Question for you hunsaker drum owners

[Kaptain Kadian]

How close is the temperature reading that you get on the temperature gauge mounted in the exhaust pipe compared to what the temperature is at the grate? I am thinking about switching to a different exhaust pipe on my uds that has the thermometer port welded into it, like the hunsaker, but I didn't know if there was a big temperature difference. Thanks.

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[thirdeye]

I've always been a fan of knowing the temperature where I'm cooking. My drums came with side mounted thermometers, and all drums have a convection action, but my grate temp was different from the side-of-the drum temperature. Like about 40° different.

One option is to monitor the grate temp with a separate cable probe. I use this set-up on my drums and Eggs. You just need to be a few inches away from the meat for accuracy.

My next experiment was to buy some Tel-Tru thermometers with 12" stems and mount one below the cooking grate. This was much more convenient. Look close and you can see the stem at 5:00.

But the bottom line with drums is.... you need to let them settle in at one temperature, then use your senses. You need to watch the color, smell the smoke, listen for the sizzle and probe for tenderness.

 

[ssv3]

I can't quite recall because it's been a while plus I mostly went off the temp gauge on the Hunsaker but IIRC when I smoked homemade bacon I believe it was off by 10 or 15 degrees.

 

[sackedbysapp]

Hope this helps

 

[Ron_L]

I've always been a fan of knowing the temperature where I'm cooking.

I look at it a bit differently :-D I look for consistency cook to cook. I developed out competition timelines in our Hunsakers based on the stack thermometer, so as long as the drum temp is the same each time I run it at a certain stack temperature, I know that my meat will be done at close to the time that I anticipate.

So, if I developed my rib timing at a stack temp of 275, whenever I cook ribs I run the drum at 275 and things come out as expected.