Thermometers, Probes, and Temperature Dilemna

[Doc BBQ]

Hello to All - I am in the midst of smoking my first brisket today, not quite 7 pounds. While I have smoked 4 shoulders since xmas time, I felt the bark of the shoulders was too crusty and burnt. That lead me to todays situation: I have a maverick remote thermometer with 2 probes. I put one in the brisket and stuck one down a hole in the vent cover to measure temp there vs. the door's thermometer. I would image the temp would be higher near the exit vent, but holy crap!
The vent temp is 210 and the door is indicating under 140.
I put some sausages and chorizo on the top rack and the brisket on the 2nd rack. The top probe is dangling about an inch off the top rack, middle of the rack (straight down the vent).
Previously, I relied on the door thermometer to set the smoker around 200'.
Can I assume this is why my shoulder's bark seemed burnt and crusty (because they were!) because I relied on an improper thermometer location?
Previously, the shoulders smoked for 14-16  hours at 200' until the internal temp hit the 190' mark.
Is this temperature variation as big a deal I think it is? Should I rely on the dangling probe temperature for my smoking temperature and not the door's thermometer? I think the answer is yes (actually duh, yes) but I am hoping for affirmation and more wisdom.
Thanks in advance for the assistance.

[devo]

I have been putting the probe under the bottom rack. If I'm using only three racks I will put in the last bottom rack (4 rack smoker) and lay the probe on that. Seems to work for me.

[Doc BBQ]

So you don't utilize the thermometer in the door? With a probe being availabe to me, is that a no brainer - just use the probe?
Have you ever compared bottom rack and top rack temps? Am I over analyzing?

[OU812]

The door thermometer is not going to show you the temps your meat is seeing.

It can be way off depending were you have your meat.

You should have your temp probe bellow the lowest rack you have meat on.

That way you really know what temp the meat is really getting.

The thermometer in the door is only good for warming up the smoker, then go with your probe.

[Doc BBQ]

The vent temp was 215, I placed the probe on the lowest rack (brisket is 2 racks up) and the temp shot up to 240. The meat temp is now at 124 after 3 1/2 hours. The darn door thermoter is still around 140!
Today is 82' and sunny, my Bradley Smoker is on the picnic table on the patio in the sun. My sliding temp control is only at 25% right now. I have not smoked under these summer conditions before (I set it up in the kitchen under the stove hood in cold and/or wet weather). Am I at the appropriate meat temperature for 3 1/2 hours into the process? I think I am but would welcome the input.

[SnellySmokesEm]

Doc, I think your over-analyzing it!  Relax, sit back, grab a beverage of your choice, and let your Bradley do its thang!    ;D ;D ;D

[SamuelG]

Doc, I think your over-analyzing it!  Relax, sit back, grab a beverage of your choice, and let your Bradley do its thang!    ;D ;D ;D

X2.

Been there and I try just to enjoy it as much as possible!




SamuelG

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SnellySmokesEm]

Doc, I think your over-analyzing it!  Relax, sit back, grab a beverage of your choice, and let your Bradley do its thang!    ;D ;D ;D

X2.

Been there and I try just to enjoy it as much as possible!




SamuelG

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think we all have been there....

[Doc BBQ]

Point taken. The only real bummer is it looks like it's gonna be hot dogs for dinner tonight.
BUT BRISKET FOR BREAKFAST TOMORROW!!!

[SnellySmokesEm]

Been there too......  Do worry the timing will come soon enough....  Thats the beauty of FTC.

[OU812]

Forget about the door thermometer.  ;D

Relax, enjoy the day and have a cold one.