Is the Grill Temp Accurate?

[txkelly65]

I have smoked several pork shoulders and several briskets on my Weber smoke fire pellet grill. Every time I am late serving dinner because the meat isn’t at temp.

Specifically, I put a 12 pound beef brisket and a 10 pound pork shoulder on the smoker at 225° at 3 AM. 12 hours later they are both sitting around 175. Everything I research suggested they would each take 9 to 10 hours.

I now cranked a temp up to 275. I am just wondering if the electronic temperature is not accurate or if I just need to add three or four hours to the estimated time.

 

[Bruno]

I have smoked several pork shoulders and several briskets on my Weber smoke fire pellet grill. Every time I am late serving dinner because the meat isn’t at temp.

Specifically, I put a 12 pound beef brisket and a 10 pound pork shoulder on the smoker at 225° at 3 AM. 12 hours later they are both sitting around 175. Everything I research suggested they would each take 9 to 10 hours.

I now cranked a temp up to 275. I am just wondering if the electronic temperature is not accurate or if I just need to add three or four hours to the estimated time.

I have had this issue as well. I run my SmokeFire at 250.

 

[abmet]

Every piece of meat can be different. For pork shoulder I usually figure about an hour and half per pound as estimate. If trying to finish as specific time I try to lean towards being done early. You can rest large cuts in a cooler wrapped in towels for couple hours.

 

[Feedsack]

IMO it makes no sense to smoke any protein longer than 3 hours. Unless your damp mopping hourly its a waste of time. It will not take on more smoke it will just take more time to cook Bump it up to 325 and your meat will be done when you want it to

 

[Four82nd]

I have smoked several pork shoulders and several briskets on my Weber smoke fire pellet grill. Every time I am late serving dinner because the meat isn’t at temp.

Specifically, I put a 12 pound beef brisket and a 10 pound pork shoulder on the smoker at 225° at 3 AM. 12 hours later they are both sitting around 175. Everything I research suggested they would each take 9 to 10 hours.

I now cranked a temp up to 275. I am just wondering if the electronic temperature is not accurate or if I just need to add three or four hours to the estimated time.

Next time you use the grill, clip a thermometer probe

on the shelf you’re cooking your meat at. Use the probes that go into the grill so can monitor both temps while cooking. You will see a large difference. I adjust my temp based on the probe temp not the grill temp. You will see the grill temp line straight where as the probe temp will be fluctuating above and below the grill line. Also, the grill line tends to be higher than the probe temp so i am always bumping up the temp to meet the probe line. In the photo the red line is the standard grill temp and the green is the probe next to the meat. Give that a try and let use know. Best of luck. PS the blue line is the probe that was in the meat.

 

[Bruno]

Next time you use the grill, clip a thermometer probeView attachment 6451 on the shelf you’re cooking your meat at. Use the probes that go into the grill so can monitor both temps while cooking. You will see a large difference. I adjust my temp based on the probe temp not the grill temp. You will see the grill temp line straight where as the probe temp will be fluctuating above and below the grill line. Also, the grill line tends to be higher than the probe temp so i am always bumping up the temp to meet the probe line. In the photo the red line is the standard grill temp and the green is the probe next to the meat. Give that a try and let use know. Best of luck. PS the blue line is the probe that was in the meat.

I used to do this, it bugged me the SmokeFire didn’t give real time temps, I got over it. Hahaha

 

[Four82nd]

I think the reason is that these gen cookers are trying to push more smoke. To do that, they to run inefficiently (constant fluctuation of the temp). Pellet smokers as a rule run really efficient which means no smoke. To combat that Weber has the temp constantly fluctuating. Folks that play with wood and charcoal don’t see it as a big deal as we’re playing with the temp way more than a gas grill. I would believe that there are some people out there that if they saw the temps flying up and down would think there was a problem with the unit. Looking forward to see if this helps.

 

[JpsBBQ]

The grade of meat is a huge influence on cook time. A prime brisket will generally finish hours before a choice or heaven forbid select grade. Just food for thought.

 

[Daverich4]

Next time you use the grill, clip a thermometer probeView attachment 6451 on the shelf you’re cooking your meat at. Use the probes that go into the grill so can monitor both temps while cooking. You will see a large difference. I adjust my temp based on the probe temp not the grill temp. You will see the grill temp line straight where as the probe temp will be fluctuating above and below the grill line. Also, the grill line tends to be higher than the probe temp so i am always bumping up the temp to meet the probe line. In the photo the red line is the standard grill temp and the green is the probe next to the meat. Give that a try and let use know. Best of luck. PS the blue line is the probe that was in the meat.

Those look like 50-100 degree variations. How do you decide what temperature to set the grill at? I’ve been smoking for years with a FireBoard controlled blower in the lower vent of my Green Egg and am used to variations of no more that plus or minus 10 degrees over a 10-12 hour cook. I’d have no idea where to start with temp variations like you’re showing.

 

[Four82nd]

The reason for the fluctuations is to make the grill work inefficiently. That produces more smoke hence the fluctuating temp of the probe.

I put a probe on The bottom rack and the top rack and set the grill at 225. When stable at 225 I adjust my temp to fit the rack I’m cooking on for the temp I’m looking for off the probe on that rack. I aim for the middle of the fluctuation and my cook times align with my expectations.

The real truth is I don’t use the pellet cooker as I would assume most of the people here do. With all pellet cookers I find them temperamental and lacking the deep flavor I get with charcoal and wood. For that I have a WSM 22.5 for the big hit cooks. For small things like wings and chicken I use my Weber kettle with an offset basket on indirect heat.
The pellet is great for pork butts and pizzas for me and that’s about it.
Knowing not everyone has (or should have lol) three methods of grilling at their house the pellet cookers do an amazing, all around, job once you learn their quirks. Hope this helps and happy grilling