Re: Thermoworks Smoke Review
Their Thermapen is a great tool. I'm not familier with their other products though.
The BBQ controllers can be nice. I use BBQ Guru's CyberQ unit (Automatic BBQ Temperature Control Smokers Ceramic Grills BBQ Accessories). It also monitors heat, and is connected a fan to increase/decrease airflow to the firebox to try and keep the heat at preset temps. I've never used the bluetooth that it provides to hook it up to my phone as when I'm cooking I seldom leave the house or for no more than 30 mins. Even with the fan and the computers ability to reduce or increase air to maintain temperature, cooking with fire is never a science, so I stay pretty close.
That said, the only time I do use the Guru is for brisket as typically it goes in at 10:30 or 11pm and I'll let it control the temp while I catch 4 or 5 hours of sleep. Though it has let me down a time or two, still worth it.
Re: Thermoworks Smoke Review
Yeah, I should add, the Smoke doesn't have any control features, and can't be integrated with any temperature controllers. It's just a thermometer.
I've never used any of the controllers, but I've done all my smoking a Big Green Egg and a the Weber Smokey Mountain cooker, both of which are very set and forget. The Weber won't hold *exactly* 225*F (or whatever temp you're after), but it will hold within a certain window. The cook this weekend it yo-yo'd back and forth between 240-265 for 15hrs without me ever touching it.
Re: Thermoworks Smoke Review
I started with the Smokey Mountain, really is a well designed, simple smoker and can do a great job. I have never used the Egg, or any of it's emulators. One of these days I've got to try it.
And, 15 hours holding at those temperatures is outstanding--that pork looks perfect.
Re: Thermoworks Smoke Review
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bking
I started with the Smokey Mountain, really is a well designed, simple smoker and can do a great job. I have never used the Egg, or any of it's emulators. One of these days I've got to try it.
And, 15 hours holding at those temperatures is outstanding--that pork looks perfect.
The Egg and WSM work remarkably similarly, but the Egg can go a lot hotter, so it's more versatile. It's also way more expensive, has less space, and is more fragile. Hottest I ever got mine was somewhere over 900*F with blue flames shooting out the top - temp was still going up, but I shut it down because I just didn't see that ending well haha.
I started with an Egg, so when I got the WSM I kept doing mostly the same stuff. I use lump, not briquettes, and I don't use the water bowl, I just have a pizza pan in as a deflector. Since there's no water bowl there's a lot of extra room in the bottom of the cooker, so I made a larger charcoal ring and I can hold twice as much fuel as the factory set up. Top vent about 1/2 open, two bottom vents closed, one about 1/4 open - it'll puff along way longer than I'll ever need it to.
It took me nearly two years of BBQing to learn to let the cooker ride - it won't hold an *exact* temp with no swings at all, but I sure chased after that for a while and was constantly fiddling with the vents. Finally I figured out to just leave it alone and let it do it's thing, the temp won't sit in one exact spot, but it will stay within a reasonable window, and it's a whole lot less work and worry.!
My charcoal ring vs the factory ring. The expanded metal works better w/lump too.
https://i.imgur.com/wMOVMs7h.jpg
Re: Thermoworks Smoke Review
concerning the egg and temperature consistency, if you want to set it and forget it ... https://www.flameboss.com/ ... is the way to go. there is a temp probe for the pit clipped to the grid, one for the meat, a power supply, and fan connected to a computer controller. computer controls the temp via fan and air flow. not only does it keep the temperature extremely well, the controller sync's with an internet based service. an app on the itoy sync's with the internet based service and its possible to control the egg from anywhere. out on a bike ride and wondering what temp you meat is at, no problem. concerned the meat is cooking too quickly, turn the pit temp down. want to know when your turkey is at 155F, have it txt you. for low and slow its a game changer. that 14 hr brisket driving you crazy keeping the temperature? forget that, just jam enough fuel in there and let the controller do its thing.