Chuck roast with graph

UnConundrum

For those of you who don't understand the plateau, I post a live graph from time to time. This one is a 16.5# chuck roast. I have three probes connected to a stoker, one dome, one grate, and one in the meat. It's set to 225 grid.

CLICK HERE FOR THE GRAPH

Grandpas Grub

Warren,

Thanks for posting these graphs.

A lot of folk wonder the pros of the Stoker and these are one of the pros.

It is expecially interesting looking at the dome/grid monitoring. I would think the delta would get closer to the end of the cook. I wonder how or if the delta would change on a long cook.


Again thanks, Kent

UnConundrum

We'll have to see what happens this time, but usually, as the meat pulls out of the plateau, the dome temp will rise, and often cross the grid temp. It's my theory that until the collagen is about exhausted, the meat is sucking up btu's for that chemical reaction. Once it's gone, the dome starts heating up again.

UnConundrum

For those of you interested, it looks like the roast may be just starting to climb out of the plateau. The graph shows the plateau pretty clearly. For you more experienced eggers, note the rise in the dome temperature as it climbs out of the plateau...

BTW, be sure to click on the "all" radio button, and then "change" so you can see the whole graph, not just the last 6 hours (the last 6 hours will just show the plateau, and not the changes)

Graph is HERE

Grandpas Grub

The graph is amazing, especially the dome cross over.

How much space is the meat taking up on the grid, size and or percentage. It would be interesting to see a picture.

The logic makes sense but how could the meat absorb all the heat energy, there is still heat being generated from the upper ceramics.

On another note, Bubba Tim gets amazingly moist pictures cooking his brisket at 210° or so, not sure if that is dome or grate, I would be interest to see if this cook looks as moist as his brisket pictures.

Kent

Grandpas Grub

It is interesting to see the variations in temperature while climbing, both grid & dome - wonder why?

What is the read frequency? Maybe it's on the graph, I go and take another look.

Kent

Grandpas Grub

Could it be possible that at 200° it would take 4 hours +/- to get the upper ceramics up to temperature?

Kent

UnConundrum

Not sure you're selecting the "all" radio button and clicking on "Change" if you're only seeing 6 hours. The cook started late last night, and the dome was about 25 degrees hotter than the grid for an hour or so, before I added the meat. You can see on the far left of the graph, that after I added the meat, it peaked back up at about 200F, before it started dropping. I had preheated the egg for well more than an hour before I added the meat, so I don't think it's a cold ceramics thing.

UnConundrum

I have the plate setter below the meat, legs up, with a drip pan in the belly of the plate setter. The plate setter tends to change the dynamics of the heat distribution in the egg. I'd say the meat occupies about 45% of the grid space, and reaches about 5 inches into the dome, plenty of room for air circulation.

I'll try to remember to take some pictures before I remove it (don't want to open the dome now or it with throw the graph off)

Grandpas Grub

Thanks, if you want to take pictures that's fine but I understand the setup from your description.

Kent

UnConundrum

K.

Current graph depicts a "conundrum." It's pulling out of the plateau, dome has soared past grid, but the meat is only 153, when conventional wisdom would say I have to go to 185 or above for the meat.... I usally chicken out and wait till it hits 175... I may pull it. If you see big changes, that's what happened

Grandpas Grub

Evidently I didn't click the change box. I was looking at the last 6 hours in the above post.

The dome temp is getting more interesting as time goes on. The 3 hr window is interesting too. I am really surprised at the 60° delta.

From casual watching I thought my dome temp got closer to the grid temp as the cook went on. There is a ratical difference in the charging of this cook.

Kent

UnConundrum

Here's a picture of it in the egg:



and one of it out:



As to the moisture, you can only tell once I cut it.... about an hour from now. I always like to let them sit for a good bit so the juices redistribute.

BTW, regarding the graph, if you really want to study it, you can click your mouse on the graph, and drag to your desired end point, and zoom in on that area of the graph. That makes observing certain areas much easier.

Grandpas Grub

That's a big hunk of meat there. Looking forward to seeing or hearing after the rest.

I knew I could see the specific reads using the mouse.

I have to quit being so lazy and use the stoker more. I keep loosing the graph, I think/wonder if it is because of my screen saver settings.

I don't at all understand the large delta before opening the dome.

I sure appreciate you allowing the cook watch.

Kent

TomM24

That grid and dome graph is interesting. Have you seen the same thing in the past? If the stoker was controlling the dome temp I guess the grid may have fallen alot.

Grandpas Grub

Tom, good question. Looking at the probe tabe, it appears the fan is associated with the grid probe.

Kent

Grandpas Grub

Looking at the chard the food probe held at 151° while the dome / grid began to radically split.

It doesn't look like you opened the dome at all I wonder what the difference would be if the meat was pulled just as the dome/grid began to radically change. Difference in moisture or texture?

Maybe you have discovered a new 'doneness' indicator.

Kent

UnConundrum

Yes, I've been discussing this with friends for a couple years...

Actually, If I controlled the fan with the dome, the fan would have run constantly, raising the grid temp significantly. Remember, the dome runs colder during the cook as I have demonstrated.

UnConundrum

Correct

TomM24

I don't think so if you set the dome to 195 the grid would have stayed 233 just like it did through most of the cook. Then at the end of the cook the dome would stay at 195 but I suspect the grid may fall. Have you tried dome control and seen otherwise?

UnConundrum

But how would you ascertain that point of 192? I was saying that if you controlled the fan to keep the dome at 225, the grid would be much higher, and, if my assertion is correct, that the collagen is done when the dome starts to spike, you'd lose that observation. I guess, pit would start to drop...

TomM24

You can see both temps so if you want the grate at 233 you set the dome low enough to get there. Not the thing to do if your concerned about the grate and not the dome but do able. If your theory about the collagen beign fully converted when the dome rises,and it does make sense thermodynamically, when the meat is done the the dome and the grate may fall. Which could help to keep the meat from overcooking. Would be an interesting eggsperiment if your around to makes changes if something unexpected happens.

Chappy

I think whatever is cooking is done. I just logged into your graph and it was beeping!

UnConundrum

Turned out great. Having pulled it at about 155, it was moist, but just a little less tender. By no means was it tuff, but it was more the consistency of a steak than of pulled beef or well cooked short ribs.

Here's some pictures:

Grandpas Grub

That does look good there.

Very interesting cook.

Kent

TomM24

UnConumdrum:

When I got my DigiQ I was tempted to get the Stoker but I'm reasonble computer literate but thought yea the graphs are neat but they wouldn't show anything unexpected. Your last oook definatley changed my mind. The wild swing in the difference between the dome and grate at the ennd a long cook is completely unexpeceted and peaked my curiosity. Since I don't have the stoker I look forward to more cooks.