Temp problem

[dalmorloson]

I have a cabinet style stainless propane smoker(Cabelas brand). I use Royal Oak lump and wood chunk and chips. I'm having trouble getting my spares to temp. I'm hovering at around 200 degrees and can't get higher. Tried opening dampers, tried closing dampers. There's not much wind and the outside temp is in the 60's. First of all, what can I do to get temps up? Secondly, if I can't get them up will my ribs (3-2-1) suffer?

 

[richtee]

Hmmm lump? In a gasser? Well, anyway... is yer tank low? What's the flame look like?

 

[flash]

i was thinking that also, or are you placing some lump in a chip box with the chips?
Regulator?? Are you using a water pan? How full? Switch to sand and you can get higher temps. Gotta spritz meat more though.
I use a single burner propane plate, conversion and can get 275º + out of mine.

 

[dalmorloson]

I got the lump 'cause the temp won't come up and I thought that it would help with heat. Just felt the tank...seems low but flame is good. I'll steal the tank off the grill and see if it makes a diff.

 

[dalmorloson]

Water pan is about half full(started full) the lump is in wood box w/ chips.

 

[flash]

If you can lift the tank easily you may be too low, but the swap will tell. Do you leave the tank hooked up all the time? Wasp?? They can get inside the regulator sometime and plug it up some.
Should need to use the lump bar for some extra charcoal flavor. I never use a full pan of water, maybe 1/2 to 3/4 full. You can always try more. If you continue to have problems, pick up some Playbox sand from Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowes......just cover the sand with foil to keep grease from dripping on it. It gives higher temps and more constant temps (when using charcoal)

 

[earache_my_eye]

What about your thermometer....??

Are you sure it is accurate? A digital probe will be much closer than the factory provided thermo. Even a regular oven thermo will at least give you a comparison reading of your cabinet temp.

With a good flame, I just can't imagine that you can't get past 200*.

Hope this helps,
Eric

 

[flash]

tru dat

 

[dalmorloson]

I'm using a digital remote Oregon scientific themometer(I actually won it on this site in the Holiday side Q contest). Just ran to Kroger and got new tank. Still only getting 207...I'll try sand next time, but will this low temp affect 3-2-1 times very much?

 

[earache_my_eye]

It might affect them a little.....I did 3 racks of spares yesterday and purposefully held the temp right around 200 for the first 3 hours...I feel it give better smoke penetration initially.

Foiled for 2 hours and only bumped the temp up to about 230.....last hour same temp.

They came out pretty good.....maybe a little more tug than I like, but you could adjust a little in the foil stage to help loosen them up if that's the way you prefer your ribs.

L8r,
Eric

Edit: These were untrimmed spares also....on trimmed ones, you might be just fine with the lower temp.

 

[jminion]

Empty the water pan, cover in foil and place back in the cooker the temp will come up.

 

[flash]

Now are you reading the internal temp of the meat or do you have it set up to read internal temp of smoker?
3-2-1 is really kinda over cooked ribs by alot of folks standards, so with the lower temps you might just be "right on".

This still gives you a heat sink, but you may want to have some apple juice ready to spritz on the ribs for some moisture.