Trouble getting stuff off bottom rack to foil with temp probe installed on top grate


 
D

David Games

TVWBB Member
I now have my smoker set up with a Maverick et732 and have the 'barbecue' probe set up on the top rack with the probe wire passing through a grommet installed in the side.

This setup seems to be a pain when I have had a butt on the bottom rack that I want to foil. I can't take the top rack fully off to get to the butt, so I have to have it just lifted partway up. Have dealt with this on 2 smokes now. The first one was in the middle of the night and I ended up messing around long enough that I got a really high temperature spike from it being open so long. The last smoke was during the day so I had my wife hold the rack up, so that one went a little smoother.

Do others have this issue or come up with good solutions? Should I put the 'barbecue' probe on the bottom grate instead of the top?
 
There is great debate about best placement for probes so I'll ignore that for now. I've found that if you have both grates in use you need some method or gizmo where you can clip or locate the probe and remove it quickly and replace it quickly when changing meat, mopping, etc. You can search this board but here are a few ideas.

Dangle the probe by the wire in the top vent. crimp the wire gently to place it at consistent height. pull the probe when removing lid and drop it back in when lid on.

drill a hole in a chunk of wood and set the wood on the grate. away from the edge of the cooker.

buy a probe clip that clips/unclips to grate quickly.


I've used to clip the probe under the top rack but lately I've gone back to dangling probe through the top vent. Only time this doesn't work is when I have a couple turkeys or otherwise packed the top rack and I can't dangle the probe without touching the meat.

You want to create repeatable, consitent temp control in YOUR PIT so my suggestion is to put the probe in the same place every time, keep a log, cook at consistent but not exact temps for the cook 225-250 and dont' chase the vents for exact temp. Think about temp in ranges--low and slow 225-250, high heat 350-375 etc. The trick is to know your smoker and how to dial in them temp range and compensate for a lot of meat vs little meat vs outside temp changes etc.
 
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I have a grommet installed on my WSMs. When I use both racks, I just push the probe through the grommet and let it hang below the top rack, out of the way of dripping juices.
 
Bob Mann said:
I have a grommet installed on my WSMs. When I use both racks, I just push the probe through the grommet and let it hang below the top rack, out of the way of dripping juices.
Click to expand...

So it is not attached to the top grate. Do you just push it in partially so the probe is sticking in horizontally or is it hanging vertically along the wall of the smoker below the grommet?
 
Probes are a pain, especially when foiling, but since I got my 22.5", been foiling everything now and don't probe the meat anymore; just going by time, temp, and my Thermapen.

As to pit temp, since I haven't installed any grommets, anyway, I've been just hanging the probe in one of the top vents. I'll probably be getting a Teltru or similar pit gauge to replace the Weber gauge...something with a longer stem. I don't find that a remote is really worth the trouble unless cooking overnight, which is something I rarely do anymore.
 
My Auber has a clip for temp probe. Before I got the Auber, I used a cork. Kind of a pain to take probe out when foiling or removing bottom grate, but just part of it.
 
IMG_0371.jpg
[/IMG]I'll probably be getting a Teltru or similar pit gauge to replace the Weber gauge...something with a longer stem. I don't find that a remote is really worth the trouble unless cooking overnight, which is something I rarely do anymore.[/QUOTE]

Here is a very easy way to get a temp for either grate.http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/Hydro312/IMG_0371.jpg
A BBQ Guru Gromet can be used in place of the grill strap nut and screw at either or both locations. Just insert a candy style thermometer. Easy in, easy out.
 
Gary S said:
IMG_0371.jpg
[/IMG]I'll probably be getting a Teltru or similar pit gauge to replace the Weber gauge...something with a longer stem. I don't find that a remote is really worth the trouble unless cooking overnight, which is something I rarely do anymore.
Click to expand...

