Grate Temperatures


 
T

Tony Hunter

TVWBB Pro
Hey y'all!

I did two butts on my last cook. They were both refridgerated overnight after being mustard slathered and rubbed and they both went on the smoker after it came up to temp (225*). During the cook, I noticed that the butt on the top grate held a consistent 20* higher difference from the butt on the bottom. I made sure the water pan was full during the entire cook. To me this means that the smoker temp was lower at the bottom. So, if I run the WSM with nothing in the pan do you think I would get a more balanced smoker temp?
 
Tony -- there will always be a slight temperature difference between the top and bottom grates regardless of your water pan technique. The top grate will have a higher temperature than the bottom and the temperature will continue to be higher as you approach the top vents on the lid. In most cases you should be able to place 2 butts on the top grate (that is my preferred method). The temperature difference that you were seeing in the butts is likely attributed more to the difference in the butts (weight, fat content,etc.) than the temperature difference between the grates. Running with nothing in the pan could make it harder to control your temps although that is the method that many folks who use the BBQ Guru follow.
 
I found that using less water at the beginning tends to even up things a bit.

I'll add more water later after temps have stabilized before calling it a night.
 
Disparity between the grate temps tends to disappear over time--not always though as what's going on with the water pan (water being added, the temp of that water, etc.) has an affect--but as Rich notes differences in internal composition of the meats can mean internal temp differences irrespective of grate temp. Cooking with nothing in the pan, as I do for some cooks, sometimes means closer grate temps, the same, or reversed--it depends on the evenness of the burning fuel, how much is burning, and whether or not the cook is a low/slow.

Frankly I don't find the disparity, if any, between grate an issue no matter what it is. I am more concerned about finished results and disparity won't impact that negatively. Craig's trick works; I often let the Brinkmann run dry the last few hours of the cook if I'm using water (for a drier bark finish) which works too but disparity with internal temps can have more to do with the meats in question than the grate temps.

225 is rather low--imo, I'm not criticizing your choice but I don't see an advantage with butts. At 225 lid you're looking at 210-215 upper grate and close to 200 at the lower grate (at the outset), both low numbers. If the 225 is upper grate temp then, at least for the beginning several hours, the lower grate is likely to be ~210. Raising the overall temp by 15 degrees (or more-I cook butts at 250-265, e.g.) would help the butt on the lower get going better and should help grate temp disparity tighten sooner but there will still be a possibility of internal temp differences depending on the meats.
 
Tony, I cook without water in the pan. Just foil over the top. I find that the bottom cooks faster than the top now initially. But as Kevin said, over time, the temps even out . My lid temps are usually within 5-10 degrees of the grate. How was Carmel???
 
Paul,

I was supposed to cook without water this time but I wimped out!
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My next cook I will give that a shot.

Carmel is this Friday. I wont be solo yet but I will be on the Bucky McOinkums team. I am taking a judging class in June and hope to jugde at least once before Madison Ribberfest.

Are you doing any comps?
 
Tony, you'll be surprised when you cook without water. It really isn't that hard,at least on my WSM. I'm judging Mt Vernon, ILL,Glasgow, KY, and Owensboro,KY. I'm just doing three this year.
 
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