I use a 22-inch Weber grill with the deluxe Slow and Sear. For thermometer, I use a Thermopop Smoke system, in which the probe to measure the grill temperature attaches to a clip that situates the probe an inch or two below the grill (on the cool side below the meat). When I use the recipes that call for a 225 temp, I notice that often whatever I'm cooking blocks out most of the cool side of the grill. So in that space where the probe is, there's no heat coming from the bottom, and if there's water in the tray between that side is 212, so anywhere underneath the meat tends to be low--often like 185 or so. But when I look at the Weber installed thermometer which is above the hot side, it reads somewhere plenty high (300-500), so I assume the heat that matters is coming across the top of the meat on the cool side. This has never been an issue in the sense that the food always tastes great aiming for 225, but it doesn't feel precise at all in terms of temperature control. Any advice on this?
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I'll lay my probe cable over the meat, with the probe tip situated off the meat at least a few inches, and the probe located between the meat and the heat. -
I place the clip above the grate so the probe is about half an inch above the top of the grate. I figure that best approximates where the meat is. Of course the probe is often in the way…Comment
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Are you really putting the probe BELOW the grate? It is supposed to be ABOVE the grate, to measure the temp where the meat is. Just put it at least 2 inches from the meat. Below the grate on the indirect side will be much cooler.
See below. I've got it a couple inches from any meat, and just run the probe wire under the edge of my grill. This is not my kettle, but the principle is the same. On the kettle with the SNS, I put it somewhere around the perimeter of the grill, in the indirect area, above the grate.
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Here - I found a picture of when I was using the SNS - again, on my SNS Kamado, but this is the same placement I would use on my kettle. You can see the probe towards the the back of the indirect area, not over the SNS, and not below the cooking grate.
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Thanks for sharing this picture--clarifies things considerably. I just wasn't understanding how it's supposed to work, assuming the clip needed to go below to be out of the way. -
John Crowther if you put it below the grate, you are measuring temps below the grate versus where the meat is, which is above the grate. You wouldn’t think it would matter much, but I would guess there will be 20-30 degrees difference. I do know when my main grate level is 225, the lower charcoal grate next to the SNS is only about 175.
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Jim ( jfmorris ) did an excellent job in telling us about the placement of the ambient probe on the kettle. I always enjoy reading your posts, Jim.
I do the same as Jim, using the clip with the ambient probe on top of the grill grate, placing it away from the meat's "heat shadow" about an inch or two, and away from the side wall an inch or so as well. With the SnS taking up so much room on a 22" kettle, sometimes it's a real challenge to find a good spot for the ambient probe. But by placing it on the grate first and positioning the meat around it, there's always a way.
I have to say, though, that I often switch to my 24" WSCGC in kettle mode with the SnS just for the luxury of more real estate available for meat and thermometer.
KathrynComment
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I am wondering why Weber does not fix the temp gauge flaw that I’m sure they know about? It is ao
obvious the probe thermometer should be on the top vent side which should be over the meat and not the coals.Comment
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What’s the best way to get the ambient probe into the kettle without drilling a hole? Concerned about crimping the wire with the lid,Comment
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I use a 'binder clip' -- those strong, triangular, spring clips for holding papers together.
Clip one on the bottom edge of the kettle, and it provides just enough gap to keep from pinching the wire. The lid still fits well. -
I used to drop mine through the top vent, and put my Smoke close to the kettle so that I could still open the lid with that wire stretched through the hole, and in the meat or clipped to the grate. However, in recent years, I just run my Thermoworks probe wires right under the edge at an angle, so that they are not pinched as sharply. It may leak some smoke at times, but not enough to matter, and its certainly easier. Been doing it that way several years and have yet to kill a probe. -
Like jfmorris I clip above the grate a couple of inches from the meat. I run the cables through the top vent. My Maverick has a magnet on the back so I put it on the lid when I need to open it and the cable doesn’t pull the probe out of the clip.
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SmokingPat hoovarmin we may try this, as we'd also be running a temp probe in addition to the ambien sensor. Luckily, it's easy enough to verify that the cables won't get crimped ahead of any fire start.
Are we clamping it over the kettle edge (one side of the binder clip inside the kettle, one edge of the binder clip outside the kettle -- as if the bottom kettle were the collection of papers), and setting the kettle lid across the full back of the clip? In this case, would the the cables go through the clip (in between the clip and kettle edge) or just go through whatever gap is present without using any clip benefit/protection?
OR are we keeping the clip fully on the outside of the kettle, but the tiny sliver of clip edge is enough to slide the cables through the gap since the lid can't fully seal?
Although.... that seems to go counter to the "use binder clips to seal the kettle edge" advice also given. Maybe it depends on what you're cooking or aiming for low/slow/smoke vs generic heatery ?
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WillTravelForFood I think he is talking about clamping the lid of the kettle to the base of the kettle using binder clips to clamp it down. That is in order to reduce air leakage, but unless you are having trouble maintaining temperatures, I don't think it is necessary. I don't bother with that, and think it will be a more sure fire way to crimp a probe wire.
I've run mine under the edge of the kettle and have yet to kill a Thermoworks Smoke probe wire doing so for several years.
If you look at these 2 pictures, you will see that I ran a clip on grate probe under the edge of the green kettle lid during a recent cook. I had the Smoke on the SNS Kamado, and a BBQ Guru "PartyQ" probe on the Weber Performer kettle during the below cook.
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WillTravelForFood I agree with everything jfmorris said. -
WillTravelForFood If I misunderstood SmokingPat and he is using the binder clip to maintain a gap between the lid and the kettle - which in reviewing what he said again, I think he is saying, then I stand corrected in that regard. Bit I think that would increase leakage and is not needed. Like I said, I ran my Smoke probes for several years down the top vent, but for the past 3 years at least I've just run them under the edge of the kettle at an angle - i.e. not straight across the edge.
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