So I have done a few smokes and using my Maverick, I've noticed that the set temp in the maintaining mode isn't actually what I'm getting. I've only done a few smokes so far as we've been dealing with a serious medical issue with my better half. We have kicked it so I fired up the smoker for the first time since spring. I recall that my actual temp was a lot higher than the control panel was registering.
So far I've done 2 Boston butts. Awesome. Two separate beer can chicken smokes. Awesome. And finally one huge Brisket. Good but I dried it out just a tad but still really good.
What I've noticed is that I need to dial back the set temp 20-30 deg F in order to get the actual termp I want. Like the rest of us, I can't sit and watch the maverick for a dozen hours on a brisket or butt smoke. While enjoying an adult beverage on this smoke I started thinking...
I'm a commercial pilot. We are predominantly detail oriented, type A with a touch of Obsessive Compulsive. Back when I flew piston planes, if you had a very nice plane, it had Exhaust Temp sensors for each cylinder. It was a fantastic way to see into the heart of your engine. Even 20 years ago, the techies were doing wonders. You could download all the data that was captured and see any anomalies as soon as they cropped up. We call it "Trend Monitoring" now and all your airliners do it every nano-second that they fly. I though, wouldn't it be nice if there was something like that for us smoker guys. How can I watch the ups and downs of my smokers temp fluctuations. Then it hit me. I have a case on my iPhone. On the back of the case is a small plate similar to the quick connect/disconnect plates that come with camera tripods. Allows me to lock it into an articulating base that also has a suction cup to attach it to a window. This way you can have your google maps up in your face in the car or film your approach in to Los Angeles at night but that's another story. So, I take the phone, mount it into the widow arm, aim it at the remote unit for my Maverick that displays the ambient (smoker) temp and the meat temp. Then I go to the camera mode and select time lapse. It snaps a pic every 15 seconds or so. So off I go. I came back and reviewed the footage every 30 minutes and logged it.
Here is what I logged:
0930 - Set smoker to 250F. Set maverick grill sensor on upper rack. Temp shot to 300F
1000 - Placed loin on upper rack. Internal meat temp 55deg F.
Dialed smoker back to 230F. Gave smoker 45min to settle down. Upper rack temp still indicating 300F.
1045 - Took thermostat off upper rack and placed on lower rack. Waited 15min. Lower rack holding steady at 235F.
1100 - Moved loin to lower rack.
1130 - Smoker set 230F. Smoker indicating 230-260F. Loin indicating 104F.
Dialed smoker back to 205F.
1200 - Smoker set 205F. Smoker indicating 194-223F. Loin indicating 122F.
1230 - Smoker set 205F. Smoker indicating 210-232F. Loin indicating 131F.
1300 - Smoker set 200F. Smoker indicating 210-225F. Loin indicating 135F.
1330 - Smoker set 205F. Smoker indicating 210-240F. Loin indicating 138F.
1400 - Smoker set 205F. Smoker indicating 214-252F. Loin indicating 145F.
1415 - Dialed back smoker to 185F.
1445 - Smoker set 185F. Smoker indicating 198-212F. Loin indicating 145F.
1515 - Smoker set 185F. Smoker indicating 198-214F. Loin indicating 145F.
1600 - Smoker set 185F. Smoker indicating 196-217F. Loin indicating 147F.
1630 - Smoker set 185F. Smoker indicating 187-201F. Loin indicating 149F.
1650 - Smoker set 185F. Smoker indicating 192-203F. Loin indicating 149F.
1650 - Dialed up to 210 to push Loin to 150F, finish, pull and rest for 45min.
1703 - Smoker set 210F. Smoker indicating 203-230F. Loin indicating 151F.
Pretty cool. Can't wait to try it again!
I think you are making more trouble for yourself. If you have ever monitored a household oven you would be suprised how great the temp swings are. It is my understanding that the computer in the Yoder smokers do not operate like most. I suggest following Herbs temp test to insure you do not have a problem. You should not have to keep changing the temp to use your cooker.
Have you considered an iGrill, Cappec, or Tappeque? I believe all three products offer the ability to save to a csv file which would allow you to easily open in Excel. All three products are priced differently. The Cappec being the cheapest and Tappeque the most expensive. Tappeque connects via your wireless and upload realtime temps to their hosted servers. That allows you to monitor your smoker temps from anywhere with your smartphone. Pretty cool, but it comes with a price.
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