Welcome!


This is a membership forum. Guests can view 5 pages for free. To participate, please join.

[ Pitmaster Club Information | Join Now | Login | Contact Us ]

Only 4 free page views remaining.

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Help with primo uneven smoking temps.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Help with primo uneven smoking temps.

    I purchased a primo large from one of my neighbors about 4 months ago. I enjoy cooking on it. However, I have had an issue with using it for briskets.
    ​​​​​I use a fireboard drive as my temp controller and run my temp at 250.
    To start it I light a starter cube in the middle of the firebox and let it go for 5-10 minutes on top of the coals. Then close the lid until I get to about 200-225 with the top and bottom vents open. I then hook up the fireboard drive controller and let it get me to 250-275. At this point everything is going good so I put my brisket on.
    My problem is that when I come back to check on it 5 hours later the right side of the primo is way over 250 and the left side is way under. The middle still reads 250 but my flat which is on the right side of the grill is already hurdling through the stall while my point is still just at 150.
    Has anyone else had this issue with their primo? Any advice would really be appreciated. This is the second brisket I have had this problem on. I figured the first time maybe I had an airflow problem on the left side or overfilled my firebox with lump. But for this cook I cleaned the entire grill out, did not add too much lump for sure and I am still having this issue.
    ​​​

    #2
    I cook on a BGE, but there are some similarities in Kamados. I am guessing your Pimo is oval and not round. The way Kamados are vented they tend to burn toward the back and can burn to one side as they burn to the back. I now light my BGE just in front of the vent. My suggestion on lighting your Primo since it is oval shaped is to light it in two spots towards the front of the Primo with one on each side of the oval. The way you close the dome after lighting should keep you from having too large of a fire. Also, on low and slow cooks I layer my lump charcoal with large, followed by medium and topped with small.

    Comment


      #3
      Welcome to The Pit. Sorry, but I don't have anything similar.

      Comment


        #4
        Don't have anything similar, either, sorry...

        Couldnt ya jus rotate yer brisket 180°?

        Point on right?

        Comment


          #5
          Wondering if you may have a leaky gasket between the base and lid.
          Could be sucking air in on the hot side and fanning the flames.
          I have an older BKK, it leaks everywhere but no real hotspots....it rages everywhere....

          Comment


            #6
            Welcome to the Pit! I don't have one either but am watching and learning with ya!

            Comment


              #7
              Are you using heat deflector plates?

              Comment


                #8
                Thanks for all of the replies. I have a replacement gasket I am going to install at some point as there is a small leak in the very back where the two sides connect. Here are some pictures of the coals before and after my 12 hours brisket cook this morning. It's just crazy how this happens.

                What I ended up doing is I just put the entire brisket on the left hand side about a quarter of the way through the cook. It worked but I wouldn't say it was ideal.

                Also just wanted to say, I did use the deflector plates.
                Attached Files
                Last edited by Keeplivnthedream; August 29, 2021, 02:59 PM.

                Comment


                  #9
                  To me that second pic looks about the same as I experience and I have not noticed a big discrepancy side to side.

                  Comment

                  Announcement

                  Collapse
                  No announcement yet.
                  Working...
                  X
                  false
                  0
                  Guest
                  Guest
                  500
                  ["pitmaster-my-membership","login","join-pitmaster","lostpw","reset-password","special-offers","help","nojs","meat-ups","gifts","authaau-alpha","ebooklogin-start","alpha","start"]
                  false
                  false
                  {"count":0,"link":"/forum/announcements/","debug":""}
                  Yes
                  ["\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1157845-paid-members-download-your-6-deep-dive-guide-ebooks-for-free-here","\/forum\/the-pitcast","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2019-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2020-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2021-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/bbq-news-magazine-2022-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2023-issues","\/forum\/national-barbecue-news-magazine\/national-barbecue-news-magazine-aa\/current-2024-issues","\/forum\/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads\/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here"]
                  /forum/free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-downloads/1165909-trial-members-download-your-free-deep-dive-guide-ebook-here