I need help!


 
G

Gregory

TVWBB Member
So I've got my first long cook going...6 lb pork butt on top and 9 lb brisket on bottom. I fired it up using the Minion method and I'm getting weird readings from my lid thermometer stuck through the vents and my smoker probe on my ET-73.

I calibrated them both and I got 205 in boiling water like I'm supposed to at my altitude. When I put them in the smoker I'm getting 285 at the grate with the ET-73 and right around 250 with the Pyrex candy thermometer! What one do I trust? I've got the pork butt on a Weber roast holder because it was seperating a little bit and I wanted it to stay together. The probe at the grate isn't touching any metal parts. It's 2:20 AM and I can't stay up and babysit it all night! I thought the lid temp was normally higher than the grate temp.
 
I would trust them both. If you don't have a thermometer far enough in the vent (4 inches or so), you get a lower reading. If you have a grate thremometer too close to the edge, you get a higher reading.

You can take the et-73 probe and stick it through the vent and let it hang at about the same place as the candy thermometer and see if they read the same.
 
I just checked and I do have the candy therm at least 4 inches in so that's good.

You're a genius my friend, I hung the ET-73 probe down through the top vent and it read the same as the candy therm. I'm using the clip that came with the ET-73...I guess it isn't holding the probe up high enough from the grate? Anyone else have this problem?
 
Do you think the probe is touching the grate? I've never heard of anyone having issues with the probe being close to the grate. Usually, the probe is too close to the edge of the grate and the reading is thrown off because of the hotter air coming up the side of the cooker past the water pan.
 
I measure at the grate and never had a problem. Just make sure you're away from the edge as everyone is advising.

Rath *lid virgin*
 
Well the cook turned out good. I don't know what is dry or what is really moist with brisket but there were definately some parts that were to die for and some seemed a tad try. On the opposite side of the point there was a layer of fat between the brisket...the meat in that area was very good. How can I get all of the brisket to be that moist? Foil? I cooked it to 180.

Then pork butt was really good. I can tell that pork butt is a fool proof easy cook that seems like it can turn out good each time. I did the Mr. Browns recipe. Good stuff!

I'm still not sure what was up with measuring at the grate. I wonder if it was too close to the metal on the roast holder?
 
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