Temperature curve in Smokette?

I have had my model 50 for almost a month. The first weekend I used it I went nuts trying to "regulate" the temp and see where it was operating. I had two thermometers running and both gave different reading to complicate matters even more. I went out and bought an internal oven thermometer for $4 at Target and just set it on the shelf next to the food and read replies to my posts concerning the subject. I found the temp fluctuates between 215 and 240 when set at 225. I have since learned not to really care. As long as it it is the "range"(210-235) I'm looking for...my internal thermometers told me what was going on. It seems for me it takes about 30-35 minutes to get the temp in unit up to setting...maybe a few minutes more. I never noticed until I cold smoked some cheese and had to really watch temp rising rates so unit's internal didn't go above 90-100 and start melting the cheese. It really didn't take me long to get a feel for how the unit operates and now I just set it and watch my thermometers once in a while. I find myself more concerned about the temp of my beer. Trust your CS.

Hope you saw the post just a few below your entry, there is a good "technical" report that might help. There's also some others in the Owners Archive Section.

Set temp vs. Internal Temp

The best suggestion I think most people on the forum have provided is not to try to over calculate how the CS works. Trust us it works.

Do the temps fluctuate in large numbers, yup they do. Some swings of 20 to 30 degrees or so. Won't have an effect because the Average temp will be what you set.

Hope that helps.


Smokin'

Smokin,

The link on the Set Temp vs Internal Temp does not work. Can you repost? I have observed a pretty wide range around my set temperature. The unit works and produces great BBQ, but the science purist in me wants tighter controls. Any ideas?

Most of the time you will find if you average out the temps you find with a remote probe over a few hours, it will be close to your set temp. I have done it twice in my Smokette turned up all the way and it came out to right around 235* each time. I took a reading every 15 minutes after 30 minutes warm up. Good enough for me.

I did an temperature experiment on an empty Smokette in April. Just do a search for "smokette temperature experiment." This should give you an idea on how the temperatures operate in a Smokette. I also did a "thermostat test results" with a new thermostat sent to me by CS.

I haven't be able to use it much since that, but the point is to set the temperature at 225-250 depending on what you are cooking, monitor the internal meat temperature and relax and when it is done it will be done. Big loads tend to act like a heat sink to moderate the oven temperature swings.

I agree with Okie, trust it, it works!!! As I said in another post, no two cuts of meat are the same so don't use another members experience as an exact guage as to how your results will be. Just use their experience as a rough guesstimate.