Temps in my LSG

[WhiskyJoe]

Hi Fellow Meat Brethren!

I'm a few months into running my 48" LSG offset. I have have 2 tru-temp gauges in the doors and a few digital probes that I stick all throughout the smoker. If I run the smoker empty, the temp difference between the digital thermos and the gauges is ~10 degrees. When I through slabs of meat on one side, the gauge reads cooler (i get it, the meat is cooling things off).

Here's my question: If I throw a brisket on with a smoker temp of 250-260, the side with the brisket will drop to 225-ish. Should I crank that fire to get that tru-temp up to 250? The rest of the smoker reads 250, but the gauge next to the meat runs colder once the meat is on. What do y'all do? I'm doing some briskets and pork belly Memorial Day weekend and would prefer to have it not suck

My goal is to cook it at 250-260.

 

[sudsandswine]

I wouldn't expect some cold meat to make such a big discrepancy in chamber temp. Is the gauge probe close to the meat or something, which may skew the reading? The thermal mass of the metal is a lot greater than that of a brisket or two, and I can't say I ever experienced similar on my Shirley.

 

[Back9Q]

Thermal mass will affect temperature. It will balance out as exterior of meat heats up. This is if airflow is unobstructed and tel tru tip close to where meat is

Empty my offset is within 5f majority of time. With meat on it can go to 10-25f depending on meat size and placement. I don’t worry too much about it as the temperature of air actually hitting meat is likely somewhere in between and thats fine


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Callahan-que]

Don't get your head all wrapped up in your pit temps, get rid of all of them digital probes in there.

 

[txsmkmstr]

My experience has led me to make sure the meat isn't within a few inches of the probe tip if possible. That said, in an offset I wouldn't make any significant adjustments for 30-60 minutes. Just opening a door can drop the temps down quite a bit.

I like the way my LSG comes up to temp quickly - seems like I'm ready to cook in 30 minutes or less BUT you still don't have the entire pit (walls, floor, etc.) up to the target temp. You might wait an hour before putting on the meat.

Finally, target cook temp is just such a soft number. No issues with chuckling along a little lower and making it up a little hotter later - visa versa.

 

[WhiskyJoe]

Thanks, y'all. I think I'm not waiting for the pit to come back up after opening. Also, I'm going to put the meat further back next time to see what happens.

 

[ssv3]

I have vertical offset from LSG and I don't pay attn to the temp gauges much. Even though they're Tel Tru, the temps are going to be off since the stem length only reaches out a few inches. I just make sure that my pit temps are ballpark where I need to be and I keep cooking. I find quickly touching the cook chamber area (NOT THE FIREBOX) far more effective to see if my pit temps are ok.

And cook at a little higher temps. Chances are that if the gauges show 250 you're actually running it even lower than that. I make sure my gauges read 275-325 even though I'm confident it's less than that inside the pit. That's why I like my "touch test" but again you have to be careful not to burn yourself and probably not for everybody. Works for me though.

 

[Callahan-que]

I don't worry too much about temps when using my Lang, the thermometer on the lid just let's me know when to add another split or two.

 

[ssv3]

I don't worry too much about temps when using my Lang, the thermometer on the lid just let's me know when to add another split or two.

Bingo!

More what gauges are for. When temp starts to dip it's time to put in a split.

 

[Fooball]

I don't worry too much about temps when using my Lang, the thermometer on the lid just let's me know when to add another split or two.

Yup....I also use a grate level probe which should track up and down swings fairly close with the lid thermo.

The big difference is I can see the grate level probe from my living room couch, and when I go out to add the split the lid thermo confirms it.

Unless it's a nice weather day. Then I'm kicked back watching the smoke roll outside....

 

[pbclown]

I have used digital probes in all sorts of smokers I have cooked on. What I have found out during all that time is that use the temp gauge as a guild, not as a controlling factor. Check your meat every so often and use how your smoker is cooking as a way to gauge what needs to change. Everyone these days is concerned with temp, a lot are not paying enough attention to how the meat cooks. My current smoker is a Jambo backyard. When empty, sides are +- 5 degrees, with meat probes read all over the place, but the meat cooks even, which is what I am most concerned with.

 

[charcoalwilly]

I saw same thing on LSG (10-15 difference) and got rid of digital probes like Callahan mentioned. Makes it more enjoyable.