Please allow me to introduce myself.......

[dadetigl]

Hello from the land of the former #2 college football team in the nation. The USF Bulls. It was an exciting 1 week.

Anyway, I bought a Masterbuilt electric smoker about 3 months ago after reading these forums. I am very happy with it. I had fooled around with Bullet smokers over the years but wanted something with a door and multiple racks making it easier to get at the food. I have taken Jeff's course and have had some very good results with ribs, butts and fatties. I am still in the experimental stage as far as types of smoking woods, temps and smoking times. The best thing I like about the Masterbuilt electric is that it is kind of a "load and forget" kind of smoker. Just add some chips every once in a while. If I had to monitor the temps on a stick smoker I would drink too much beer and be drunk by the time the smoke is done. With my electric smoker, I can drink too much beer and be watching football on TV.

Unfortunately it is the rainy season in FL. The rain and my electric smoker do not get along together. Recently I was doing a smoke and it started to rain. A lot. So I moved it into my garage and finished with the door open. My wife, who is a vegan, still says the garage smells like a smoked pork butt. Smells okay to me.

Sorry for the long first post. I do have a question though. I have a Maverick dual-probe thermometer. I have been clipping my smoker temp probe to the top rack. Will this give me an accurate smoker temp or should I put it lower in the smoker? Where is the ideal place for the smoker probe?

 

[roper76]

welcome to the forums i dont know how to advise about the heat probe but someone on here will give you more than enough info again welcome ask lots of questions and learn alot

 

[desert smokin]

Welcome aboard. You're off to a great start. Anyone with a garage that smells lke smoked pork is OK around here. Lots of support here so take advantage of it. Lookin forward to hearing about your adventures as you chase the TBS.

 

[flyboys]

I have seen posts where people will drill a hole in a piece of scrap wood, insert the probe, and lay it on the grates to get a reading. The top rack will run hotter than the bottom rack. You can even get a dual one and place one probe on each. Someone with more experience will be along shortly to fully answer your question. By the way, welcome.

 

[meowey]

Welcome to SMF! The probe will probably give you a good idea of the temp in the smoker. The lower rack will be only a few degrees cooler than the top.

Take care, have fun, and do good!

Regards,

Meowey

 

[gofish]

1st: Well (gulp) ......... Welcome from a WVU grad ..... no comments please

!


2nd: I bought my Masterbuilt just for the garage factor when its really freezing or raining, I bet my XMAS decorations smell like pork butt and beef jerky!

3rd: I have always just used the digital thermostat and checked with an oven thermometer ..... its been right on the money. If you want to use the probe, then stick it thru a chunk of potatoe and set that on one of the grates. I wouldnt set it on the metal.

4th: Welcome aboard, sounds like you'll fit right in around here.

 

[stratocat]

Welcome to the Forum. Butts & Beer don't make a guy bad. Smoke on!

 

[pigcicles]

Welcome to SMF dadetigl. Sounds like you've gotten a pretty good start on BBQ. Don't forget to bring pics when you smoke so you can make the rest of us hungry. Oh and we don't care if everything smells like smoke.

Keep Smokin

 

[blackhawk19]

Welcome to the SMF, beer, who drinks beer around here. Not Me

 

[ron50]

Welcome to the forum, glad you could join us. The temp. in the smoker will get hotter as you go to a higher shelf. If I am using one or two racks then I will place it on either rack that has meat on it. If my smoker is full then i usually put it near the top as the built in one is in the middle and is pretty accurate.

What you can do is put it on each shelf with a standard oven thermometer and check to see if they match and then record each shelf seperately. Then you will know the difference from top to bottom.
With a half empty smoker the shelf difference won't be much. As you load more food in the smoker the temp. will vary more from top to bottom.

 

[gypsyseagod]

welcome to smf.

 

[t-bone tim]

Welcome to SMF, the MES is a great little smoker , glad you joined us ,and see ya in the forums

 

[johnd49455]

Welcome to the SMF Family

Looks like you are already getting some good answers. Got any more questions

 

[Deer Meat]

Welcome to the SMF, I wish they sold candles that smelled like smoked pork butt....instead of those damn made up named, high priced candles that my wife buys.

To answer your question I put my probe next to the meat I'm smokin. That way I know the temperature at the level where I need to know it. If I have several different racks going, I use several thermometers, and try to maintain a happy medium between the highest temp. and the lowest temp.

 

[deejaydebi]

Welcome Dad -

Great forum here with lots of friendly helpful folks - enjoy!

 

[fatback joe]

Welcome to the forum. USF grad here..........yeah, that was a fun week. Still a heck of a season no matter what happens the rest of the way.

 

[tonto1117]

Welcome aboard!!!

 

[richoso1]

Welcome to the SMF. Plenty of friendly folks here that are willing to help you whenever you ask.

 

[richtee]

Welcome back!

 

[lovetosmoke]

Welcome and enjoy