Need help with temp

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I'm trying to cook ribs for the first time and can't get the temp of my smoker below 260. I starting lighting the charcoal at 11:30, and followed the recommendations for Firing-Up the Cooker on the BRITU page on this site. Even though I've had the bottom three vents closed since I started the temp isn't dropping. I tried closing the top vent about 90% a half hour ago, but that hasn't done much either. Guess it doesn't help that it's 90+ degrees outside and the smoker is in the sun. Any suggestion anyone can give me will be much appreciated. We'd like to eat before 10... Thanks!
 
Add some cold water to the water pan. You can also try throwing several ice cubes in the pan to bring down the temp. Just out of curiosity - where do you have the thermometer and are you certain it is accurate? Also, have you put the ribs on yet? The meat will definately bring your temps down.
 
I've got a Polder thermometer on the grate and another thermomer on the lid. The one on the lid is regestering slightly higher than the one on the grate. I haven't put the ribs on yet. I wanted to make sure it was okay to do so while the temp was still this high. The good news is the grate temp has dropped from 262 to 254 in the last 20 minutes. If it's safe to put the ribs on at that temp then I'll give it a try. Thanks.
 
Phil I have the same problem when it is hot. It is the sun!!! Go by the temp at the first grate. I am cooking right now too and the smoker is about 25* hotter at the dome. Once you check the top grate temp, things should be about where you want them. If you do not have a thermometer at the top grate, you should get one soon! I got the Weber #9815 thermometer and removed the top screw for the grate bracket and slide it through and then slid a wine bottle cork over the probe on the thermometer. Works like an charm and is very cheap. Let me know how things turn out. Good luck.
 
Just like when you adjust vents for temp control, you have to lead it a bit, i.e. when the temp is climbing, adjusting the vents downward before you get to the target cooker temp. If I light my WSM standard method and assemble the cooker once the coals have ashed over, the typical scenario is that the cooker shoots up to about 450*. With the vents set to about 20% each, the temp will soon begin to decline towards cooking temp. However (big however), I don't wait for it to get to 225-250* before putting the meat on-- I put it on when the cooker reaches about 325*, because I know the cold meat will act as a heatsink, and, typically, bring the cooker to my target temp in rather short order. If you wait until 225-250*, it will only come back up to about 170-190*, and then will take a period of time to get up to the temp you want.
 
Thanks for the help. I put the ribs on a half hour ago when the grate temp was 244. It has since leveled off to about 230. Can't wait for dinner!
 
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