jd-santaclarita
Got Wood.
Hi All,
Thanks everyone for your advice on my spare rib thread, I did them yesterday and they certainly filled our bellies
I definitely noticed I have a temperature problem or maybe a misunderstanding on my UDS. Its not the standard issue of keeping temps in check....I have a homemade PID based draft system with a little blower that attaches to one of my intake nipples (rest of them are closed) so this is the ONLY source of oxygen. It works dead on to whatever temps I set them to.
My issues is that I dont really know what to set the temps to
I have the temperature controller temperature probe about 1/4" below grate level and it sticks in probably 6-8". I set this to 190*.
I have another probe mounted (maverik wireless unit) directly in the center clamped onto the bottom of the grate. The tip doesnt touch metal.
I had a rib rack with 3 spares in the middle area. I have the 2 2" drum lid holes open for the exhaust. I tried playing with both 1 hole open and 2 and didnt notice a lot of difference.
So basically with that setup, i noticed when the temp controller probe was at 190, the center probe would read 260-270.
I thought the probe may be messed up so I stuck in a long stem turkey fryer probe close to the center and it read 250.
I then thought my temp controller probe may be off, so i put the "food" probe of the maverik unit in the rough area where the temp control probe was and it read 180. (this was litterally sitting on the grate, tip not touching metal and only about 2" away from the ribs).
With such a wild difference in temps, I really dont know how I should deal with it. My best guess is that the hot coals directly below (started in the top center of basket) rise straight up to the center, trap hot air because the ribs are there blocking them and maybe the heat just flows around the food out the exhaust bypassing the rest of the pit?
I also dont know if this is normal or how I should gauge what temp I should be cooking at...for instance for a recipe that says roughly 6 hours at 225....I dont know how to set my pit for 225...160 on my temp control to get 225 in the center or 225 on my control and let it go up around 300 in the hot spot?
Any advice or exerience is greatly appreciated.
Thanks all,
JD
Thanks everyone for your advice on my spare rib thread, I did them yesterday and they certainly filled our bellies
I definitely noticed I have a temperature problem or maybe a misunderstanding on my UDS. Its not the standard issue of keeping temps in check....I have a homemade PID based draft system with a little blower that attaches to one of my intake nipples (rest of them are closed) so this is the ONLY source of oxygen. It works dead on to whatever temps I set them to.
My issues is that I dont really know what to set the temps to
I have the temperature controller temperature probe about 1/4" below grate level and it sticks in probably 6-8". I set this to 190*.
I have another probe mounted (maverik wireless unit) directly in the center clamped onto the bottom of the grate. The tip doesnt touch metal.
I had a rib rack with 3 spares in the middle area. I have the 2 2" drum lid holes open for the exhaust. I tried playing with both 1 hole open and 2 and didnt notice a lot of difference.
So basically with that setup, i noticed when the temp controller probe was at 190, the center probe would read 260-270.
I thought the probe may be messed up so I stuck in a long stem turkey fryer probe close to the center and it read 250.
I then thought my temp controller probe may be off, so i put the "food" probe of the maverik unit in the rough area where the temp control probe was and it read 180. (this was litterally sitting on the grate, tip not touching metal and only about 2" away from the ribs).
With such a wild difference in temps, I really dont know how I should deal with it. My best guess is that the hot coals directly below (started in the top center of basket) rise straight up to the center, trap hot air because the ribs are there blocking them and maybe the heat just flows around the food out the exhaust bypassing the rest of the pit?
I also dont know if this is normal or how I should gauge what temp I should be cooking at...for instance for a recipe that says roughly 6 hours at 225....I dont know how to set my pit for 225...160 on my temp control to get 225 in the center or 225 on my control and let it go up around 300 in the hot spot?
Any advice or exerience is greatly appreciated.
Thanks all,
JD
