BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Bradley Smokers => The Black Bradley Smoker (BTIS1) => Topic started by: bozer on April 26, 2011, 02:43:28 PM

Title: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: bozer on April 26, 2011, 02:43:28 PM
I cleaned up my Bradley OBS and I'm doing some wings. I am having a very hard time getting the heat up to 250, it seems as if its stuck at 210. Is there anything I can buy that will help the heat stay? I had it up to 300, put in hot water. Let it get back to 300, put in two racks of wings and now its stuck around 210. Seems like there is no way to get it back up there fast enough. Any suggestions?
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: devo on April 26, 2011, 03:18:50 PM
The default temp I believe is 280 so I am thinking you dont want to go over that
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: OU812 on April 26, 2011, 03:29:38 PM
Put some bricks in there before you warm up the smoker, works like a heat sink and helps recovery.

If you put the bricks above the V tray wrap them in foil, so they dont soak up any grease.

I got mine under the V tray and there not wrapped in foil.
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: GusRobin on April 26, 2011, 08:47:58 PM
Is your vent open.  With poultry it should be wide open to let the moisture out. Where are you taking the temp? If it is not the lower rack of meat then the probe may be blocked from the heat and you get a "false" low.
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: bozer on April 27, 2011, 08:43:31 AM
Quote from: GusRobin on April 26, 2011, 08:47:58 PM
Is your vent open.  With poultry it should be wide open to let the moisture out. Where are you taking the temp? If it is not the lower rack of meat then the probe may be blocked from the heat and you get a "false" low.

Interesting. I had the vent almost closed. Tiny bit open. My wings came very dry this time =(

What I was attempting to do was cook the wings at 250 (as suggested) for 2 hours. Here is the process I did:

Got temp up to 300. Put in hot water. Waited for temp to go back to 300.
Put in two racks of wings in the middle.
Temp dropped to 205/210.
Did not get back to 250 until around an hour into cooking
Vent was open very little bit in hopes of getting temp to 250 quicker
Wings came out too dry. Did not like =(

I am only using the temp gauge on the front of my OBS. I thought that would be good. How can I take temps on chicken wings?
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: muebe on April 27, 2011, 10:36:24 AM
Use a digital meat probe to take IT of your meats. You can get a wireless dual probe from Maverick(ET732) that will keep track of the cabinet temp and IT of your meat. The built-in temp guage is not very reliable if your meat is located above the probe. It can be off by 50 degrees. The best placement of the cabinet temp probe/sensor is just below the meat ;)
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: OU812 on April 27, 2011, 10:49:06 AM
Quote from: muebe on April 27, 2011, 10:36:24 AM
The best placement of the cabinet temp probe/sensor is just below the meat ;)

The lowest rack of meat.  ;)
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: ghost9mm on April 27, 2011, 11:50:49 AM
Quote from: OU812 on April 26, 2011, 03:29:38 PM
Put some bricks in there before you warm up the smoker, works like a heat sink and helps recovery.

If you put the bricks above the V tray wrap them in foil, so they dont soak up any grease.

I got mine under the V tray and there not wrapped in foil.

I did this and it works out very well...can't beat experience...this is also known as on the job training.. :D
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: Habanero Smoker on April 27, 2011, 12:51:53 PM
To tell when wings are fully cooked, I find it difficult to take the internal temperature; even with my Thermapen. I will test the doness by pricking them with either a toothpick, or bamboo skewer. If the juices run clear they are finished.
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: bozer on May 05, 2011, 01:18:45 PM
Thanks folks
Title: Re: Getting the heat up higher
Post by: cathouse willy on May 05, 2011, 03:17:11 PM
I've noticed that my obs runs much cooler when it's breezy and cool. I bought a hot water heater cover and wrapped it around the cabinet.I experimented on a breezy cool day at full throttle and had it up to 300f in no time and then backed off as much over 300f is too hot.