New PK-100 : Temp Probe Usage
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I just received my PK-100 to replace a vertical propane smoker. When using the propane smoker I have been using an iGrill 2 to monitor ambient and meat temps. I ran the wires through the upper damper. I am looking for suggestions on how to run my wires with the PK-100. Can anyone help me?
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I just received my PK-100 to replace a vertical propane smoker. When using the propane smoker I have been using an iGrill 2 to monitor ambient and meat temps. I ran the wires through the upper damper. I am looking for suggestions on how to run my wires with the PK-100. Can anyone help me?
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I also run thru the vent. Seems to work good
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fatherwaz - Sure
I like to wet down my sawdust for a nice deep smoke.
Dont over smoke - PK100 puts a ton of smoke flavor in the meat / cheeses, so dont over do it.
example - When I smoked Pecans, I only did them for ten minutes after heavy smoke began pouring out. They were awesome.
practice makes perfect. -
I just shut the door on the probe wires for my Thermoworks. The soft gasket still seals just fine and will not damage the wires at all.
I don’t wet the sawdust, by the way. Thick smoke is not necessarily good smoke, but you do what works for you.
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TexLaw, thank you for the reply. I appreciate the input. If you have any other input you think would be helpful, please don’t hesitate to forward it on. Thanks again.
fatherwaz There is a lot of discussion about the PK 100 on here. Search around, check it out, and never hesitate to ask questions!
The most recent tip I’ve developed is with regards to the 625/1250W setting. The 625W isn’t really enough to raise the temperature very well unless you’re talking about a small change (around 5 F) and you are in mild or hot weather. However, the 1250W setting tends to lead to larger temperature swings. So, I use the 1250W setting to raise the temperature but switch to the 625W about 5 degrees or so before hitting my target temp and leave it on 625W to hold.
Also, give the cooker time to heat up before loading with your sausage or what-have-you. That’ll also help reduce swings.
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TexLaw Many thanks. I did a couple of rack of ribs yesterday. They turned out really well. That said, the biggest question I have now is the sequencing of activities before the product goes into the smoker. I wanted to smoke at 220 degrees, so I figured I would preheat to 180 and then add the water pan, wood chips and kick the temp up to 220. I did this all on the 1250W setting. I got to 180 fine, but when I added the water (warm, but not boiling) and moistened chips the temp dropped to about 150 and it took 45 min to get it up to the 220. I did end up pulling the water pan until it got to 210 and then added it back with boiling water. After that, I added the meat and it worked perfectly. I am sure that I will get it with more trial and error, but any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
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TexLaw Many thanks. I did a couple of rack of ribs yesterday. They turned out really well. That said, the biggest question I have now is the sequencing of activities before the product goes into the smoker. I wanted to smoke at 220 degrees, so I figured I would preheat to 180 and then add the water pan, wood chips and kick the temp up to 220. I did this all on the 1250W setting. I got to 180 fine, but when I added the water (warm, but not boiling) and moistened chips the temp dropped to about 150 and it took 45 min to get it up to the 220. I did end up pulling the water pan until it got to 210 and then added it back with boiling water. After that, I added the meat and it worked perfectly. I am sure that I will get it with more trial and error, but any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
fatherwaz Hold off adding the water until you get the cooker to your target temperature, and definitely add boiling water. That’ll help with the time. The water is as much a heat sink as anything else.
There’s no reason to add the sawdust until you’ve added the meat. I reiterate that I don’t see much use in wetting the sawdust. I suppose they do last longer, but I don’t know if that’s good if the smoke isn’t really the sort you want. I learned to run a pit from some of the very best, and I was taught to get the “thin, blue smoke” if any visible at all. They called the thicker, white smoke “bad smoke” (and, then, there’s the yellow and brown smoke that they called something that would get censored here).
Just check it out. It might look like there’s no smoking going on when you don’t see much of anything. But waft over the chimney. There’s smoke.
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Thanks to TexLaw I did order a cover from coversandall.com and followed his recommendations for size and it turned out great…it does come from India so it did take about 4 weeks from order to arrival…I just need a Waltons sticker from Jonathon Tremblay with my next order to make it complete
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fatherwaz Hold off adding the water until you get the cooker to your target temperature, and definitely add boiling water. That’ll help with the time. The water is as much a heat sink as anything else.
There’s no reason to add the sawdust until you’ve added the meat. I reiterate that I don’t see much use in wetting the sawdust. I suppose they do last longer, but I don’t know if that’s good if the smoke isn’t really the sort you want. I learned to run a pit from some of the very best, and I was taught to get the “thin, blue smoke” if any visible at all. They called the thicker, white smoke “bad smoke” (and, then, there’s the yellow and brown smoke that they called something that would get censored here).
Just check it out. It might look like there’s no smoking going on when you don’t see much of anything. But waft over the chimney. There’s smoke.
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