Fireboard 2/Thermapen

[Timmy]

If you go to this feed you can see my notes and pics.
Fri May 28 Meatloaf
https://share.fireboard.io/301621

 

[JS2021]

I am not enjoying this temperature stall ha ha ... making me nervous!

 

[Timmy]

I am not enjoying this temperature stall ha ha ... making me nervous!

Turn your temp up another 10f, that should help.

 

[Timmy]

I am not enjoying this temperature stall ha ha ... making me nervous!

PM sent.

 

[JamesB]

@JS2021 Looks like it’s getting close to being done

 

[John S.]

What are your general observations on temp difference left to right?

Below 225 about 20 degrees, at 450 the delta is 50-60...

 

[Puertex]

Below 225 about 20 degrees, at 450 the delta is 50-60...

Interesting...
That's not that bad at the lower temperatures.
The Timberline has a different air flow pattern than the Pro line.
It seems it helps keep temperatures more evenly left to right due to the downdraft exhaust design.
That may be my next smoker when I graduate from newbie smoker school.

 

[John S.]

for me the big thing with the Timberline is the stainless steel lining that I could put insulation in. I did a test last week and the lid was 96 degrees while the grill was 450 on the right and 520 on the left...
When insulated it also has a better pellet burn rate....

 

[JS2021]

Thought I’d just post some thoughts on how the cook turned out. Thank you all for your help!

I feel I played with temperature too much generally. The meat was a little dry, very tasty but definitely a bit dry. Less jiggly and more tight.

Also as it was a thinner cut I don’t suppose this helped.

Also oddly, because I was cautious I’d toyed too much I probed when I got to 203 on the fireboard probe but I was getting much higher temps on the thermapen at some outer spots like 207 - 210 in some areas.

Finally due to the cook running over I couldn’t rest as long as I’d like which I already knew was not the right approach and got the serving pressures ha ha.

I will post some pics.

 

[JS2021]

 

[John S.]

Lookin good... nice smoke ring...

 

[JamesB]

Looks good...
The outer spots are probably gonna be a higher temp, because they are usually thinner. A more uniform trim will help that.
If it was dry, it may have been a bit overcooked. Brisket can be done between 195-205. Only way you can tell if it is done is by the feel of the probe, not necessarily by temp alone

 

[JS2021]

Good points and I think given it took a long long time to get from 195 to 203 it could be that the overcook was due to leaving it too long at that point!

 

[Puertex]

for me the big thing with the Timberline is the stainless steel lining that I could put insulation in. I did a test last week and the lid was 96 degrees while the grill was 450 on the right and 520 on the left...
When insulated it also has a better pellet burn rate....

I think insulation also helps stabilize the heat flow.
Significantly less heat flows through the walls, more heat is kept inside the cooking volume.
Heat leaves with the outward flowing air... As it should...

 

[WorcesterWarrior]

Hi, after going through many previous threads and communicating on here recently I have been encouraged that I really should not be trusting either the ambient or meat probe on the Traeger, even as a rough guide, particularly if spending all day cooking only to be caught out by incorrect information and it would seem fairly significant temperature swings can occur.

Having watched the Matt Pittman videos, particularly the weekend brisket I was encouraged by the fact that he seemed to trust in the ambient temperatures on the Traeger i.e. he set it to the desired temp on the Traeger for the recipe but perhaps this was altered off film given his role with the company unlikely to document that.

Anyway, with a brisket cook planned to start Friday night I thought I’d take the leap and order a fireboard 2 for accuracy, basic edition as I don’t think I need the drive or pro extras ... unless someone convinces me differently.

I am in the UK and I cannot find it on sale with a next day delivery option. Only from bbq world who don’t deliver until next week. So the simple question is does anyone know of a retailer in the UK selling the fireboard 2?

I am also going to try and pick up a thermapen, my fairly cheap polder thermometer seemed ok in testing (ice cup and boiling water) but poss a touch off and again I am learning that the odd degree can mean the difference between a great result and an under/overcook etc. Is there a major difference between the 3 (£40) and the 4 (£60)?

Thanks!

Hi
I’ve had my Traeger D2 575 with Wifire for a little over 1 year now. In short, I don’t trust the probe one bit, especially for Hot Smoking home cured bacon, where you have to keep it low and no higher than 75degC. I absolutely SWEEAR by my Thermo Pro TP 08S. It’s on offer today on Amazon down from £40 to £32. I have purchased 3 already as gifts for other friends who BBQ and they love it.

I use both probes to find and monitor exact temp (it alarms when done) across my meat (1 probe in each chicken breast for example). The range is over 50m, so you can monitor it at bedside for overnight slow cooks etc.if Traeger at bottom of garden.

IMPORTANT ADVICE- whether our overseas cousins agree or not… The Traeger lid allows drafts to access cooking chamber causing major temp fluctuations and excessive pellet use. Buy an adhesive BBQ gasket tape for around £10 off Amazon. My Traeger cook times and Temps have radically improved as well as a 10% saving on Pellet usage. Also DO NOT adjust smoke stack lid! It is preset my Traeger for correct air flow/ heat vent.

My advice was given by a Traeger reseller/bbq brand manager in Birmingham. It was the best advice I’ve ever followed!