advice needed....ribs

[okeejohn]

 The ambient temp yesterday in Okeechobee, Fl was around 84 and overcast. I heated a brick up in my Green Egg for the Bradley and put cold beer in the bowl. I put in 3 whole slabs of spare ribs, marinated over night and cut in half for convenience. The ribs were not at room temp..only had them out for about 10 minutes before putting the in the Bradley Digital smoker. I preheated my Bradley to 225. I used my Auber WS. The max temp after 3 hours was 180. I took out the brick and reheated and placed it back into the Bradley and within an 1 hour, the max temp  was 205. I foiled the ribs with juice on my Big Green Egg and sauced them the last 15 minutes...they came out great. But, I was wondering why the temp in my Bradley couldn't get to 225. Was it a combination of ribs not to room temp and the cold beer in the bowl as well as losing the preheated heat while I was loading up the trays?

Okeejohn

[FLBentRider]

<I know I may be starting to sound like a "broken record">

But..

How and where you measuring the temperature?

If using the door thermometer and if there was food on a rack below the probe, the food absorbs the heat, and gives you a false reading.

[GusRobin]

was your vent opened or closed?

[okeejohn]

My probe sensor was just above the ribs. So, you think I got a false reading? Doesn't the sensor measure the ambient temp inside the smoker?

Okeejohn

[okeejohn]

My vent was 1/4 open, I wanted to get the temp inside the smoker up.

Okeejohn

[classicrockgriller]

Needs to be below the last rack of meat so you won't get a false reading.

That way you are measuring the true heat the meat is exposed to.

If you trap moisture inside the cabinet, it will lower your cooking temps.

My vent stays wide open most times and never less than 3/4.

[okeejohn]

Thanks for the advice. I will try these suggestions soon!! :)