Thermometer placement

[Non Savaunt]

Has anyone ever placed a thermometer in the exhaust stack? I saw this design on a pre-built uds online and thought it would be a decent reference temp without getting in the way of the racks or meat. I will have a probe on grate level whenever I cook, so the other one would be as a reference and to just get the uds to temp before the cook.

 

[browneyesvictim]

I get WAY different (higher) temps at the exhaust than I do at rack level where the meat is. I don't see any use in putting it there for any reason.

 

[chilerelleno]

Is your meat cooking in the exhaust?
Nope, it is cooking on the grate, you want to know your cooking temp, not exhaust temp.

 

[pyro513]

Hi guys, no you don’t cook in the stack but I guess what some of the guys do with them is calculate the difference from rack to stack and adjust the thermometer to the rack temp.

 

[SonnyE]

I have an analog thermometer in my stack, just for a reference point. It is of no further relevance than that.
For my most recent smoke, a Pork Butt, I had my meat probe buried in the meat, and my grate probe just under my Butt on the rack.
I think my stack was running ~150°. The rack was 275° - 300° +.
My Butt got to 197° over 12 hours. And the bone came out perfectly clean.
And I'm full of pulled pork. ;):D

 

[Non Savaunt]

My thinking was to put the thermo in the stack and probe on the grate and calculate the differences so I can use the one in the stack as I start up the cook and get the uds to Temps. Having them in the side of the uds seems like a good place for it to be in the way of the charcoal basket and the grates. I've never cooked anything without a probe right next to and inside the meat on my old weber kettle

 

[gmc2003]

I think if you used a grommet and placed the probe just under your grate you'd see better consistency. The reason I say use a grommet is so you can take the probe out of the UDS when you need to. Also being under the grate your not loosing any real estate.

Chris