Hood temp vs. top grill temp

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Digital thermo reads 180 in the top vent hole, but oven thermo on top grill reads 235. You think there can be such a flux between these two areas?

Cooking chicken, so grill temp is just below perfect.
 
Always best to check all thermometers with boiling water to know where you stand with each. Check your oven thermo by first checking the probe one with boiling water. Then use your oven to compare the probe to the oven thermo by using both in the oven simultaneously. I am assuming here you mean a digital themometer with a remote probe

Your observation is atypical, but not unheard of. Is the grate thermometer near the edge of the grate? If so, it could be in the hotter air rising around the circumference of the water pan.

I have, in the past, had such an upside-down reading and attributed it to the digital probe reading cooler because of its proximity to the top vent on a breezy day. Also, be sure that probe isn't touching what's cooking on the top grate-- that will certainly affect the reading.
 
Gary...

On occasion I have noticed this inverted differential. However, NEVER that much. Check the thermo in the top vent for accuracy.

Either ice water or boiling water will do the trick. Boiling water will be much more accurate.
 
All thermos have been tested, and working properly. Interesting point about placement. Yes, the two oven thermos on the grill are near the edge, however, they still only read 235. You'd think they were closer to the 270 upstairs.

After 2.5 hours, my 4 lbs chicken is at 170. I estimate 40 mins. left??? Give or take. Does that seem right?
 
If it's 170 measured in the breast, it's over done. You're looking for 160-165 in the breast and 170-175 in the thigh.
 
I'm curious why the top vent is reading so much lower or lower at all than the top rack...I thought it was suppose to be the other way around. To share my very limited experience with oven thermometers (1 whole cook under my belt..lol) they suck. Mine was 25 degrees too high after calibrating, and I had a discussion with a buddy who is a chef that said oven therms always suck...so I am getting rid of it and eyeballing the remote everyone is talking about in here....just waiting to see if their praise holds up with time.

Avoid my mistake and calibrate them every time you are about to use them...I didn't and it caused me a lot of grief.
 
My guess ...

... with that much difference in the top thermo through the vent (if both were working properly) it had to be touching the chicken.

Cheers!!

bugg /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
I'll take a stab at this(although new here I do have years of experience).Of course we all know that hot air rises and in a situation like a vented smoker the concept is- slow cooking by forcing the hot gases to flow around the meat. In the case of a "bullet" style smoker the hot air has a simple means of escape, straight up. However,the water pan breaks this straight path and causes temperature variations on its way out. The edges and the upper rack of the WSM will register higher temps. Placement of 3 seperate Poulder gauges confirmed as much as a 90 degree difference between the middle of the lower rack and the outside rim of the upper rack. Ever notice how the meat closest to the edge of the grate is a little more well done? I always try to take temperature readings right next to the meat and adjust time accordingly.

Good luck, Dave
 
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