Help with temperature


 
M

Michael

TVWBB Fan
So I have tried pork shoulder a few times in my WSM, really the only thing I have done since I picked it up a few months ago.

I have two different probes and temp sensors and I have always gone by the grate temp. The grate is around 40 degrees hotter (top grate) then what the Weber thermostat shows. Is this normal?

I ask because every time I have done one it takes forever. For an 8-9 lb bone in shoulder it normally takes around 20 hours smoking at around 240 - 250.

Just got me thinking if I should be using the Weber top thermostat as that would bump it up another 40 degrees and would probably cook around the “average” time I normally see people post.

Just wanted to get opinions if I am doing this right. Also, I don’t wrap it.
 

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Michael, 20 hours sure seems long for that size shoulder at 240F, so something is off. I'm assuming you have tested the probes for accuracy (in ice water, and boiling water?) Outside of that, placement is the other big one that can throw things off.....if the probe tip is near the outside of the grate, it could read higher since the heat tends to be higher above the gap between the water pan and cooker.

I have a general distrust of any of the built in thermometers, but it sure seems like you were cooking much closer to 200F than 240F (though a shoulder can take ~2hours per pound (though I wouldn't really expect that at 240. Something is amiss here with your probe or placement, I think.

Rich
 
It looks like your using a Thermoworks Smoke for your pit probe. I'd be money that it's accurate, the Weber thermometer not so much. Rich has a point about probe placement. I put mine in the center of the grate if possible (depends on what I'm cooking), otherwise I'm as far in from the edge as possible. I've done several pork buts and never had one take more than 8-10 hours. 20 hours is a long cook for a pork butt.
 
You are probably right on the placement. I tried to get closer, and I will move them now. The perfect spot for them seems to be on the edge, but that probably is the hottest spot. Just tried to keep them away from the meat so the meat wouldn’t throw it off. Thanks for the quick reply.
Adding a pick of the current placement. Same place I have been putting them every time.
 

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Moved them closer. Is there a better place?

I need to wait a bit for a good updated reading with them closer to the center since I had to remove the lid.
 

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Yeah, I would say that it's probe placement that's leading you to believe you are cooking hotter than you are. I think where you moved it will work. Remember that the outside of the meat will get to pit temp pretty quickly, so as long as you have some spacing, it shouldn't affect the probe reading. Let us know what it reads once it settles in at the new spot. You could also slide your shoulder a bit off center to give you more probe placement options, just not so far that you are putting the meat in that hot zone.
 
Two because I just bought a new one and this is my first cook on it. I don’t normally have two. Wanted to see how it would run against my thermoworks smoke. The new one has 4 probes, and the smoke has two. Many times I need more then two, so I picked up an InkBird one to try out. Just didn’t want to try it without having my trusty Smoke in there too.

InkBird is wifi, but runs on a charge....but again, first live test on it.
Temp is now 255 or so on the probes and 230 on the lid. Too much oxygen when the lid was off I guess. Need to give it more time to settle.
 
Both probes showing 252 (nice they are the same) and lid is at 227 or so. Lid takes more time to adjust though. I will update again later. Thanks for the guidance.
 
All still the same 10 minutes later. About 25 degrees different from grate to lid. Guess that is normal. Wish it was closer. But I guess it still falls in the Weber “smoke” section of the thermostat.
 
I also have a thermoworks smoke and I put the air probe through the grommet. I usually smoke at between 240-260 measured from there. It takes me about 7-8 hours for a 5 lb pork butt. I normally wrap in foil when the internal temperature is around 160.
 
JWorden said:
I also have a thermoworks smoke and I put the air probe through the grommet. I usually smoke at between 240-260 measured from there. It takes me about 7-8 hours for a 5 lb pork butt. I normally wrap in foil when the internal temperature is around 160.
Click to expand...
Thanks. You just leave it hanging in the grommet? I haven’t ever wrapped one yet so I don’t have a time on that. The stall does take forever and I seem to hit more then one.
 
Yes, I use the longer grommet opening for the meat probe and the hole next to it for the air temp. The dome temperature runs 30-40 degrees low until I wrap it and then it's much closer. It's the only way I've ever done it.

Since you have two probes you can do a comparison and report back.
 
The dome thermometer is in a different spot , can read hotter or cooler.

If you have water pan or deflector, most of that heat comes up walls, you don't want it in that flow

I try to put it about 1.5" from meat , as much towards center as possible.

Too close....it will read cooler, a big block of 37f meat is like a 9 lb ice cube....
 
I should add I do use a water pan. I'm aware of the heat issue around the edges but I've just gotten used to this setup.

I think what's most important is to pick a method and stick with it for consistency.
 
Last update for the evening. Probes at 230, lid at 200.

Dome temp seems to be 25-30 degrees lower then grate temp.

Tested with the MK4 just for fun. Maybe my Weber gauge is just way off.

MK4 in grommet, in damper, and the dome.
 

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Well, the weber is attached to the metal lid, so that may temper its readings too. The metal is much cooler than air inside.
 
Since heat is energy, you will loose some of that energy to whatever food you are cooking, else you wouldn't be cooking....
 
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