set my PartyQ to if I'm going to have the probe clipped to the end of my Maverick probe on the top grate, but just outside the edge of the water pan? 250? Anyone got any experience cooking like this?

Thanks,
Dave
 
You want the probe inside the water pan but as close to the outside as possible. Basically you don't want it right next to the meat or it will read cold. You don't want it too close to the edge or it will read hot. So the best place is as close to the edge as possible without reading hot, that will give you an accurate reading of the temp in your pit.
 
I do mine like Harry does. Inch or two from outside edge and I hang it through the top grate and let it droop a couple inches. That way I get a little closer to an average of the top and bottom grate, but not perfectly average.

250 won't take 16 hours. We do 9 lb butts at 250 in comp and if put on at 2am will be done and have plenty of rest to turn in at 1 pm. My timeline at 275 is to put on at 3 am.
 
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Dave Alvarado said:
You want the probe inside the water pan but as close to the outside as possible. Basically you don't want it right next to the meat or it will read cold. You don't want it too close to the edge or it will read hot. So the best place is as close to the edge as possible without reading hot, that will give you an accurate reading of the temp in your pit.
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That's what I've been doing. I just want a more consistent measurement.
 
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J Hoke said:
I do mine like Harry does. Inch or two from outside edge and I hang it through the top grate and let it droop a couple inches. That way I get a little closer to an average of the top and bottom grate, but not perfectly average.
250 won't take 16 hours. We do 9 lb butts at 250 in comp and if put on at 2am will be done and have plenty of rest to turn in at 1 pm. My timeline at 275 is to put on at 3 am.
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J, not even 12 hours for nine pounders at 250? Ya'll foiling? What if I don't foil?
 
Dave Russell said:
That's what I've been doing. I just want a more consistent measurement.
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Well, so far this is NOT a more consistent measurement. I did a 180 spin of the cooker on the base a while ago and found that the other side of the grate was over a cool spot. Big difference, and I know that guys that measure at the vent or mid grate would be say, told you so. I got a really even burn on my last butt cook, but that was with briquettes. I wonder if my issue is that other than the bottom layer, my unlit is all lump. ??
 
Nope, and in fact most of the butts we cook are over 9 and less than 10 lb.

We foil at 4-5 hours, depending on color so I'm not much help on time w/o foiling. I notice that if the foil is opened to check the meat and doesn't get sealed back tight, it takes a lot longer to finish.

Never checked to see if we have a hot side, but that wouldn't surprise me since the controller fan is on one side and that is where the fire gets the air blowing on it. We have a practice comp next weekend and I'm going to check this. I might start pointing the mm away from the fan side, which on my cookers is to the front. MM gets done way before the rest of the butt. Great suggestion.
 
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J Hoke said:
Nope, and in fact most of the butts we cook are over 9 and less than 10 lb.

We foil at 4-5 hours, depending on color so I'm not much help on time w/o foiling. I notice that if the foil is opened to check the meat and doesn't get sealed back tight, it takes a lot longer to finish.

Never checked to see if we have a hot side, but that wouldn't surprise me since the controller fan is on one side and that is where the fire gets the air blowing on it. We have a practice comp next weekend and I'm going to check this. I might start pointing the mm away from the fan side, which on my cookers is to the front. MM gets done way before the rest of the butt. Great suggestion.
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Yeah, I figured as much. Foil will speed up a cook, no doubt, especially if done early, and timing is a huge part of comp BBQ.

Regarding where to put the pit probe, I'm wondering why not just hang in the top vent if you want a good avg. temp that's not affected much by meat temp? I know that's what a lot of guys do. Why just stick it in an inch or two on one side of the grate?
 
I typically only do one or two butts at once on any of my smokers. I put the Maverick on the top grate as far from the meat without getting over the edge of the water pan (pit probe). I get consistent results. I use a pair of Brinkman rib racks (one on each grate) and there is still room to put the pit probe on the grate (as far from the meat as possible and still not get over the edge.

Another way to do it would be to hang the pit probe from the bottom of the top grate.

FWIW
Keep on smokin',
Dale53:wsm:
 
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Received the Stoker a couple of weeks before attending Harry's class. Prior to the class, was placing the pit probe on the grate using the supplied clip but located away from the meat. During class, took some time looking at how Harry has his set up. He places his pit probe through one of the grommets so the pit probe's silicone sleeve rests inside the grommet. Changed my method to mimic Harry's and have been happy thereafter.

Installed the grommets at each grate hanger for the pit probe and up to 3 meat probes if using all 4 grommets. Moved the pit probe between all 4 locations during one cook and found a marked difference in temperatures. I have my sections situated so the fan is opposite the door, not that it really matters other than keeping it out of the way. Ended up just using the back grommet (fan side) closest to the where the Stoker controller is located for convenience and to keep the cables away from the WSM's sides.

Harry's set up make sense if you consider that you are trying to control the amount of energy applied to the cooking area. When using his set up, you will notice greater pit probe temperature swings than if measured at any other location. If you can tightly control temperature at that point, all other locations are even more steady.
 
Bob Bass said:
Received the Stoker a couple of weeks before attending Harry's class. Prior to the class, was placing the pit probe on the grate using the supplied clip but located away from the meat. During class, took some time looking at how Harry has his set up. He places his pit probe through one of the grommets so the pit probe's silicone sleeve rests inside the grommet. Changed my method to mimic Harry's and have been happy thereafter...Harry's set up make sense if you consider that you are trying to control the amount of energy applied to the cooking area. When using his set up, you will notice greater pit probe temperature swings than if measured at any other location. If you can tightly control temperature at that point, all other locations are even more steady.
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Makes sense, Thanks Bob. I guess I need to leave well enough alone.
 
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