Where to stick the thermometer

[ucme]

H there...first time writer,long time reader!!!

Silly question, but when i place the thermometer probe in the smoker,do I stick the probe in the meat or on the rack to get the correct temp?

Thanks for helping me out
K:)

 

[irishteabear]

Do you have a thermometer for the smoker that is accurate? What kind of thermometer probe are you talking about? What are you smoking?

 

[jaxgatorz]

depends on what temp u are trying to find out.Put it in the meat for the meat temp and in the smoker for the smoker temp....Like Dawn said, some more info would help...You should go to roll call and introduce yourself and tell us what type of equipment u have,,Happy smokes !!

 

[ucme]

Hi there..I have the big green egg. I am planning on smoking ribs using some hickory wood.
From everthing I have read it seems that the correct temp should be 172F, so...do I place the digital probe inside the meat or on the grill to get an accurate temp?

Thanks
K:)

 

[jaxgatorz]

IF u are trying to get the temp of the ribs, stick it in the ribs.. Although i dont many folks who cook ribs to a certain temp.Most cook ribs by time.. Like the 3-2-1 method for spares or the 2-2-1 method for baby backs.... Check out the pork section on this site.... Lots of rib cooks and tips..

 

[ucme]

Thxs Mike...I will try that. Looks like you have a nice array of toys, in tha picture.

As for myself,I have a Weber BBQ and a Big Green Egg.

K:)

 

[jaxgatorz]

Sounds good.... Remember when smoking ribs, low and slow is one of most( if not the most) important part....Have fun....

 

[que-ball]

I would have two, and put one in the meat and stick one through a potato on the same grate the meat is on. The potato only holds the probe in place and keeps it from touching the grate, which would give an unreasonably high reading.

 

[ucme]

Thansk for the potato suggestion...EXCELLENT idea!!!!!

K:)

 

[meltyface]

I just got a Maverick ET-73 remote thermometer and used it for the first time today. It has probes for both the meat and the smoke chamber but I'm running into a problem with it. The smoke chamber probe is reading the chamber about 75 degrees + hotter than what my installed thermometer is reading. This is making it impossible to cook at 275degrees because it is outside the thermometers settings. Is there a special way or place I should put this probe?? I'm cooking with a Char-Griller Smokin Pro with the fire box.

Thanks

 

[hungryjohn]

First thing you want to do is check the ET-73 for accuracy. Boil some water, stick the probe in it and see if it shows 212. I'm betting that it will be pretty close. If that's the case, go with the ET-73's reading and ignore the installed thermomemter. Don't have any experience with your unit, but the built in thermometers are notoriously inaccurate. If you want to cook at 275, set the ET-73 for a low of about 250 and a high of around 300 and keep adjusting the heat until you get it nailed.

 

[billbo]

The ET-73 will go to 275° and beyond. Are you sure you have it plugged into the right jack on the transmitter? Sounds like you might have it plugged into the food jack?

You should have your chamber probe at grate level near your meat to get the most accurate reading.

Also if the installed therm is a stock one they may very well be that off. You cannot trust them.

I hope I am interpreting your post correctly.

 

[rickw]

Do a boil test on the Maverick and if it reads true, most likely it will, trust it and don't worry what the original says.

Agreed.

 

[meltyface]

Thanks, I did the boil test when I got it and it works just fine. And the probe does read past 300 degrees easily, it's just that it was saying that my chamber was well past it's capability when my installed one only read 250. My installed one can't be that inacurate because with that huge of a difference I'd have been cooking a ton of burnt food until today, and I haven't been. Plus the cooking times for briskets according to my installed one is about 8 hours and they turn out perfect.

I am just wondering if the bracket it comes with is making it read hotter than it really is. It is a metal bracket that mounts to my cast iron grill grates. I don't know, this is a new toy so I'm just wanting to know how reliable it is.

Thanks again for the input.

 

[rickw]

Take the installed one out, if possible, and boil test it.

 

[billbo]

Insert your smoker probe through a potato or a small block of hard wood. That way your not getting any heat transfer from the metal bracket.

You can see mine in the block of oak in this pic



Try this and you will be more accurate yet!

 

[meltyface]

installed one passed the boil test just fine.

 

[meltyface]

Thanks, I'll drill me a hole tonight in some wood....That is a GREAT idea!!

 

[rickw]

If you were to place the Mav probe near the firebox side I could see there being a pretty large difference. I doubt the metal holder is affecting the temp reading.

Looks like you have a heck of a variance in temps on your smoker if both therms passed the test but read such a large difference.

 

[meltyface]

well I'm cooking a brisket today so I'm going to try the block of wood to see if that makes a difference, hopefully it does. I didn't have the therm on the firebox side I actually had it behind my chicken away from the fire.