Maverick vs Dome temp

EggAg99 · April 2014

So I bought my first maverick from the amazon deal a few weeks ago. I tried it last night as well as my first spatchcock. I was trying to get a 375 grate temp raised direct using a few bricks. However I noticed my dome was over 100 degrees off from the maverick. No I haven't tested my tel tru yet but honestly the dome has never been as issue for me. Because the skin wasn't crisping up I bumped the dome to 375 (from 275) and the egg started rocking and my skin got better on the chicken. Any thoughts other than the obvious check for calibration. Could the maverick also be off?

Chris_Wang · April 2014

Like you mentioned, calibration is always a good start. Where did you have your grate thermomter clipped? I don't see it in the pic. Once you got your egg settled in at 375, what did your Maverick grate temp read? How long was there a difference in temp? The difference is normal, but 100 degrees the whole time is a little odd.

jlsm · April 2014

Both of mine have been calibrated. Many folks say the temperature will eventually even out.They don't for me. I'm consistently 50 to 75 degrees off no matter how long the cook. I was confused for a long while about which temp to follow. For most things, it doesn't make much difference – optimal roasting temps vary by that much depending on the chef. So, for chicken, pork loin, etc., I go by the temp I want at grate. I do compensate with the Maverick when I'm using turbo methods. So, if you want to do your ribs at 350, for instance, keep the Maverick around 275-285. (Mickey developed the turbo method, and I believe he uses dome temps. Right, @mickey?)

EggAg99 · April 2014

Chris - my grate probe was closer to the edge. Honestly didn't know where to put it. At 375 dome my Mav was reading over 500. Maybe I am over complicating cooks by using this. I've never had issues before and have had very few cooks that weren't home runs including this one. The chicken was still great. I usually cook by feel and therms pen when needed. I guess I thought this gadget would put me over the top. Maybe I should just go with my gut.

Dragonwmatches · April 2014

My dome temp is consistently 50-90 degrees higher than the grid temp. I try to put the grid probe next to the side that a plate setter leg is at. Of course the difference is higher when I first put the cold meat on.

Ragtop99 · April 2014

Position on the grate and proximity to the meat can have a significant impact on the temp shown by my pit probe. If you really want the dome temp, clip it to the dome probe on your next cook. That will tell you how close it is at cook temps and give you the dome temp remotely.

Mattman3969 · April 2014

Really no need to use the Mav on direct cooks. I only use on low and slow and indirect cooks. The probes won't hold up very well when in direct line of the fire. Don't ask how I know.

BigGreenCraigdotcom · April 2014

When I first got my Maverick, I had about a 75 degree difference. I pulled the dome thermometer and stuck both probes into a pot of boiling water. The Maverick was spot on. it was a simple adjustment on the BGE thermometer. However, you may have a different experience based on the elevation where you live?

markem · April 2014

I'm new here, but haven't posted that yet. I do have a question about dome temp that is related, so thought I'd toss it in here.

About 5 hours ago, I put my first brisket in my LBGE. Not my first time smoking a brisket, but my first since I gave up on Traegers (please don't laugh, I have a fragile ego).

I am using a Thermoworks dual probe with the clip just outside the meat and above the edge of the drip pan. My reasoning is that closer to the meat is more consistent with the actual grill temp under the meat - but I'm only guessing here as it is my first time using a grill temp reading.

My dome reads a consistent - well, for the past 5 hours anyway - 85*F above my grill temp. Pretty much every place that I've seen these two temps mentioned, the dome temp is below the grill temp. The thermoworks tested spot on for me with boiling water and an ice bath, as well as ambient temp in the house, yesterday, so I'm thinking that I believe the thermoworks over the dome.

The difference doesn't concern me, but I am curious to see if others are seeing the dome temp above the grill temp. Hate to be the only one.

Pics after the brisket comes off in about 6 hours. There may be more cigar smoke than wood smoke by that time, however. Cigar BBQ today!

SenecaTheYounger · April 2014

@markem

If you are referencing instructions or recipes relating to the egg, and it says "X degrees", you should assume that is dome thermometer reference.

If someone here suggests going at a dome temperature of 325, and you instead make your near-meat grill temperature 325, you will be cooking at a different temperature.

When you say " My reasoning is that closer to the meat is more consistent with the actual grill temp under the meat", you are correct. The temperature near the meat is the actual temperature. But because the dome thermometer is a near-universal reference, that's the number most people are referring to.

Think of it this way: when you are grilling steaks at 700 degrees (dome temperature), your actual temperature is much much higher, since you are cooking over the coals directly. The dome temperature is merely a guideline. The air moving past it may be 700 degrees, but the steaks are experiencing much higher temperatures.

Chris_Wang · April 2014

EggAg99 said:
Chris - my grate probe was closer to the edge. Honestly didn't know where to put it. At 375 dome my Mav was reading over 500. Maybe I am over complicating cooks by using this. I've never had issues before and have had very few cooks that weren't home runs including this one. The chicken was still great. I usually cook by feel and therms pen when needed. I guess I thought this gadget would put me over the top. Maybe I should just go with my gut.

Yeah, calibrate the thermometers to see if they are accurate and then just go with the dome. Use the maverick food probe and only use the grid therm for low n slow. I think too many gadgets can create more problems than are really happening.

markem · April 2014

SenecaTheYounger. I am using the dome as reference, but was confused out the dome being warmer than the gauge since that result is different from what I have been reading. I'm guessing that it isn't as unusual as I thought?

SenecaTheYounger · April 2014

In an overnight cook, if you tracked the temperatures, you will find that the dome and grate temperatures will become more closely aligned toward the end of the cook.

I simply refer to dome temp.

It's like your electric range. The temp on the dial is rarely in accord with the true temperature near the meat. But it doesn't matter ultimately. A consistent reference point is all we care about.

hondabbq · April 2014

You said the mav probe was close to the edge. Could it be getting direct heat from the coals between the plate setter and the ring? That would be the cause of a major heat fluctuation.

Maverick vs Dome temp

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