Temperature question

[tpc74]

Ok so my question was going to be about where a better temp measurement would be taken when smoking on my weber.....on the grill grate, using a stand up oven thermometer, or using my dual probe?  I am going to be doing ribs.

However in the process of trying to verify they can just measure boiling water temp correctly, I dropped the one the measues on the grate and water got trapped inside. In the process of attempting to remove said water, I cracked the glass.  SO into the trash that one went. Oops.  I can get a new one...I think I bought this one at the local grocer.

Same question though.  Assuming I have a new grill grate reader, would a temp reading off the grill grate be better than say the air just above the meat?  The unfortunate part is I have to open the weber to see it, so most of my temps will come from the dual probe deal. The dual probe seems about 10 degrees shy though, so I'll probably include the stand up oven thermo in there as well, for a sanity check.  I know I'm going to open that lid at least once lol.

 

[joe black]

I think it would be a good idea to check your probes in boiling water. If one of them checks out more than a couple of degrees, mark it so you know which one it is and you can judge the temp it reads to the actual temp in the CC or the meat. As for location, I like to read about 1" above the grate. You can use a grate clip or push the probe thru a small potato.

Good luck and keep on smokin', Joe

 

[cliffcarter]

IMHO you are over thinking it, temps are a relative thing depending on where you place the probe. Use the dual and place the probe in the same place for each cook, consistency is important to learning how you cooker cooks. The fact that 2 different temp gauges that are giving you 2 different temps does not surprise me, they are different styles, after all.

 

[SmokinAl]

After you figure out what the temp at the grate level is. Check that against the factory therm (if you have one). Then you can just use the factory one even if it's off, because you know when it's at that same temp again, that's where you want to be.

Al

 

[tpc74]

Couldn't find the replacement therm. Ah well, I'll find it when the weather gets better I think. For now I'm using the dual probe and oven therm and it seems to be working fine. Wish I hadn't broke the other one though...I know I have not seen them that often but I had to have bought it for less than 10 bucks somewhere nearby..