I didn't like the temperature management hassle I was having with my OBS for three years, so I decided to go digital. After I bought my DBS, I discovered this website. This site is great.
While I was rummaging around here, I came across some threads referring to PID's. What the Hell is a PID I wondered. So I did some research and a little light went on over my thick noggin'. A PID would be a good thing to have; so I bought one with the smoke tower wall mount temperature probe and the meat probe. After it arrived, it dawned on me that this would have been even better had I found out about it BEFORE I got rid of the OBS. You really don't need the DBS if you're going to add a PID Temp Controller. I guess I can file this under 'Lessons Learned.'
I tried my new combination of DBS w/PID Controller last week on some fresh rainbow trout fillets.
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee187/utdubob/Home%20Stuff/Bradley%20Smoker/DBS%20and%20PID/DSCF0004.jpg)
I use a derivative of Kummoks brine recipe that I have fine tuned to my taste preference and has worked very well in the past. It's a little sweeter and doesn't include the hot stuff. I set the PID to 3 hrs at 120, 3 hrs at 140, and 2 hrs at 175.
The very first thing I noticed was the first 3 hrs temperature went to about 135 and stayed there. Here is a picture of the setup at about 20 minutes into the process. Notice the smoke gen temp is 151 and the Auber indication is 127. About 35 minutes into the process the Auber said 135.
(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee187/utdubob/Home%20Stuff/Bradley%20Smoker/DBS%20and%20PID/DSCF00072-1.jpg)
The smoke generator is not being controlled by the PID and generates more heat than required during the smoke stage. After the smoke stage was completed, the temperature stabilized at 140, +/- 1 degree. Later it did the same at 175. So, without controlling the smoke generator, the start temp will be higher than called for during the initial smoke period.
The good news is that the higher initial temperatures didn't seem to have an impact on the final outcome. The fillets came out just fine flavor wise. The thinner tail sections were more done than the rest of the meat, but were tasty none the less. Overall, the fillets were done just the way I like them.
I live at 4200 feet in dry Utah and the ambient temperature was about 90 the day I did this. There was another post on this site from a fellow in Florida having the same problem. That would have been close to sea level and much higher humidity. I guess I can conclude that using the Auber controller on the smoke tower only is going to produce a higher smoke period temperature as a general rule. Since I've only done this once, I can't say if this will require any adjustments with the amount of time at the two higher temperatures (140 & 175) or not.
My next project is going to be some smoked ground turkey breast salami roles. That recipe calls for a 7 to 8 hour roast at 170 degrees in the oven. But I'll be doing it in the Bradley with a couple of hours of hickory smoking thrown in for good measure. I'll even try to get some pictures of the process this time.
Hey Bob welcome to the forum!
Now as far as your problem keeping the lower temps with the SG on is because the SG is creating some heat in the cabinet. It will heat the cabinet to about 150F without the main element on. It helps to have a cold smoker box that removes the SG heat from the cabinet and allows you to cold smoke with the heating element off. Bradley sells one or you can make your own. There are many different forum members that have made their own cold smoke boxes for the Bradley...
That turkey salami sounds interesting... Care to share the recipe? I do hope there is Cure #1 in it for those low temperature and long times it calls for.
Quote from: squirtthecat on August 09, 2011, 10:17:56 AM
That turkey salami sounds interesting... Care to share the recipe? I do hope there is Cure #1 in it for those low temperature and long times it calls for.
I posted the recipe on the recipe forum; here's the link: http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=23728.0
The recipe calls for Tender Quick, not Cure #1.
Also, the temperature is 150, not 170. I remembered 170, because that is as low as our oven will go so I used that temp back when I smoked in a Little Chief and finished in the oven. I can do it all in the Bradley now.
Not to be the bearerof bad news, but the next thing that you will discover is that you should have bought the hanging probe not the wall mount. I ended up buying a new hanger after using the wall mount for a while. Actually after the first 2 smokes I plugged the hole and used it as a hinging probe. That way I could put it under the lowest rack with food on it.
I did some Ground Turkey Salami today and got to use the second probe and end smoking/cooking when the IT probe sensed 165 degrees in one of the salami rolls. Worked like a charm. 8)
I put up some pictures of the process in the recipe thread link shown above. This smoking thing can be addictive when you get all the toys together to take all the work and hassle out of the picture. My next addition to my set-up will be the cold smoke box.