New with 22- temp advice needed


 
M

MattCotter

TVWBB Member
I am wondering how you guys get temps over 250. I have done an all night butt smoke and a rib smoke with 6 racks of St. Louis spares so far. Minion method with fuel pretty loaded up. This thing really like 225-230, and that is on the lid thermometer. I have heard they run hot when new so I'm concerned about getting hot enough temps. Top vent wide open and bottoms mostly opened. Thoughts?
 
The built in lid therms have been known to read 50-70 deg cooler then grate temp towards the beginning of a cook, so you might be hotter than you think. You could check it by putting another one like an oven therm on the top grate or an instant read or turkey fryer therm in the top-vent ( top vent usually runs 10-15 deg higher then grate )
And you did check it in boiling water, right? :wsm:
Edit: And did you use a heat sink like water? If you want higher temps ditch the sink and run with an empty foiled pan.
Tim
 
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Mine is usually 40-50° off on the lid. So if mine said 230° I'd be closer to 280°. Never trust the dome thermometer. I was cooking ribs today (w/o the water pan ) and my dome was 90° off. Also, don't chase your temps too much. It will drive you crazy.
 
MattCotter said:
I am wondering how you guys get temps over 250. I have done an all night butt smoke and a rib smoke with 6 racks of St. Louis spares so far. Minion method with fuel pretty loaded up. This thing really like 225-230, and that is on the lid thermometer. I have heard they run hot when new so I'm concerned about getting hot enough temps. Top vent wide open and bottoms mostly opened. Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Are you using water in the pan?
 
First thing I would do is get another thermometer like a Maverick or something similar. Then cook a turkey or a turkey breast, which likes a high temp cook. Run it with all vents wide open. You should see temps around 350°. And as others have said, no water in the pan.
 
With the butts I ran water in the pan. With the ribs I did not, I just foiled it and left it empty. I guess I need to get these temps figured out. I'm so confused with all the thermometers I need. I'm thinking of an ATC, an instant read, an now I need an oven thermometer. This is more expensive hobby than my fishin and golfing...the two reasons I think I need an ATC. I thought the lid therm would read hotter because temp rises and I've read the top rack is hotter than the bottom.
 
MattCotter said:
... I thought the lid therm would read hotter because temp rises
Click to expand...
It does (heat rising), but the heat energy is being used up to heat the meats on the grills, so there's less when it reaches the dome thermometer.

MattCotter said:
... I've read the top rack is hotter than the bottom.
Click to expand...
It can be when one run water in their pan. The water removes heat from the air so that the space directly above the water is 'cooler' / less hot. Above that, that 'cooler' air mixes with the 'uncooled' / hotter air from around the parameter. End result is the upper grate is hotter than the lower grate.
 
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I pretty much use the Minion method and to obtain heat > 275, I let the fire grow some before assembling the WSM. If I'm looking for a long low temp cook, I button it up as soon as I dump the lit charcoal on, but if I want high heat, I'll give it 5 maybe even 10 minutes free burn before buttoning up the unit. Granted, that's on a 18" but I have to believe they work much the same. The one thing nice about waiting before assembling, is that your temp will quickly rise to the 275 and then you can close your bottom vent as much as 75% and it will lock in at 275 and require little adjustment if any for a long time
 
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