Do you use Dome Temp or Grid Temp?

bicktrav · May 2014

For those who have a device to monitor grid temp, e.g. Maverick with dual probes or an infrared, do you use that device to monitor the temp instead of using the dome thermometer? If a recipe calls for 250 degrees, which thermometer do you use to reach that temp?

SenecaTheYounger · May 2014

If a recipe says 250, it generally means dome temperature.

.

Chris_Wang · May 2014

Whichever has been calibrated last. Most of the time I just use the dome temp and let the Mav tell me the IT of the food.

ElCapitan · May 2014

At first the dome is hotter but on low and slow cooks like a 250 they usually equal out over time. On low and slow I go with grid temp because I'm using my Digiq to control it and I clip the probe to the grid. When I'm doing 300-400 I just use the dome temp and don't bother with a grid temp because on these the main thing is the food temp. When I'm above that, it's so hot the temp probes can't handle it so I'm using the dome.

Carolina Q · May 2014

Dome. Always. When i use a maverick or digiq, I clip their pit probe to the dome probe. Some use grid temp. It's all what you prefer or are used to. But as Seneca said, recipes around here are usually given with dome temp.

ChokeOnSmoke · May 2014

No question, the grid temp, that's where the meat is! Having said that, I don't find that maintaining a perfect temp is all that critical. Monitoring the meat by probe tenderness and/or internal meat temp is much more important to a good finished product than what temperature you got it there.

SenecaTheYounger · May 2014

@chokeonsmoke

Problem is, if you are using a specifically BGE recipe, say Edler Ward's, and it says "225", that reference is for dome temperature. And what it means is, the correct temperature at the grate is whatever the temperature at the grate is when dome is 225.

If you then establish grate temperature at 225, you will notice the dome temperature is different.

It may not be critical for all recipes, but the recipes which don't specify grate temperatures were developed following dome temperatures.

You cook time will be different, for one thing.

I agree that internal temperature is most important, but the difference between dome and grate can affect cook time quite a bit.

buzd504 · May 2014

I use dome temp, but on long cooks, I like to have the grid temp as a reference. It provides some insight into the state of the fire.

Hotch · May 2014

Grid temp. It has the closest relationship the level of the product you are cooking. I have noticed as much as 25 degrees and as little as 5 difference between the dome and grid. Depending on what's cooking and your setup.

I monitor both with my Stoker on all of my cooks.

fishlessman · May 2014

egg recipes dome, oven recipes grate. truth be told non of my egg gages work and ive just been winging it for the last couple years and doing it just fine that way

lousubcap · May 2014

As has been said, whatever temperature you use is a point of reference for the cook. And that temperature will give you an idea of the cook time for planning purposes. I use dome as that is the one thermo that all BGE's have. And you can get into information/temperature overload with too many devices. FWIW-

jhl192 · May 2014

If I use a normal recipe, not from the BGE site, then I use the grid temp. For a while I was using the dome temp and if the recipe said 350 degrees for 30 minutes, I ended up taking 45. Once I got the Maverick I noticed that the delta can be upwards of 40 degrees at times I switched to grid and not my times are closer (although I cook to internal temp). Unless the recipe call for dome, I use grid.

vchelf · May 2014

I use the grid temp because that is the level the food is at. Also, don't cook to time, cook to internal temperature, monitoring with a ThermoPen or fodd probe.

keepervodeflame · May 2014

On cooks of a hour or more I use a probe at grate level and a remote. Nice to see the grate temp from where ever I maybe when away from the grill.

bicktrav · May 2014

Interesting divide on the replies here. I agree that if you're using a recipe posted here on the forum, dome temp seems to be the way to go. But if you're using a recipe from a cookbook that isn't specific to the BGE, it seems like the grid might be better.

Skiddymarker · May 2014

fishlessman said:

egg recipes dome, oven recipes grate. truth be told non of my egg gages work and ive just been winging it for the last couple years and doing it just fine that way

This is the answer, BGE would of course reference their dome thermo, converting something from an oven, use grid temp. i tend to use my Maverick clipped to grid as the temp to cook by, the dome thermo is just for reference.

Carolina Q · May 2014

Look in your oven. You know, the big box in your kitchen. Where is the temp sending unit? Mine is at or near the top of the oven. Otherwise known as the dome.

So if a Betty Crocker recipe (nothing to do with the egg) calls for an "oven" temp of 350°, seems logical that Betty means dome temp, not "where the meat is". I have never known (or cared) what the grid temp in my egg is.

bicktrav · May 2014

One of the reasons I started this thread is because I was reading an interview with Aaron Franklin in which he said one of the biggest mistakes he sees people make is placing their thermometer too high up on the pit. His contention was that readings should be taken at grid level. Granted, we aren't using pits here, but the same principles should apply. Until I read that I only used the dome temp. Now I'm reconsidering.

SenecaTheYounger · May 2014

The difference is that recipes for the egg were developed with the dome temperature in mind. So to cook at that temperature, but at grid level, is to actually cook the meat at a different temperature.

When you take your car to Canada, and the sign says the speed limit is 110, you don't drive 110 miles per hour. Those signs were written for people using Km/H.

Same thing.

bicktrav · May 2014

@SenecaTheYounger - Totally agree when it concerns recipes designed specifically for the egg. But if the recipe is coming from a cookbook that doesn't assume the owner has an egg, I kind of think you're better off working with the grid temp.

Mattman3969 · May 2014

+1^^^^^. Dome on smoking or BGE or other ceramic cooker recipes and grid when converting from oven recipes.

Ladeback69 · May 2014

I use both, that way I know what is going on inside. Also my probe has an alarm and will let me know if it gets to hot or to low. That's good for night cooks, which is what I'm doing tonight.

xiphoid007 · May 2014

I find when using my maverick, I can get multiple different grid temps. My dome only ever gives me once. Thus I feel dome is a more consistent temp.

I still use m maverick for grid temps for long cooks, but I try to get it to match my dome temp wherever I place it so I have a better reference.

I agree with the earlier statement that after a while grid and dome temps equalize. But I go with the dome temp.

SenecaTheYounger · May 2014

@Bicktrav

Agreed.

If the question though concerns numbers thrown around on the forum, we're essentially talking dome. That's all I'm saying.

Fisherman has it right

Terrebandit · May 2014

I don't think it matters. After some time elapses, they are about the same.

stahlee · May 2014

I use grid temp when I need temperature probes in the meats. So usually lower temp cooks since I'm more concerned with internal temps. If I'm cooking high temp, like a pizza or a steak it's going to be dome temps. I still monitor both with my Stoker setup.

Ladeback69 · May 2014

I noticed that when I used my new raised grid this weekend that the grid and dome where the about the same and when the grid is lower it is a lower temp then the dome. If you are doing pizza on multiple levels I would use the dome temp.

Do you use Dome Temp or Grid Temp?

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