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Help please... Grate vs. dome

Jamieoro
Jamieoro Posts: 180
edited July 2013 in EggHead Forum
I've read hundreds of posts about pork butts and have done a few successfully but need some validation before I go to bed and let 'em do their thing. I have two 5.5 lb butts about to go on the egg. I have my maverick set up at the grate and it's reading 50+ degrees below the dome thermometer. I'm aiming to cook them at 230-240 degrees. Should I trust the grate temp or go with dome as the primary?

Ran out if dizzy dust while rubbing, so used some raging river too...
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Comments

  • Eggcited Bravesfan in Minneapolis
    Eggcited Bravesfan in Minneapolis Posts: 62
    Boil water and put either of your thermometers - or both - in the water. Boiling water is always 212. Then you'll know which one is right or off.
    2 Large Eggs and no chickens. How's that work? :)
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Your food is on the grate...the dome thermo is above the food.  The grate temp matters more.  Make sure the grate thermo is in the shade of the plate setter, or whatever you're using...and it's not touching the food.  Is your dome thermo calibrated?  I'd trust the digital before I trusted an analog thermometer, but use common sense..how hot does it feel it is?  I've had a probe go bad before too.
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Trust it. This is on the higher side of normal variation. It will equalize as it cooks. I would drive down and watch your egg tonight, but I believe drinking and driving is frowned upon in both the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
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  • Jamieoro
    Jamieoro Posts: 180
    Thanks! Calibrated all thermometers before the cook started and were all good... And do have the therm "in the shade"
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Eggcelsior said:
    Trust it. This is on the higher side of normal variation. It will equalize as it cooks. I would drive down and watch your egg tonight, but I believe drinking and driving is frowned upon in both the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
    You got them special plates where you always have a good day - road trip!
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • Jamieoro
    Jamieoro Posts: 180
    Thanks@eggcelsior. Appreciate the nice gesture (in thought). My 6 month old is up anyway, so I'll probably be up for awhile!
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    Jamieoro said:

    Thanks@eggcelsior. Appreciate the nice gesture (in thought). My 6 month old is up anyway, so I'll probably be up for awhile!

    I'm freaking out. SWMBO is due to go into labor at any moment.
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Eggcelsior said:
    Thanks@eggcelsior. Appreciate the nice gesture (in thought). My 6 month old is up anyway, so I'll probably be up for awhile!
    I'm freaking out. SWMBO is due to go into labor at any moment.
    First one?  All the luck to ya my friend.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • KennyLee
    KennyLee Posts: 806
    I have the same issue.  My dome always reads way more than my Maverick at grate level.....for awhile at least.  After an hour or two into the cook, they always seem to come together though and usually closer to the temp of the dome from the outset if that helps. 

    LBGE

    Cedar table w/granite top

    Ceramic Grillworks two-tier swing rack

    Perpetual cooler of ice-cold beer

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  • Foghorn
    Foghorn Posts: 9,829
    Eggcelsior said:

    Jamieoro said:

    Thanks@eggcelsior. Appreciate the nice gesture (in thought). My 6 month old is up anyway, so I'll probably be up for awhile!

    I'm freaking out. SWMBO is due to go into labor at any moment.
    No need to freak out. Just think of as being sentenced to a life sentence but you are eligible for parole in 18 years. The time flies. I'm eligible for parole in 2015.....

    XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle

    San Antonio, TX

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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    nolaegghead said:


    Eggcelsior said:

    Jamieoro said:

    Thanks@eggcelsior. Appreciate the nice gesture (in thought). My 6 month old is up anyway, so I'll probably be up for awhile!

    I'm freaking out. SWMBO is due to go into labor at any moment.

    First one?  All the luck to ya my friend.


    Numero Dos. 2nd girl, I'm screwed.
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  • Jamieoro
    Jamieoro Posts: 180
    Eggcelsior said:

    Jamieoro said:

    Thanks@eggcelsior. Appreciate the nice gesture (in thought). My 6 month old is up anyway, so I'll probably be up for awhile!

    I'm freaking out. SWMBO is due to go into labor at any moment.
    Ooh how exciting! Best wishes for an easy delivery!
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    $375K ave per kid over the span of growing up...woooohooooo!
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    I love lamp..
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  • SaturdayFatterday
    SaturdayFatterday Posts: 468
    edited July 2013
    @Jamieoro:  definitely trust the grid temp.  My most frequent Egg cook has been pork butt; I've always trusted the Maverick's grid temp, and I've never had a bad pork butt cook (knock on wood).

    [Northern] Virginia is for [meat] lovers.
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  • flemster
    flemster Posts: 269
    I am sure saying this will doom me to failure next time, but I think the Pork Butt is the one cook that is impossible to get wrong... These have been turning out perfect every time for me....I have nothing but my dome temp (calibrated) and I have done them both low and slow (15-18 hours) as well as turbo.... Always turns out.  I say just do it... there can't be so many ways of doing it and only one right way...
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Keywords: Gator, Nashvegas, LBGE, Looftlighter, Thermapen in Racing Green (faster than the red one!), PSWOO2, Spider with CI, IQ120
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  • fiver29
    fiver29 Posts: 628
    I always go with grate temp. For all the reasons already stated.
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Strongsville, Ohio

    Yes.  I own a blue egg!  Call Atlanta if you don't believe me!
    [I put this here so everyone knows when I put pictures up with a blue egg in it]

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  • Dragonwmatches
    Dragonwmatches Posts: 221
    By shade of the PS, I assume you mean directly over it (so the PS is between the probe and the fire) and not over an open area, yes?
    It's an obsession, but it's pleasin'
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  • Jamieoro
    Jamieoro Posts: 180
    Dragonwmatches said:

    By shade of the PS, I assume you mean directly over it (so the PS is between the probe and the fire) and not over an open area, yes?

    That's how I interpreted it!
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  • Dragonwmatches
    Dragonwmatches Posts: 221
    I've had as much as a 105 degree difference today between dome and grate, allowing an hour or two for the meat to warm enough to not affect the grate probe. Right now it's more like 55-60 degree difference. Much more than I expected.
    It's an obsession, but it's pleasin'
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Dragonwmatches said:
    By shade of the PS, I assume you mean directly over it (so the PS is between the probe and the fire) and not over an open area, yes?
    Yes.  The fire casts heat radiation (infra-red) and that would give the probe a high bias when you're trying to regulate the indirect heat temperature.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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