First smoke: Thermostat problems?

daveturnley · August 17, 2011, 01:24:55 PM

Hi all. I invited 10 people over for my first smoke. (I was feeling bold.) Anyway, the plan was to smoke six racks of baby backs. Per a friend's suggestion, I turned the smoker on medium an hour before putting the meat in. It never went over 100. Having nothing to lose, I set it on high and put the ribs in anyway. Over the course of the next four hours, the thermometer crept up to 200 degrees, but never went over. At that point, the ribs looked done. So I pulled them out and, lo and behold, they were! In fact, they were a tad overcooked.

Since all of the recipes I read suggest four hours at 225-250, and, according to the thermometer, it never approached that, I'm wondering if the thermometer reading was off.

This is all new to me. Thoughts?

classicrockgriller · August 17, 2011, 01:59:56 PM

What kinda of smoker do you have and how were you measuring the temps?

If you were going by the door gauges, then yes they are not as accurate

as the exact cooking temps.

PS, Welcome to the Forum.

KyNola · August 17, 2011, 02:30:57 PM

CRG has you covered but something strikes me as being wrong. If your Bradley was set at medium for an hour and it never broke 100, I think your heating element in the tower isn't working. Seems like the only heat you were getting was from the smoke generator burner plate. Go back and check all of your connections and plug them in firmly. Fire it up again and see if your heating element begins to glow red.

OU812 · August 17, 2011, 03:00:45 PM

From what you have said I take it you have the OBS (Original Bradley Smoker) and the door thermometer is not accurate to cook by. When you have product in the smoker it will interfear with the heat getting to the thermometer. Thats why your thermometer only read 200, there was probably some ribs close to it.

You should get one of these.
http://www.yardandpool.com/Maverick-ET-732-Remote-Smoker-Thermometer-p/et-732.htm
It has a probe for the smoker temp and a probe for your meat.

I have a couple of these, its the older model and dont have the bells and whistles but I'm happy.
http://www.yardandpool.com/Maverick-Remote-ET-73-Smoker-Thermometer-p/et-73.htm

When you put the probe in the smoker is should below the lowest rack your product is on.

Glad to here your ribs turned out good.

Habanero Smoker · August 18, 2011, 02:06:44 AM

Hi daveturnley;

Welcome to the forum.

The others have you covered on the temperature readings. As for the operating procedures, you are only cooking with a 500 watt element, and an additional 125 watts from the generator. For foods that require the Bradley to smoke/cook around it's maximum performance, leave your temperature controller all the way to the right so that the element is receiving full electrical current. If the cabinet gets too hot, it is better to adjust down, then up. Most of us preheat the smoker 30 - 40°F higher than are cooking temperature, then after loading the meat adjust the temperature controller; if needed but you will generally find after loading you loose a lot of heat, and it takes the smoker a while to recover.

Here is some helpful information:
Bradley FAQ's

daveturnley · August 18, 2011, 08:42:52 AM

One of the reasons I went with the Bradley was because of the active and helpful forums. You guys are great.

Classic: I have the Original and I was using the door thermometer.

KyNola: It didn't go over 100 during warm-up, but after I re-secured the cables and turned it on high, the element was bright orange. It sounds like that could have been a factor.

OU812: I'll definitely get one of those.

I feel like I've entered a smoked meat cult.

Thanks!

Tenpoint5 · August 18, 2011, 09:46:01 AM

Quote from: daveturnley on August 18, 2011, 08:42:52 AM
One of the reasons I went with the Bradley was because of the active and helpful forums. You guys are great.

Classic: I have the Original and I was using the door thermometer.

KyNola: It didn't go over 100 during warm-up, but after I re-secured the cables and turned it on high, the element was bright orange. It sounds like that could have been a factor.

OU812: I'll definitely get one of those.

I feel like I've entered a smoked meat cult.

Thanks!

It has been rumored to be that but what you have found is a group of folks that are passionate about smoking. Everyone in the group just wants to make sure you have the BEST experience with your smoker and that you will pass that experience and helpfulness onto the next new guy that comes and asks a question.

OU812 · August 18, 2011, 11:10:15 AM

Quote from: Tenpoint5 on August 18, 2011, 09:46:01 AM
Quote from: daveturnley on August 18, 2011, 08:42:52 AM
One of the reasons I went with the Bradley was because of the active and helpful forums. You guys are great.

Classic: I have the Original and I was using the door thermometer.

KyNola: It didn't go over 100 during warm-up, but after I re-secured the cables and turned it on high, the element was bright orange. It sounds like that could have been a factor.

OU812: I'll definitely get one of those.

I feel like I've entered a smoked meat cult.

Thanks!

It has been rumored to be that but what you have found is a group of folks that are passionate about smoking. Everyone in the group just wants to make sure you have the BEST experience with your smoker and that you will pass that experience and helpfulness onto the next new guy that comes and asks a question.

What he said. :D