Probe Through a Potato?

[mickeyw3340]

I read in a thread in getting started about the temp probe pushed through a potato.  I have been  trying to come up with a way to put one of my dual wireless probes close to the grate. Is this what has been done? Push the probe tip all the way through a potato and then set it on the cooking grate? 

Any other methods you have used would be of interest to me. I am going to drill a hole just above the Weber Gold food grate and run the probe wire that way. My concern now is a firm way to keep the probe slightly above the food grate. 

[ncsmoker]

Hi Mickey welcome to the forum. You really don't need to use the potato or keep the probe above the grate. Both the grill and the air around it will be the same temp. The probe uses only about the first 1/4 to 1/2" to measure the temp. What does happen is that heat rises from the grill up. So if your smoking a large pork butt you might want to turn it every couple of hours, vs. ribs which are thinner. Second the temp nearer the coals will be hotter than the grate away from the coals, so you will want to turn the meat 180 degrees and move the further meat towards the coals and the meat nearer the coals away from them. I do this every two hrs. for large pieces and 1-11/1 hrs. for fibs and chicken.

I love my Weber Gold with the SN but find I am having to adjust the bottom vents as well as the top vents to control the temperature. I'm a serious smoker and do everything from curing and smoking my own bacon at 160 degrees to 13lb. brisket for 18 hours, all on the Weber.

My biggest advice is get rid of the water pan and get a small loaf pan that will set on the grill when you close the folding section. I just got a 3x6 pan it gives me 2-3 hours of water.

My second biggest suggestion is experiment, experiment, experiment. The SN is not a set it and forget it addition to the Weber. I usually check it every 1/2 hr. You need to knock off the ashes of the coals every hr. and push them up against the new coals. Every 4 hours you need to push all the lit coals to the center and add new coals through the circles and square hole. I can normally get 30-40 new coals in. Push the lit coals up against the new coals and your good for another 3-4 hrs.

As far as woods my favorites are Oak, maple, apple, cherry, hickory of course, but use it sparingly. I use it with one of the others.

Take the water pan off the last hr. to get a good competition BBQ bark. You will need to reduce the vents when you do this.

On large cuts like brisket and butts after you get up to 185 take them off rap in foil and then a towel and let them set an hour or 2. Carry over cooking will take them up to 195 to 200 and the meat juices will redistribute through out providing a delicious tender piece ready for pulling or slicing.

Hope this helps

NC

[mickeyw3340]

Thanks for the tips NC.
So I am reading your response to my thermometer question as to run the probe through a hole in the bottom of the kettle just above the grate?

[ncsmoker]

Yes that works just fine, use a drill bit a little larger than the probes then you can pass them through one at a time and not have any noticeable smoke leakage.

Also I forgot, at the 4hr point when you add the new briquits make sure you sweep the ashes out of the kettle. It is easy with the Gold.

NC