Which to believe?

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mschepac

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 4, 2016
22
14
Southern NJ

ok, smoking a couple of picnics in the UDS.  I generally use the dial thermometer that I installed.  It is BBQ after all and not rocket science.  I decided to see how accurate the indication was since they are known to be off.  This is the drum temp, not the meat.  The picnics just went on about 1 1/2 hours ago.  I want to do a hot and fast method so I am looking for about 280.

Dial says 270ish

Instant read says 284

Probe 1 says 292

Probe 2 says 309

A lovely clear 10 degree difference between each of them....  Grrrr....
 
I have a feeling that you are familiar with the results you get with the dial therm.

What temp do you normally smoke at?

Say it's 240 on the dial, then I would go by the dial & run it at 280.

Al
 
Test and verify the probe units in boiling water and go by what the most accurate one says the smoker is...JJ
 
Thanks, I was just sitting here wondering how to 'calibrate'...Boiling water 212....  Makes sense to me...  :)
 
All of the probes are within a couple of inches, all at the same distance from the fire.  As the temps got a bit higher, all of them are now within a couple of degrees of one another...
 
Just checked mine against the boil. Based on my elevation, it should be 209.3.

ThermoWorks ThermoPen - bounced between 209 & 210

ThermoWorks ChefAlarm - bounced between 209.3 and 209.7

ThermoPro TP20 - the two probes were at 210 and 211

I think that I can work with these...

My Comark PDQ400 instant read travel thermometer (for when I'm on job sites for an extended period) read 210.4-211. There is a way to calibrate it, but I think that I can live with it as is...
 
 
All of the probes are within a couple of inches, all at the same distance from the fire.  As the temps got a bit higher, all of them are now within a couple of degrees of one another...
After the cook take all of them,and check with boiling water

Richie
 
 
I didn't know if SNJ has hills or mountains, but it is still good advice for anyone else that is reading this thread...
SNJ is almost as flat as Kansas.... 
icon_razz.gif
 
Wow glad I found this thread, thought I was going crazy .
Just got a fancy wireless thermometer, so I'll work on getting that calibrated.
 

After a 270-300 degree smoke for 3.5 hours, wrapped in foil, smoker for another 3 hours, then into a cooler for another hour and a half, they came out practically perfect.  Pulled like a dream.  Unfortunately right into zip lock bags until Sunday.  I was too stressed about them taking over 10 hours that I had the time to do it today, so I did.  Can't wait to eat!!! 
 
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Mighty fine looking meat from here.
Nice job.
Got parts for a UDS build in northern Michigan at our hunt/fish camp...can't wait to get up there next month and get it finished up.
Walt
 
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