DigiQ II Advice requested

edg1 · July 2011

Hi,

My DigiQ just arrived in the mail. Any thoughts or suggestions before I use it? I am planning on cooking some chicken tonight, and baby back ribs tomorrow.

Thanks,

edg

jbenny · July 2011

Just be prepared for how awesome it is and don't be afraid of the difference between grate and dome temp.

Gator Bait · July 2011

Hi edg1

Congrats on the DigiQ II, I have had mine for a couple years and love it. I do not know what instructions are shipped with them these days, the most complete instructions can be found HERE. The first thing I would do is check to make sure that it is calibrated. At the same time I would double check the dome thermometer on your egg to make sure that they match. The dome thermometer is adjusted by the nut on the backside.

When I use my DigiQ I let it bring the egg up to the set pit temperature, this way I never over shoot and never have to wait for the egg to cool down. The DigiQ should nail it! I will guess that you have the 10 CFM fan. On my medium egg I do low and slows at half damper. If you have a larger egg it is not that much of a factor. For hotter cooks I can open the fan damper up all the way to get enough air flow. For low and slows I will keep the daisy wheel (DFMT) closed all the way. The egg is not air tight and in my opinion this gives complete control to the DigiQ. Others will crack the daisy wheel slightly. I only need to do that for more heat, a large egg may differ.

HERE are the last chickens I did using the DigiQ, it may or may not help. :laugh:
These chickens were a tight fit on my medium, I tied them up until they had started to show some color and then untied the legs. I think the dark meat will cook in much the same time as the white meat if it is not tied to the bird. The dark meat notoriously takes longer to cook and this way the hot air circulates better around it and it will cook faster. The old way to check for doneness in a bird is to stick it with a cooking fork, particularly where the leg might cover the breast. If the juices run clear it is done, if they are at all pink and showing any traces of blood it is not done. I use this method as well as my instant read thermometer.

Blair

Grandpas Grub · July 2011

Read the instructions. Looks like Gator Bait has you covered pretty well.

Here is a link regarding probe placement.
Pit Probe Placement

When putting the food probe in the meat, make sure you center the probe vertically and horizontally or in any specific spot you may want to monitor.

Pay attention to where you place the pit probe. Too close to cast iron items, too close to cold food, in the path of heat flow from the lump bed, too close to dome if clipping on the BGE dome thermometer all will give you false readings and different cooking temperatures than you intended.

Don't use the probes in high heat cooking, watch the heating rating of the probes.

If you find your self searching for a place to put the pit probe at grate level don't hesitate to poke the probe completely through the meat and sticking out of the meat a little more than 2 inches.

Eventually you will find out you won't use the controller as much as you though you wood when first purchased.

Think about picking up a dual probe monitor to use with the DigiQ, the monitor will eliminate having to go out to the egg and check what's going on. The Maverick ET-732 is a great accessory to get.

If you haven't done so yet, invest in a Thermapen instant read digital thermometer, no substitutes on this one. Cook to food done temperature and use time as a guide only.

Congratulations you will love your new toy.

GG

James MB · July 2011

Make sure you plug the probes in before you power it up.
Close the daisy wheel down to a crack.
Have confidence.
Have a bottle opener.

IQthere4iam · August 2011

Make sure you plug the probes in before you power it up.
Close the daisy wheel down to a crack.
Have confidence.
Have a bottle opener.

+1

Daddyo · August 2011

How weather proof are these things? I'm getting one and need to know if I must start working on a DigiQ umbrella system. What do people use to keep them dry?

funk49 · August 2011

Mine got wet. Still worked. I wouldn't want to test it that way very often though.

Tennisbum · August 2011

Well I just sent my DigiQ back to the factory. Thing just died. I always put it in a plastic bag and close the bottom as best as I can to prevent moisture from getting in. Guess What? Moisture in the unit caused it to fail and a new board will cost me $50. I told the lady what I always do when I am cooking overnight and asked if they had any sort of plastic box to prevent moisture. NOPE. They recommend a plastic bag. Go figure.
So be careful and do all you can to prevent moisture, apparently where the probes plug in is not moisture proof
gp

EggerFromIowa · August 2011

How weather proof are these things? I'm getting one and need to know if I must start working on a DigiQ umbrella system. What do people use to keep them dry?

I use a zip lock baggie as well to keep it dry. One time the controller was acting funny after a night cook where there was a little moisture. After 3 days, I tried again and all was well. It definitely doesn't like to get wet. Congrats on the purchase you will enjoy it.

Hatch · August 2011

The most important thing to remember about keeping the control dry is to always keep it upright in its stand.

This keeps the plug connections ( the most likely place for water intrusion ) pointing down and protected by the recess in the box.

With it upright and covered you should have no probelms.

Laying it flat on a table allows water to possibly splash onto the plug connections.

Kenny

The Naked Whiz · August 2011

I put mine in a gallon bag so there is lots of excess bag that can hang over the edge of the table and water won't come up into it.

That said, I left my ProCom4 out in moderate rain that lasted 16 hours, and sumb*tch if that thing doesn't still work. Amazing.

Toaster_Head · August 2011

With enough $ a solution could be found here;

http://www.pelican-case.com/

T_H

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