Thermometer

[Boybach]

Hello I'm a Newbie and although just placed my first order have as yet done no smoking. I am in the process of setting up a domestic smoker in an old fridge and have been given as a present a Bradley's Smoke Generator. I am looking for a Thermometer which will fit in the door of the fridge)smoker) and which will read the inside temperature without me having to open the doors. Any ideas where I can get one please. I have tried all sorts of combinations on the word thermometer in Google but cannot identify one that fixes on a doorwith the probe inside
Thanks for any help
Boybach

[saucisson]

Welcome to the forum.

Something like this?

http://www.thebbq.co.uk/Item/replacement_thermometer/

I don't know if it comes with a fitting kit though, you may need to cut a hole pop a cork in and stick the thermometer through the cork if it doesn't.

Dave

[Boybach]

Hi Dave
Thanks vm understand the cork idea - will give it a try
Boybach

[dougal]

Hi - but WOOOOA !!!!
�15 is kinda expensive.
I bought something very similar in Lidl for �1.99


The magic words are
meat thermometer
they are designed to be spiked into the roast and left in the oven while the meat cooks (so you can ensure it is appropriately cooked (rare to well done can be seen as the internal temperature).

You can use them as smokehouse thermometers...
BUT such things don't go much (if at all) over 100C...
They aren't *oven* thermometers!

If you are doing smoke roasting (US "BBQ") in the Bradley, you might want a bit more range...
I've gone digital. �12.99 at Lakeland. 130C maximum.
http://www.lakelandlimited.co.uk/produc ... ures!10771
Good value for Lakeland, I thought.

[saucisson]

I bought the Lakeland one a week ago, how bizarre is that? I bought it for cheese making.

Equally good for smoking as Dougal said, It will measure up to 130 deg C.

the site won't recognise any link we can put in, just go to the site and put in "10771" into their site search

All thanks to Dougal for this one.

[Boybach]

Hi Dougal and saucisson
Thanks for your replies. I had thought about a meat thermometer but sort of passed it over as I would not be able to see the temperature without opening the door. Would a probe digital one work by me drilling small hole in side of fridge and placing probe permanently inside and then just plugging in the receiver as and when wanted.
also one other question, the fridge I am coverting is very much a working model although I don't envisage ever wanting to use it as a cooling mechanism ever more do I need to get it de-gassed or can I use it as is
Manty thanks
Boybach

[tristar]

you may need to cut a hole pop a cork in and stick the thermometer through the cork if it doesn't.
Dave

What Saucisson forgot to mention is that during any DIY activity such as hole cutting you should take extreme care to avoid personal injury

[eddy current]

Various people have played around using working fridges as cold smokers utilising a Bradley Smoke Generator.
One of the difficulties in cold smoking with a Bradley is keeping the temperature down.
See post in smoking and barbequeing.

[Boybach]

Tristar
Thank you for your concern. Pleased to confirm holes cut without any problems
Thanks
Boybach

[Boybach]

Hi Eddy
Thanks for the reply. I have noted people have been having problems in keeping the heat down with the smoke generator but a solution appears to be to have a box joined to the fridge with some tumble/drier tube and the smoke generator connected to the box. That keeps the generator remote from the smoking chamber consequently (keeping my fingers crossed) the smoke entering the fridge will not go above cold-smoking temperatures
Regards Boybach

[saucisson]

Hi Dougal and saucisson
Would a probe digital one work by me drilling small hole in side of fridge and placing probe permanently inside and then just plugging in the receiver as and when wanted.
also one other question, the fridge I am coverting is very much a working model although I don't envisage ever wanting to use it as a cooling mechanism ever more do I need to get it de-gassed or can I use it as is
Many thanks
Boybach

If you put a cork in the hole with a suitably small hole drilled through it you can just push the probe through the cork and measure the internal temperature of the fridge. Sticking the probe into the meat while cold smoking is probably not a good idea as by the time the temperature in the meat has risen to a level to concern you the damage will have been done, but may be a good thing to do if hot smoking.

I'd keep the fridge in running order, you may want to be able to use it's cooling abilities one day, say if you want to cold smoke in the summer.

Dave

[dougal]

Would a probe digital one work by me drilling small hole in side of fridge and placing probe permanently inside and then just plugging in the receiver as and when wanted.

You wouldn't have to.

The Lakeland one has a very slender lead which goes over oven (and fridge) door seals without fuss.
The display unit has a magnet to stick to the outside.
Easy!

You might want to make a simple bracket to hold the probe, but it'd be a waste to fix it to the smoker.

I have to say that I don't know whether the bradley has an appropriate door seal.

The US seems to go in for wireless (radio-linked) meat thermometers... but inside a grounded all-metal box with no windows, I wonder how well they'd work.

[BBQer]

I have one of these in my fridge smoker.

Drilled two holes, ran the probe wires inside, sealed the holes with silicone and fashioned a holder for the transmitter to the outside of the smoker. Never checked to see if the transmitter would broadcast through the smoker walls.

With two probes I can monitor the smoker temp and, when applicable, the internal meat temp.

Don't know about availability in the UK, but something similar should be able to be had there.

[Boybach]

thanks BBQer will do as you suggest I like the principle of being able to take inside ambient temp and meat temp. Could you help me on my other query - namely have I got to decommission the fridge or can I leave it intact even if I go on to hot-smoking (putting small electric hot-plate in bottom)as well as cold-smoking
Thanks for any help

[jenny_haddow]

Do you think this thread might be a useful inclusion in the Smoking and Barbecue Section mods?