I am waiting on a new Camp Chef Woodwind Pellet Grill to arrive. Is it safe to trust the Thermometers/probes built into this unit? Should I still invest in a stand alone thermometer if nothing else to compare reading?
From what I've read, the thermometers in good quality pellet cookers (and yours is in that category) are placed to get an average over the cooker. So, if you were to get a pit thermometer and put it down on the grate, it's going to read differently - often substantially. Just a matter of what you want to do temp-wise and where.
I prefer to have a thermometer reading at grate level somewhere. For instance, my pellet smoker right now is reading 260 but at grate level it is around 235 amongst 6 packer briskets.
Weber Genesis S330 with GrillGrates
Weber Summit Kamado E6
Weber Performer with SnS, DnG and Pit Viper mod
Weber 26" kettle with SnS, DnG and Pit Viper mod
Traeger Flatrock Griddle
PKGO
Fireboard (2)
Thermoworks Smoke
Thermoworks MK4 (2)
Themoworks Thermapen ONE
Hi, I own a Yoder, and the door Thermometers are good for, well they look neat. But they are reading air temp inches about the grate. And my ribs are at grate level. They are many good quality thermometers, that read temps at the grate.
OH, I know it started up, when the door thermometer dial moves.
As far as the meat probes go I'm sure they're as accurate as a stand-alone digital thermometer. At least the Traeger meat probes and my Smoke thermometer probes/Thermapen match up. However, if Camp Chef uses a stationary, mid-height probe then it's just giving you an idea. I can get a 25 - 50 degree difference on a given spot on the grate between the installed sensor and the Smoke probe at grate height.
My brother is an executive chef and he doesn't trust any probe by itself. He carries four with him at all times and uses two in rib roasts in the oven to be sure. He had a bad experience twice and won't repeat it.
Your grate level will vary from the thermometer as folks as indicated above. Any it will vary from left to right and top to bottom. You should run some tests with a probe to check have this varies in your smoker. Gives you information on which shelf you might want to use and which end to face/place such things as the point of a whole packer.
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