Sliders and rollers on a Lang

[jjmrascal]

Anyone ever cook a large amount of hotdogs and hamburgers on their Lang?  Last night I cooked 90 hamburgers and about 120 hot dogs on mine but as it was my first time, I was nervous about doing it the way Ben Lang described it (ramping up the fire and getting the bottom plate hot, then cooking over that).  Since I have a slide-out top shelf in mine, I removed my lower grills and put charcoal on the reverse-flow plate, then grilled on the top shelf directly.  It worked like a dream but I would like to know if anyone has done it the other way since my lower shelf is larger.

 

[whittling chip]

I haven't tried that yet on my Lang 36 hybrid patio. I just got it last weekend. Tomorrow will be  butts, ribs, chicken pieces and ABT's.

I have a question  for you. Have you checked the calibration on the Lang thermometers? I wondered what you found out as far as accuracy goes. In a couple hours I'm going out and doing a dry run for tomorrow just to check out mine and see how the accuracy is.

The biggest issue I see is that the Lang is soooo tight it will be impossible to slide my maverick probes in and still lock the lids down. I'll probably have to just leave them cracked open enough to get the leads in.

Thanks,

WC

 

[jjmrascal]

I have never done the boiling test on my probes but they seem to be fairly accurate.  I always keep an oven thermometer at the heat end just to keep tabs and it always runs about 25* hotter than the factory thermometer at the other side.  That is pretty much what I expected so I figure the Lang probe is accurate. 

One note, As with any thermometer, you will see a lower temp than actual if it is sitting too close to (or up against) a piece of meat you are cooking.  I always try to create a little pocket around it when I am cooking large loads.

Personally, I don't use "in process" thermometers (I found out they stress me out when I am cooking a brisket and hit the plateau...that is antithetical to BBQ!)  I usually just use instant-read thermometers when the time is about right.  That's just me.  I have heard of others who use them on a Lang and just drill a couple of 1/4" holes and tap them out.  That gives them a probe "port" to use as needed.  When not in use, they plug them with a bolt of the appropriate size.

Hope that helps.  I love my Lang and will never do anything different.  I think you will love yours too.

Take care,

Jeff
 

 

[whittling chip]

I have never done the boiling test on my probes but they seem to be fairly accurate.  I always keep an oven thermometer at the heat end just to keep tabs and it always runs about 25* hotter than the factory thermometer at the other side.  That is pretty much what I expected so I figure the Lang probe is accurate. 

One note, As with any thermometer, you will see a lower temp than actual if it is sitting too close to (or up against) a piece of meat you are cooking.  I always try to create a little pocket around it when I am cooking large loads.

Personally, I don't use "in process" thermometers (I found out they stress me out when I am cooking a brisket and hit the plateau...that is antithetical to BBQ!)  I usually just use instant-read thermometers when the time is about right.  That's just me.  I have heard of others who use them on a Lang and just drill a couple of 1/4" holes and tap them out.  That gives them a probe "port" to use as needed.  When not in use, they plug them with a bolt of the appropriate size.

Hope that helps.  I love my Lang and will never do anything different.  I think you will love yours too.

Take care,

Jeff
 

That's what I learned today. My Maverick and another digital just wasn't reading what I thought the smoker was doing. In an earlier thread I said I was worried about trying to snake the Maverick's probe through those "air tight" doors ! And I was correct, I pinched the crap out of one of the probe lines. It still works but I can tell it won't grow back. :)

I'm like you it sounds. I know by looking at the fire and seeing how things are cooking and it gives me a good feeling how the temp is doing.

When I check the temp of the meat, it's after I know it should be at a certain temp, like 140° after 4 hours, if probed.

I've been running a dry run today to verify temp accuracy and realized I'm just going to go with what I've learned in the past.

Sometimes, all the gadgets just get in the way of a good smoke.

Thanks for the response,

WC