Here is a very easy way to get a temp for either grate.http://i1098.photobucket.com/albums/g371/Hydro312/IMG_0371.jpg
A BBQ Guru Gromet can be used in place of the grill strap nut and screw at either or both locations. Just insert a candy style thermometer. Easy in, easy out.[/QUOTE]

Truthfully, even though I dislike wires and probes, I'd probably already have grommets in my big wsm if it wasn't for the fact that the newer Maverick probes were so thick. My luck, as soon as I got 'em installed, my Maverick ET-73 would quit on me, but yes, I'd still be able to use candy therms. I'll have to give it more thought. I'm not stuck on grate temp, though, and it's not so much that the Weber gauge is inaccurate. The stem is just too short, IMHO.
 
Have a look at this Dave
IMG_0618.jpg
[/IMG]
IMG_0619.jpg
[/IMG]
Two photos of the ET 732 probes slightly modified passing through a Guru grommet.
 
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Thanks for all the replies.

Being an engineer, I am naturally inclined to want to monitor the temperature, so I will probably keep using the 732 probes for the time being. I might try the partially inserted barbeque probe method next cook. I have the threaded lamp nipple home-made grommet modification on my WSM.

Attaching the probe to the top grate really does kind of require a third hand to easily access food on the bottom rack if you don't want to take the time to temporarily remove the probe. Seeing other threads talking about modifications to create a lid holder, I had thought of the possibility of a top rack holder where you would just rotate the rack out of the way of the bottom rack, but keep it supported with the probe still attached.
 
Gary S said:
Have a look at this Dave
IMG_0618.jpg
[/IMG]
IMG_0619.jpg
[/IMG]
Two photos of the ET 732 probes slightly modified passing through a Guru grommet.
Click to expand...

Gary, so what did you do to modify the probes? Does the whole probe slide in past the crimp if you want to probe meat or clip to a grate?
 
I just generally had problems with managing that BBQ probe. And position on the grate with meat just added more. Like others I decided that the best position was dangling from a vent hole in the top to about 4 - 5 inches in (when meat allows). But taking it out every time I want to open the WSM was another pain. Since I use the WSM near a deck rail, I set up a place to set the top down right next to the WSM. Now I simply lift the lid and rotate it to the rail and then lift it back -- the probe stays in (though it may have to be adjusted).

So the only thing I need to deal with to get to the lower grate is whatever is on the upper. I've learned to be sure my meat probe, if to the upper grate, has the wire go outside the rim of the upper grate so that it can be lifted off without interference.

Rich

Rich
 
David Games said:
Do others have this issue or come up with good solutions? Should I put the 'barbecue' probe on the bottom grate instead of the top?
Click to expand...

I cut slits in the mid section so I don't have to deal with this. I can remove the lid, remove the grate with probes attached, remove the bottom grate, and close the lid in seconds so I don't get temp spikes. I do what I have to do to the cook on a side table, then reverse the process. I can sweep the cables into the slot with a gloves hand with no problem.

IMG_0462.jpg


IMG_0461.jpg
 
That's really interesting, Dwain. What did you use to make that slit? A

All of the things you mentioned about how you use the slit are things that I've encountered and, in some cases (gloved hands), couldn't really resolve.

Rich
 
The way I deal with this problem is probably not the safest and does require a little muscle but for me it works great. I installed handles (horizontal not vertical) on my 18" and 22" WSM , when its time to foil or what ever I lift the center section off of the coals and set to the side then take the lid and place over the bottom section to keep air from the coals. I then remove the probes from the grate and hang over the side out of the way, but like RichPB stated make sure your wires are placed outside of the grate. Now the top grate can be removed easily, you can take your time to work the meat, don't get a face full of smoke, and don't have to worry about your charcoal heating up. When you are done just reverse the process and you are back in business with with very little to no temperature spike. If you use water in the pan be sure to keep the center section level when lifting, I generally don't use water so this is not an issue for me.
 
RichPB (richlife) said:
That's really interesting, Dwain. What did you use to make that slit? A

All of the things you mentioned about how you use the slit are things that I've encountered and, in some cases (gloved hands), couldn't really resolve.

Rich
Click to expand...

Rich, I don't know what Dwain used but I cut a similar slit in my kettle using a dremel tool with a fiberglass reinforced cutoff wheel. Easy does it because the cutoff wheel is aggressive.
 
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