Fluctuating meat temperature probe.......

[id2nv2nj2ca]

Hello folks.  I am currently 18+ hours into a DivotMaker brined pork butt smoke where the butt my Maverick 733 was in hit 190 degrees IT well over an hour ago.  The SI probe still says 186......187.....188.......  And it has been that way since just after midnight this morning when I fired up the smoker and put the butts in.  Only the numbers were much smaller then.

Is this normal or is there something wrong with my probe, connector, something else?  Thanks in advance.

 

[old sarge]

At 18 hours I would pull it.  I have averaged 12 to 16 hours depending upon weight.

 

[id2nv2nj2ca]

At 18 hours I would pull it.  I have averaged 12 to 16 hours depending upon weight.

I did, about 20 minutes ago. It finally hit 190. Don't understand what took so long. And though it tastes great, it is a bit dry on the outside part, which is normal I guess.

Now, about that temp display?

 

[old sarge]

It looks good.  The stall is what you were going through when the last 15 or 20 degrees seem to take forever.  As for the difference between the two probes, I can only guess that it was because of placement. Not that you did anything wrong. One probe may have been a solid piece of muscle and the other maybe in a fat pocket that melted and created a small void.  We did a ham last week (in the oven) and it was to cook till it hit 145 internal.  Probed it with a Thermapen in three locations and got three different readings. So it is not uncommon.  You are going to have to decide which to trust.

 

[Greenenvey]

Funny you mention the difference  in temp displays, I did my first smoke yesterday  that required a meat probe. I used my new chef alarm probe and the 3D probe. I was smokin a turkey  breast.  One probe  on each side of the breast. In the beginning  first couple  hours they read a 10 degree difference.  Then about 3 hours in a 6 degree  difference.  At the end when it was near hitting the 165 mark they both read the same. Kinda thought  that was interesting.  So there can be alot of difference  in temps depending  on were the probe is placed.

 

[id2nv2nj2ca]

It looks good.  The stall is what you were going through when the last 15 or 20 degrees seem to take forever.  As for the difference between the two probes, I can only guess that it was because of placement. Not that you did anything wrong. One probe may have been a solid piece of muscle and the other maybe in a fat pocket that melted and created a small void.  We did a ham last week (in the oven) and it was to cook till it hit 145 internal.  Probed it with a Thermapen in three locations and got three different readings. So it is not uncommon.  You are going to have to decide which to trust.

Thanks, David.  I'm familiar with a stall and know it can seem like it takes forever.  This really did.  I wouldn't have even mentioned it, but Tony (DivotMaker) said that brined butts get done faster than unbrined ones, so I was a bit concerned that it took over 18 hours for them to finish.

I should have been more clear in my original post and when I talked about introducing the other probe.  I only did that because I couldn't believe that the IT was so low on the butt with the SI probe inserted after having been smoking for, I believe 12 hours at that point.

My main concern and the reason I started this thread was because of what the temperature display on the digital controller was doing.  It was constantly changing temps.  Up three degrees, down three degrees, up three degrees, etc etc etc.  Did it the entire time.  So much I think it's going to wear out the electronics and I was just wondering if that is normal.

Thanks again for the replies.

Funny you mention the difference  in temp displays, I did my first smoke yesterday  that required a meat probe. I used my new chef alarm probe and the 3D probe. I was smokin a turkey  breast.  One probe  on each side of the breast. In the beginning  first couple  hours they read a 10 degree difference.  Then about 3 hours in a 6 degree  difference.  At the end when it was near hitting the 165 mark they both read the same. Kinda thought  that was interesting.  So there can be alot of difference  in temps depending  on were the probe is placed.

That's interesting and odd, isn't it?  After watching an episode of Burgers, Brews and Que and them filming at SLAPS, I want to try doing the turkey breast like they do.  It sounds really good.  Good luck with your smoking!!

 

[DivotMaker]

Scott, you can test your meat probe in a glass of ice water (should read 32°).  I see it only showed off a couple of degrees from your Maverick.  One or the other is off.  You can actually set a probe offset in the controller.  If it doesn't read 32, let me know and I'll walk you through it.

As for the butt taking 18 hours??  Well, pork butts are made by pigs, and you can't trust them for quality control!   That's the fun of BBQ....you can't nail everything down to an exact science!  In my experience, brined butts do smoke faster, but that may be because of the butts that I get.  If you buy them at the same place, you'll get fairly consistent quality, and cook times.  I get fooled when I get one out of my "normal" network!

 

[id2nv2nj2ca]

Scott, you can test your meat probe in a glass of ice water (should read 32°).  I see it only showed off a couple of degrees from your Maverick.  One or the other is off.  You can actually set a probe offset in the controller.  If it doesn't read 32, let me know and I'll walk you through it.

As for the butt taking 18 hours??  Well, pork butts are made by pigs, and you can't trust them for quality control!   That's the fun of BBQ....you can't nail everything down to an exact science!  In my experience, brined butts do smoke faster, but that may be because of the butts that I get.  If you buy them at the same place, you'll get fairly consistent quality, and cook times.  I get fooled when I get one out of my "normal" network!

Thanks Tony.  I can see I REALLY need to work on my explanation skills.  Though you and at least one other have addressed other issues I DID bring up, no one has addressed my original concern in the first post of this thread. 

My original question has to do with the temperature displaying from the probe that is plugged into the PID.  It bounces........CONSTANTLY.  It will read 40, 41, 42, 41, 40, 41, 42, 41, 40 etc etc etc, only it will gradually adjust up as the temp in the meat increases, but it is constantly going up and down, usually with a spread of three degrees.  Just wondering if THAT is normal.  I'm used to the Maverick changing one degree at a time only and not three degrees in a matter of seconds.  I hope this explains what I am getting at.  If it doesn't, I will take a short video next time I smoke something that needs a temp probe and post it here, though the limit of file sizes makes it really difficult with a phone that takes 60fps video.

Thanks again for all the help.  I really do appreciate it.

 

[DivotMaker]

Lol.  I understand, Scott.  Yes, that is normal.  The controller reads 1/10ths of a degree, so as the temp fluctuates, in less than 1° increments, it will flash between them.  Once it's solidly in that degree's temp band, it will stabilize.  You'll see this on the box temp side, too. 

Since we're dealing with a degree, or two, fluctuation, don't worry!  BBQ is not that precise!   Remember, the stock analog controller fluctuates 10-20°, and produces some mighty fine Q, so a degree or so is no big deal.

 

[id2nv2nj2ca]

Lol.  I understand, Scott.  Yes, that is normal.  The controller reads 1/10ths of a degree, so as the temp fluctuates, in less than 1° increments, it will flash between them.  Once it's solidly in that degree's temp band, it will stabilize.  You'll see this on the box temp side, too. 

Since we're dealing with a degree, or two, fluctuation, don't worry!  BBQ is not that precise!   Remember, the stock analog controller fluctuates 10-20°, and produces some mighty fine Q, so a degree or so is no big deal.

Thanks for the clarification.  I feel better now.