Uneven temp

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mr squatch

Newbie
Original poster
Mar 25, 2014
26
10
Hey everyone. Ive been having an interesting issue with my pit lately. I can light the pit and get it up to temp evenly from side to side (within 5 degrees) and it will stay that way until i put meat on. Once i put the meat on the stack side will drop 50 - 75 degrees from the firebox side. Even small food items like a tri tip, brats, and even wings will cause this. Ive moved the tuning plates around with the same issue, ive moved the temp probe (maverick et 733) in front of and behind the meats with the same results. Meat is generally close to room temperature at the time it goes on.

Is the difference in meat temp causing this? Is there a remedy? Is it safe to assume the pit is still running pretty evenly and the probe for whatever reason isnt recognizing that?

Any input is appreciated.
 
Hey everyone. Ive been having an interesting issue with my pit lately. I can light the pit and get it up to temp evenly from side to side (within 5 degrees) and it will stay that way until i put meat on. Once i put the meat on the stack side will drop 50 - 75 degrees from the firebox side. Even small food items like a tri tip, brats, and even wings will cause this. Ive moved the tuning plates around with the same issue, ive moved the temp probe (maverick et 733) in front of and behind the meats with the same results. Meat is generally close to room temperature at the time it goes on.

Is the difference in meat temp causing this? Is there a remedy? Is it safe to assume the pit is still running pretty evenly and the probe for whatever reason isnt recognizing that?

Any input is appreciated.
Is the unevenness throughout the cook or only in the beginning? If in the beginning let the cooker settle for 15 minutes or so then adjust.

Chris.
 
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Chris is right on. That hunk of meat that you put in is one huge heat sink. I have my cook chamber around 10* above my target cook temp before I put anything on. This helps the CC from reacting to far in the hole.

This is also another reason for pre-heating wood before putting it in.
 
It did slowly start to even out again on Friday's cook which was a tri tip and 2 large sausage links but it wasn't until the tri tip was at its finished temperature.  Its only the stack side that the temperature drops on though and not both sides.  It will be even, I put something on, firebox side stays the same temperature it was and the stack side drops.
 
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