Very high temp? Maybe?

[Mike]

I am trying to follow one of Jeff's recipe. Bacon candy... I set the control to 225 with one piece of wood 1.6 oz wrapped in foil. Temp shot up to over 282,  30minutes in temp has gone down to 246...holding steady at 234...but then.....

14:30 temp @225
14:45-15:00@282, I believe the wood caught on fire? then went down to 246-234
15:15 @252 and rising@257
15:20 @250 dropping
15:23 @237
15:30 had to open and turn bacon...it does look good,
15:35 @137 rising to 230-239
15:45 @264-277-282-288 dropping 280-270
16:00 @250-246-237-232 rising
16:15 @261-273..dropping @264
16:30 @246...done

I guess my question is do you think my switch/controller is off?
I didn't think there would be a 50 degree swing, I understand there is a swing but didn't realize this much..off of @225..
When I took out the bacon I checked the probe placement and it might have been touching the back wall..not sure.
I didn't use water because for this recipe it didn't call for it?
Pics are of the controller set at 225, wood.
Any comments or suggestions are appreciated

Smokin-it #2 , no water/ juice, prob at top of rack along with bacon.

Thanks Mike

 

[NDKoze]

If you would not have your chunk wrapped so well in foil, I would think you would have had combustion which caused this.

Is it possible that you didn't remove the small piece of cardboard that covers the thermometer probe in the back of the smoker cabinet? I did 3-4 smokes in mine before I realized this and each of my smokes ran really hot until I noticed this.

 

[Mike]

I thought. Removed the rule but I will check again. And not wrap the chunk so tight
Thank you for the response

 

[DivotMaker]

Hey Mike, I saw that recipe today and want to try it!  My guess is that your problem is not enough "mass" in the smoker with only bacon.  The smoker was kind of acting like trying to regulate temp in an empty smoker, which is usually all over the place.  Next time you do something with almost no mass, you might want to place a heat sink in there with it.  That can be a water pan, and/or a pan of sand, or a couple of bricks, down low, to absorb/regulate the heat.  This is why we don't recommend watching the internal temp when seasoning.

Or, you can do what I do - just set the thing and go find something better to do!  No need to be so analytical about the internal temp.  It will generally "average" to what you've set it at.  I haven't monitored internal box temp since my first month with an SI, and have never had bad results due to temp (just a couple due to me).

 

[Mike]

DivotMaker, thanks for the response, still very new at this and I was reliving bad memories with my old propane smoker...constantly adjusting the temp.  Although I didn't touch the dial this time, just monitored the temps..

The Bacon candy actually turned out good...smokey sweet spicy....and Bacon,,,

I am confused about foiling the wood??...from reading many post here it was recommended to foil the wood to prevent combustion but it still seemed to burn. Any suggestion?

Thanks again

Mike

 

[DivotMaker]

Mike, a little foil on the bottom of the wood works well.  What makes you think it caught fire?  From your picture, I don't think it did, or you'd have had a pile of ash in your foil, not a charred chunk.  Plus, you didn't have enough wood in there to spike the temp so high; I really think that's the mass issue, mentioned previously.

Great to hear the candy is good! ;D

 

[Mike]

Makes sense....there was wood although chared, top third was ash the rest was "wood", gonna chalk this up to lack of mass and continue to smoke...ask dumb questions and enjoy the results....

This forum is awesome and I truly appreciate all of the help....

Mike

 

[DivotMaker]

Glad to have you in the family, Mike! 8)