It's been stable at about 216 for awhile. I know it's a wee bit low, but I don't want to jinx it and so am just leaving it there.
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It sounds like you night be playing with it too much. Leave the vents open about 1/4 inch (top and bottom) then sit down and drink a beer of whatever your choice is but don't look at it for a half hour or so. You need to give it time to stabilize and then you can tweak it.
By the way, what are you using to gauge the the temperature?Comment
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Hi GirlpoweredBBQ !
I agree with DWCowles and MBMorgan It's a common tendency to try to dial in a kettle/smoker to the magic 225, but my best (non poultry) smokes have come at 245-295 deg F. Poultry needs 325 or more.
Don't fear the thermometer. And don't let it be the boss. Until it really is the boss.
Also, I put 2 smoker probes in my Weber Summit Charcoal Smoker and they can be as much as 30 degF different (one side of the grate compared to the other) until things settle in, which takes a couple of hours. Seeing that differential helps me chill.
Kathryn.Last edited by fzxdoc; July 24, 2016, 06:01 PM.Comment
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Yep 265 F is just fine; and with experience you'll get better and better at holding temps. Best not to stress too much. More fun that wayOriginally posted by GirlpoweredBBQ View Post
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Breadhead, the lessons I'm learning here go far beyond BBQ. I'm learning about life. BBQ as a metaphor for life. I once was lost... 😎Comment
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265* is OK. If temps rise again you might try sealing with foil crimped around the edge of the lid. I know that works for some PBC users. The PBC users cook at temps higher than 265* and get great results. I wouldn't worry too much about it until temps approach 300*. Then I'd start trying to bring the temp down. As you get more experience with the combo you have, you will be able to get better control.Comment
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Chris Lilly, the PitMaster of Big Bob Gibson's, likes to cook ribs at 250. I'm personally quite happy with 240-270 range. In my opinion stable temps around 250 +/- 25 degrees is the key. Get the rig's temp stable somewhere in there and then don't mess with it. Let it cook.Comment
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Got it. I wish I'd known this this morning! Next weekend!(I find myself saying "next weekend" a lot lately!) Been BBQ-ing every Sunday for awhile now! Addicted.Comment
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It's an obsession, isn't it? Turning out great BBQ requires loads of practice. Also, the more you do this, the more confidence you will have one. One suggestion I would make GirlpoweredBBQ is to keep a cooking journal. Keep track of the air temp, humidity, rain, times you started, stopped, how much charcoal, what sort, grill temps, meat temps and anything else that seems to make sense. Jot notes about what you did and how you dealt with issues. Have a full journal entry for every cook. A year from now, you will have an understanding of how to turn out great BBQ on your rigs, no matter the time of day, weather conditions, etc. It's a powerful thing.Comment
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Makes sense, ecowper. Although, I'll leave off the humidity, since we don't have any here in Northern California!Comment
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I think it sounds like temp spikes were from your wood catching fire and if you open the lid frequently you let a lot of fresh oxygen in.Comment
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The lesson to be learned here in the Pit... Is that ALL people regardless of their, age, sex, race, religion, social economic level, their geographic location or ANY other frivolity, when talking about perfecting the art of food preparation LOVE interacting with EVERYONE.👍 This is social nirvana.😎Originally posted by GirlpoweredBBQ View Post
NIRVANA...
noun, often capitalized nir·va·na \nir-ˈvä-nə, (ˌ)nər-\
Simple Definition of nirvana
: the state of perfect happiness and peace in Buddhism where there is release from all forms of suffering
: a state or place of great happiness and peace
Welcome to our friendly club.👌Comment
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Congrats on the new SNS!! Cherry wood is the ultimate rib wood in my opinion. Although lately, i have been doing a, Oak/Cherry blend, with fantastic results.Comment
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