I finally got my Maverick ET-732 and am using it today while I smoke some ribs on the PBC, and I'm curious where you usually hang the temperature probe for the BBQ temperature? I have my dangling in the middle, about halfway down, but I'm curious as to where people usually put theirs. I figure that the temp closer to the coals will be hotter, so I cut the difference, but wondered if it really matter. I've been going 2 hours so far right in the 250-275 range, which is perfect for me. Thanks in advance!
I hang mine so the probe tip is at same level as the meat I'm cooking and over 2" away from the meat. If it's a long pice of meat I hang the probe closer to the top of the meat. Sounds like your temps are right on!
When I bought my last thermometer I think my wife really wanted to tell me where to stick - er - place that probe.
I think most agree that the pit probe should be at the level of the meat - say 1" to 2" above the meat grate.
> Weber Genesis EP-330
> Grilla Grills Original Grilla (OG) pellet smoker with Alpha/Connect
> Grilla Grills Pellet Pizza Oven
> Pit Barrel Cooker (gone to a new home)
> WeberQ 2000 (on "loan" to a relative (I'll never see it again))
> Old Smokey Electric (for chickens mostly - when it's too nasty out
to fiddle with a more capable cooker)
> Luhr Jensen Little Chief Electric - Top Loader circa 1990 (smoked fish & jerky)
> Thermoworks Smoke
> 3 Thermoworks Chef Alarms
> Thermoworks Thermapen One
> Thermoworks Thermapen Classic
> Thermoworks Thermopop
> Thermoworks Square DOT
> Thermoworks IR-GUN-S
> Joule Turbo Sous Vide Circulator
> Searzall torch
> BBQ Guru Rib Ring
> WÜSTHOF, Dalstrong, and Buck knives
> Paprika App on Mac and iOS
What's the main reason to place away from the meat? Is it due to the ambient temperature that reflects from the surface of it? Will it cause the probe to read hotter or lower than the true temperature? Just curious, I may need to reposition on my next cook, but I don't want to disturb things at the moment. Thanks again for all the great advice!
Placing a meat probe directly on the surface of the meat is great way to get through the stall with a PID controller.
When the surface evaporative cooling process really kicks into high gear, that meat surface temp really drops, which in turn causes the PID controller to go into "oh crap!" mode.
None of the above should be taken seriously unless you are a professional
Ribs turned out great. I also made the KC BBQ sauce from the recipes here and everyone said it was the best BBQ sauce they'd ever had. No more store bought ones for me!
Jerod, You use a PID controller on your PBC? I looked for any posts on using one and couldn't find any. Curious how you have it set up sometimes I'd like a little more control on my temps especially when doing brisket.
Equipment:
Brinkman Gas/Charcoal duo with offset firebox
Pit Barrel Cooker
Maverick Remote Temperature Gizmo with Pit and meat probes
Thermopen Instant thermo
I must confess I've never really given this much thought! I've been hanging mine off of the rebar and letting it dangle a couple of inches below the rebar itself. Never too close to the meat, so at least i have that part down! While I chart my cook temps (both PBC and food) I don't fuss over it too much. I run right in the 250 - 270 range so I'm only really fussing when I do chicken and want the temp more in the nuclear range.
Last edited by PappyBBQ; June 6, 2016, 01:00 PM.
Reason: Correct spelling error.
I just got a new Smoke thermometer setup and want to place in my Weber. I have a Slow N Sear on one side so want to drill a hole and place the probe on the other. I have Meathead's new book and saw the picture on probe placement but am concerned about the cable touching the cooking grate itself. Is that an issue or should I go ahead and place the probe/with clamp a couple of inches from the meat and not worry about the cable touching the hot grate.
The cable touching won't matter. The tip of the probe is where the temp measurement is taken. You can just drop the probe down thru the top exhaust vent, but drilling is the preferred method so you don't have to fumble with stuff when you open it up.
Cookers:
Large Big Green Egg with a Ceramic Grill Store rack system, and the SnS setup.
Weber Genesis SA-E-330 LP INDIGO with SS Grates, Weber Crafted frame kit, baking stone, griddle (2/3), all from Ace Hardware.
For the first time in a long time I have no kettles as I gave them all away.
Everything Else:
SnS #3 with certificate. I was their first customer.
Sous Vide equipment.
SnS and Thermoworks instant read and leave-in thermometers.
Grill Grates for BGE.
Kingsford Blue Bag, Weber lighter cubes, Weber charcoal chimneys.
Rubs with salt: Meat Church Holy Cow.
Rubs without salt: Home-mixed versions of previously sold SnS Grills Rocky's Rub and Not Just for Beef using their recipe. SPOG.
Spices: Lots of 'em.
rikster the Smoke uses the same Pro-Series probes as my ChefAlarm and Dot and I've had zero issues with the cable touching the grate on the indirect side. The cable max temps are really high; up to 700°F depending on the probe. I've fried a waterproof needle probe because I got it over flaming hot coals.
Welcome to The Pit and congrats on the Smoke! We'd love to get an intro from you over in the Introduce Yourself channel when you get a minute.
Grills: 22" Weber (wood handles) (another Weber on the way), Lodge Sportsman "hibachi" Smoker: None yet, part of why I joined Thermometer: 10+ yr old Taylor digital thermometer with remote Sous Vide: Anovo Imersion Circulator (1st gen) Coffee Roaster: Hot Top Coffee Roaster Adult Beverages: Fighting Cock Bourbon, Leinny Shandy, Troegs Mad Elf
Speaking of grill temps and probe placement ... can you unplug and re-plug a probe during a cook? Drop the probe(s) through the top vent, unplug when lifting the lid, plug back in when closing the lid. Asuming you don't have it hooked to a plotter (though it would probably just show a "lost signal" for that time).
I've been wrapping the probe wire a few loose turns around the rebar and letting the probe dangle down a few inches so that the probe is at the level of the middle of the meat. Seems to be working fairly well.
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