Model #2 Temperature Variations

[Sartori42]

I'm in the middle of my second smoke in my Model #2.  I have a ThermoWorks Smoke thermometer, with a probe in the middle of the smoker, just out of curiosity.  No probe in the baby backs, of course.  I understand the idea that the temperature will vary significantly, but it is my understanding that the temperature should average out to the setting on the temperature dial.  The baby backs are cooking at 225 degrees.  Therefore, I expect to see temps above and below the 225 degree target.  Once this smoke came up to temperature, it zoomed up to 265 degrees.  It eventually came back down, but has slowly varied between 220 degrees and 255 degrees.  The average, therefore, seems to be about 17 degrees above the dial marking.  My question to the group, for those who have observed their smoker temps...  Is that normal?  I know I can adjust the temp knowing that my smoker seems to run a bit hot.  Again, is this "par for the course"?

Thanks all.  Time to go sauce those ribs...    ;D

Steven

 

[DivotMaker]

Steven, the box temp you are reading could be inaccurate, based on your probe placement.  I would see if what you smoke comes out at the appropriate time, for what you are doing (neither too long or too short), and go from there.  If your smoker is reading high, you can calibrate the temp knob to adjust for it:

Temperature Adjustment

 

[Sartori42]

Tony,

Thanks for the reply.  I had a single rack of baby back ribs in for 4 hours at 225 degrees (dial setting) in the top shelf position, and the temp probe mounted to an empty shelf, using the supplied standoff, in the very middle of the smoker cabinet.  Similar to my last rack, the meat fell off the bones easily.  Certainly not underdone.  It will be a while until I can get back to cooking ribs, but I'm doing a chicken next weekend.  I would like it if the average temperature was relatively close to the setting.  I'll have the meat probe in the chicken, so things will be somewhat easier.  I just don't want things cooking faster than they should.  "Low and slow" keeps things juicy.

Thanks again,

Steven

 

[DivotMaker]

Steven, a single rack, at 4 hours, seems about right.  A small mass of meat, like that, will cook faster than 2 or 3 racks.  Sounds like your controller is doing the job.  As for the chicken, I do poultry at 250, so set that sucker to wide open!  Low and slow doesn't apply to poultry...no fat, and cooking longer at low temp will not make it more tender or juicy.

 

[LarryD]

I did this on my first smoke.  I took the advice of the friend who persuaded to buy this smoker in the first place as well as that of a few forum members.  That advice:  Don't measure/monitor the box temp.  I haven't measured it since and haven't had a problems since.  Things just got easier. 

Apologies if this sounds dismissive at all...  For all I know they all run 15 degrees high.  However, when the guides say to set your #2 to 225 deg, it tends to work out great regardless of what temperature it's actually doing.  Unless you get some failures, I don't know if it's worth the effort to figure it out or calibrate.

 

[DivotMaker]

I did this on my first smoke.  I took the advice of the friend who persuaded to buy this smoker in the first place as well as that of a few forum members.  That advice:  Don't measure/monitor the box temp.  I haven't measured it since and haven't had a problems since.  Things just got easier. 

Apologies if this sounds dismissive at all...  For all I know they all run 15 degrees high.  However, when the guides say to set your #2 to 225 deg, it tends to work out great regardless of what temperature it's actually doing.  Unless you get some failures, I don't know if it's worth the effort to figure it out or calibrate.

Bazinga!!  +1.

 

[Durangosmoker]

+2. When I first got my #2, I monitored the internal box temp as well as the meat temp, and especially on long smokes monitoring the box temp became something of an obsession. My life became much less stressful once I finally stopped monitoring the box and just trusted the machine to do right for me.  So far it always has, and I am more relaxed because of it.

 

[SconnieQ]

I don't monitor box temp anymore either unless I am doing a low-temp smoke. It just works. Any temp swings with my #1 non-D do not have any negative effect on the finished product.