Temp prob in a potato?

[bbq addict]

Sorry, noob question comin' at ya. I was reading some older threads about smoking chicken wings and someone mentioned putting a temp probe in a potato or a block of wood? What does this do, how does it help?

 

[seboke]

Goes back to don't trust the dial therm in the lid or door of your smoker. Ya want to know the smoker temp at the level of your meat, so get a digi therm, poke the probe thru the potato (I use a chunk of 2x4 - saves on taters), making sure the tip does not touch the grate. Gives you an accurate temp that is at the meat, not the top of the smoker.

 

[jts70]

It allows you to have reading at grate level , the probe is inserted into the potato or wood to keep it off the metal grate which could ruin the probe.

 

[bbq addict]

Ah! I'll have to do that this weekend. We're smokin' about 75lbs and that should really help! Thanks!

 

[1894]

This was a test run of new baffle and plates , but this is what my probed taters look like :

 

[travcoman45]

I've also seen the probe held with clothespins, haven't tried it yet but gonna give that a shot, should work well to.

 

[duckdawg]

^^ That's exactly what I do 1894. I was just looking for some pics to post in a similar thread, but you beat me to it.

 

[richoso1]

What JTS70 said. I tried a clothepin but it didn't work too well for me.

 

[tn_bbq]

My thermometer came with alligator clips that fit the probe.

The one on the right is of a different probe thermometer inserted through a piece of wood. The wood and/or cork also makes it easy to move around without burning your fingers.

 

[richoso1]

Pleas remember to calibrate any therm before you use it. You can check it in boiling water, should read close to 212 depending on altitude. You can also check it in a glass of ice water, should read between 32-34.