Temperature question


 
Derek Stapleton

Derek Stapleton

TVWBB Super Fan
Here's a quick question that has most likely been answered before. When people give cooking temps in the WSM, is the temperature measured at the grate where the food is cooking or at the lid near the vent ... or does it matter as long as you stay consistent?
 
Derek, I always measure at the lid. Your right though doesn't matter as long as you're consistent
 
It doesn't matter but I think most people are giving temps at the lid - especially now that the new models have thermometers built in the lid. The reason that doesn't matter is that the only temp that matters is the temp in your WSM. Reading temp consistently is your best bet so that any changes you make are attributed to that change and not the movement of the thermometer. Just try to keep the thermometer from being too close to the sides of the wsm or using a very short thermometer stem for the lid.
 
I measure at the grate. It is true that it doesn't matter but why measure cooking temp at a different location than where the meat is? Especially when it is so easy to measure at the grate. Most of us know that the Weber therm provided and stuck in the lid is not accurate and only supplies a way to fill the hole that the company put in the dome.

As a back up to the sensor at the grate I do have a 6" Tru Temp that goes thru the top vent but at 6" gets pretty close to the grate.

Mark
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Most of us know that the Weber therm provided and stuck in the lid is not accurate </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Um, no we don't. Unless the therm is defective, it's reading the right temp. The lid, grate, and vent are all in different locations so it only makes sense that you'd get different temps in each spot. Get to know your cooker by keeping track of charcoal usage and vent positions. After a while, you'll barely bother to look at any temp gauge.
 
I report grate temperature because I have an ET-73 and can measure it there. As others have said: Whatever you use just stay consistent.
 
I normally report grate temp because it's always higher than the lid thermometer. I use a surface thermometer.
 
Thanks everyone. I've been watching both grate temperature and lid thermometer temperatures. I'll continue to watch both as I learn how the WSM acts.

Thanks again.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Especially when it is so easy to measure at the grate. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

it depends. I don't like to do the grate because if you are in the hot air coming around the bowl, temps will be high, and if your probe is too close to cold meat, it could be too low.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Um, no we don't. Unless the therm is defective, it's reading the right temp. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mark didn't mean the therm was wrong, just the location. Dome temp can be different than cooking temp, its well established.

Like you said the key is knowing the cooker, and being consistent.
 
Derek, i just check temps at the lid, the main thing is just be consistent which you are well aware of.
 
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