Weber kettle barbecue grill thermometer placement.

[BigD1]

Have a Weber 22 inch kettle, and I am using it to grill and BBQ. My Weber is the standard kettle, and it does not have a thermometer installed. I have a Tel-Tru BQ225 2 inch dial and 2.13 inch stem on order, and it should be here next week. http://www.teltru.com/p-267-barbecue-grill-thermometer-bq225-2-inch-dial-and-213-inch-stem.aspx

Still going back and forth on where to install the thermometer on the lid. Will be doing a lot of indirect cooking, and piling the coals up on one side to BBQ ribs, pork butt, and whole chicken. I am thinking close to grate level would be the best, so a good spot on the lid would be between the lip of the lid and the vents. What do you guys think?

 

[crazyoildude]

im sure they are not so precise anyway and wont last so long but if you are like me you like all the gauges..lol

Im going to buy a grill today or tomorrow.

 

[BigCahuna]

I would try to place it about even with the level of the grate. That's where the cooking is done, and it might be 20-50 degrees difference between there and the top.,,

 

[bbhero]

Hey Bigd1, get a oven thermometer and place it inside of the grill... WAY more accurate. Place it on the indirect heat side closest to the fire if you are slow cooking or smoking meat.

 

[BigD1]

Originally Posted By: bbhero
Hey Bigd1, get a oven thermometer and place it inside of the grill... WAY more accurate. Place it on the indirect heat side closest to the fire if you are slow cooking or smoking meat.


Yes I am going to use an over thermometer too. Just using an oven thermometer exclusively, and I have to open it up too much to see the temperature, so that's why I am going to install a thermometer in the lid. By doing it that way through some trial and error, I can just use the gauge in the lid once I figure out the variables.

 

[Reggaemon]

I don't think it matters where you place the thermometer. The Webers that come with a thermometer have it about 3/4 way up the lid. I use an old Weber 22 inch.

I do indirect cooking for ribs and have a thermometer stuck in the top vent and a Fluke meter probe an inch above the top grate and they both read the same temp.

 

[MrHorspwer]

I would place it offset directly over your indirect side. I don't know that I'd try and stick it really low near the grate if if all you're looking to do is to correspond dome temp to grate temp.

Not that there's anything wrong with a Tel Tru... but for $10 more, you could have picked up a ThermoWorks Dot, that way you could see actually grate-level temps near the meat without opening the lid.

 

[BigD1]

Got that Tel-Tru installed super easy, and I installed it middle way between the vent and the lip of the lid. Bought a trimmed beef brisket, and kept the gauge at 225 to 250, and 10 hours later my brisket was done. It was delicious, and it's a lot cheaper than going to BBQ joint to eat beef brisket.

Instead of buying a Smokenator, Slow 'N Sear, or Vortex for my Weber kettle, I went down to Lowe's and bought two fire bricks. It says 2.88 each online, but I bought them for $2.60 each in store. Put the bricks end to end on their edge, and it's almost a perfect fit for the 22 inch kettle. Going to put off buying a smoker for a while since this Weber kettle is so versatile. If I did buy one of the kettle accessories, it would be the Slow 'N Sear because it keeps the coals off the side of the grill, and the coals are only making contact with the sides of the Slow 'N Sear and bottom grate.

Got an eight pound pork butt going on first thing Saturday morning. Slathered it with mustard, rubbed it down with rub, wrapped it in some saran wrap, and it's chilling in the refrigerator. I am getting hungry just typing this!

 

[Wasatch1]

Hope the butt turned out well. I would keep my eyes peeled for a used Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. I have one and they hold temp great. I still smoke on my kettle occasionally but the WSM is easier for the long cooks.