Thermometer Placement - Oklahoma Joe

[davemc]

Just joined the family of The BBQ Brethren. I bought an Oklahoma Joe Longhorn to start off my smoking adventure. I have purchased and installed all mods to include tuning plates, seals, sealant around firebox, elbow inside smoker, latches and lengthened the stack by 3 feet. I am about to purchase new thermometers and was wondering about length. I realize they should be closer to the meat but I have a Maverick for that so wouldn't it be alright to get two that fit into the smoker box but just get longer probes? Wouldn’t that be good enough instead of welding new bungs lower?

[SmittyJonz]

Ditch the exhaust elbow. Don't need stack extension. I'd put one thermo on either side of the handle halfway to ends just above grate level. Don't need to weld a bunge just drill a hole - held in by hex nut.

[smoke ninja]

Originally Posted by SmittyJonz

Ditch the exhaust elbow. Don't need stack extension. I'd put one thermo on either side of the handle halfway to ends just above grate level. Don't need to weld a bunge just drill a hole - held in by hex nut.

X2

I have that pit. Dont need all that

[SmittyJonz]

The 3 foot stack extension is to compensate for the elbow/ inside extension........

[davemc]

Thanks for the advice. Why ditch the elbow? I was going to weld a new hold for the stack at grate level but the elbow was so easy.

[SmittyJonz]

It can actually hinder airflow and give you stale smoke or hot spots. offset stick burn smoking is all about airflow- good clean fire and plenty of airflow

[davemc]

Then the elbow will be removed. What about my thermometer placement? I like having the two bungs welded in and want one on each side so since I cannot get the close to meat level I though about getting 6" probes. As I stated earlier I do have a maverick dual probe thermometer that i use in the meats themselves.

[SmittyJonz]

Put them in the factory location and use your Maverick or oven thermos and put them right on the grate - you will learn the average difference between grate and the thermos where they're at

[SmittyJonz]

YouTube

[davemc]

I am from Austin and am very familiar with Franklin's and have his book as well.

[Bludawg]

Let me put this in a context that is easy to comprehend. The only temp that matters is the temp about 1-2" above the grate not 14 " above it, who cares what the temp is where you are not cooking the grate will be at least 50 deg cooler. So if you go by the factory location and you want to run at 250 on that thermo the meat is actually cooking at 200.

[davemc]

understood