Brisket and Flame Boss 100 in the rain

booksw

It's raining here in South Carolina, I just put a brisket on the grid, and am using my new flame boss.  I have been searching the web so see what people say about using it in the rain but haven't found anything.   I guess I'll find out  I have it covered (with the green BGE ceramic cap) but there is no avoiding it getting wet.  I am looking forward to waking up in the morning after having slept all night and cooked a brisket!  Hopefully I am not so conditioned to worry about the temp that I won't be able to sleep.  I wish I hadn't thought of that.

stemc33

This is the first time hearing about this pit-controller on the forum. Let us know how it works. Don't forget to post pics.

booksw

booksw

It's wet and it seems to be working pretty well.  It holds the grid temp within about 15 degrees, which is probably close enough.  I am having a hard time walking away from it, though.  I went to the store to buy the DigiQ and I bought this instead.  I think the biggest thing the DigiQ can do that this can't is save and record temp over time.  They are both pretty pricey, though the Flame Boss is considerably less.  So far the Flame Boss is crazy easy to use- nothing to it really. Just plug it in and move the arrows to the desired grid temp and alligator clip the grid lead to the grid, and then stick the meat probe in the meat (I was careful to put it in the flat- I have made the mistake before of sticking the temp probe into the point...).  The fan sticks into the bottom vent very easily. It is a very small black box- hard to believe it can be a fan in such a little box, but it is.

booksw

stemc33

@booksw‌, if I remember right, @NPHuskerFL‌ made a plastic box to protect his pit-controller. He used pvc elbows to run the wires out and down from the box.

mgunders

I have the original Flame Boss, great unit!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Throw the electronics in a ziplock and let the wires run out the bottom. The fan will be fine.

booksw

Thanks @Cen-Tex- when I hear from you while I'm cooking a brisket, I know I have someone great looking out for me.  I covered the unit with the green ceramic egg lid and that seemed to do the trick.  I also probably set it too low for the overnight (and could hear Cen-Tex telling me to cook it hotter when I set it up and decided to go lower anyway).  I did sleep through the night (yay!) and woke up at around 6:30 and the meat was at 145 and the grate right where I set it at 225.  Then it started to pour rain- and an hour later I noticed the dome (which I hadn't really been paying attention to) was at 125 (maybe because it was getting pelted with cold rain).  So, I just turned up the Flame Boss to 250.  Maybe I should set it higher?  Maybe I should have set it higher last night...  I am just glad that I didn't wake up to either a fire that went out (has happened) or a fire that was at 350 for who knows how long (has happened)!  The best part is the smell of the smoke and the cooking brisket in the rain- I wish I could take a picture of that and share it.  

booksw

So now my grid is rock solid at 250, and the meat is 165, and dinner is in 4 hours.  Do I hold here, or do I raise my grid temp...?  

grege345

Bump it up. Better to be done early than have people waiting.

booksw

What should I raise it to...? 275? 300? 350?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

300 if you haven't yet. You are a long way from the finish line at 165