Temperature vary?

williamadamsesq

Using my brand new Maverick for my first overnight brisket. There's a big difference between the dome thermometer and the probe at the grill level. I have a big water pan on the legs up plate setter, would that explain why the top of the dome is hotter?

Philly35

Have you calibrated your dome thermo lately? Just something to check..

bo_mull

My dome temp is usually about 25 degrees hotter than grate temp for the first few hours of a long cook.

williamadamsesq

They have been much more consistent after the first hour.. That thermometer is a godsend.

Skiddymarker

The other thing you might want to try is to route the pit probe over a setter leg. In the last pic above run it in from the bottom of the picture, keeps the probe and cable away from direct expose to the burning lump. 

To keep the probe wires away from the handle, I usually drop my setter in with one leg at the hinge, the other two will be at the 8:00 and 4:00 o'clock positions. 

Ahh - brisket, looking good. 

BYS1981

as mentioned position your probe over the platesetter, but keep in mind initially there will be a 15-30ish degree variance between grid temperature and done temperature. the longer the cook goes on for, without opening the lid, the smaller the variance will be.

lousubcap

All good info above-and FYI-the BGE burns hotter at the back slightly right of center due to the air flow path.  Thus Skiddmarker's platesetter positioning I would guess.  And the above about temperature differences is what you get with indirect cooks-on direct cooks the cooking surface is hotter than the dome temperature as it is closer to the burning lump.  All that said, if your dome thermo is alibrated it does a good job of giving you a "point of departure" for planning the duration of any cook.  The true measure is the food finish temperature.  FWIW-

williamadamsesq

It all worked out perfectly. Got up and pulled the foil off at 192, worked through a second stall, and pulled it off at 190 after 12 hours.

TAPROOT

The temp at the top of the dome and the cooking level will always be different, especially early in the cook. As the dome itself begins to absorb the temperature it will even out but 25 degrees is really not at all surprising. The other is as lousubcap points out that air flow will make a big difference. If you place the probe over the three open areas around the platesetter you will get a considerably hotter reading than you will over the platesetter itself. Lastly, you need to have your probe equidistant from the meat and the dome as the meat will "radiate" a cooler temperature.

williamadamsesq

Brisket, burnt ends, Texas potato salad with pickled onions, corn with maple chipotle butter, Carmenere wine, berry cobbler ala Mode

jaydub58

Gorgeous!

Can the berry cobbler be shipped to another state?  In the West?

 

=P~