Anyone's grill cook too fast?

[cwenbass]

I bought a Backyard Beast 1000 in April. Used it a bunch but despite what recipe calls for or what temp I know things SHOULD be cooking at, everything gets cooked way too fast. Possible my internal temp probe is defective already?

 

[v1per95]

I bought a Backyard Beast 1000 in April. Used it a bunch but despite what recipe calls for or what temp I know things SHOULD be cooking at, everything gets cooked way too fast. Possible my internal temp probe is defective already?

Have you used a pellet grill in the past? They're similar to convection ovens in that they have forced air circulation, which helps cook things faster.

 

[Jim6820]

“Recipes” are just guides. As you gain experience, you adjust the “recipe” to what your experience says.

Have you checked your grill temperature settings with a reliable third-party thermometer? Have you checked your meat probes using an ice-water bath or altitude-adjusted boiling water bath so you know if what you are seeing is accurate?

And, as @v1per95 said above, pellet grills tend to cook faster, so “recipes” developed on other types of cooking equipment may not agree with pellet grill cooks.

 

[cwenbass]

I had a pellet smoker before this and yes I checked my probes that came with it, but I will try a 3rd probe in the grill itself.

 

[Greg Jones]

I had a pellet smoker before this and yes I checked my probes that came with it, but I will try a 3rd probe in the grill itself.

Just curious, but can you share how probe temps will inform you how fast (or slow) your grill is cooking? You have some good advice shared above, and none of it depends on probe temps. People have cooked good food for thousands of years without a thermometer, and many professional BBQ cooks still don’t use one other than perhaps to satisfy a sponsor.

 

[BigDan]

Summertime cooks definitely cook faster. Ambient temps play a huge part in cook time. Drath Valley Tennessee here and my dinos last week were 205 in 7 hours at 225…. It was 98 here. Usually that would have been a 9 hour or more cook for me in GA.

 

[Jim6820]

This discussion illustrates why a lot of BBQ folks keep detailed notes on each cook they do; not just a temperature graph. I certainly do, and find it very useful to be able to go back and review notes of a previous cook before doing the next one. Even when I’ve cooked a certain type of protein many times, I still take notes on the next cook. Over time, you accumulate enough information to start seeing patterns and making adjustments based on the cumulative data.

 

[Motodad1776]

I just use a good ole fashioned analog oven temp gauge near the grill ambient probe to see where my temps are compared to display, I have found the onboard ambient probe to be pretty close once at set/target temp.

 

[RattleR]

I just use a good ole fashioned analog oven temp gauge near the grill ambient probe to see where my temps are compared to display, I have found the onboard ambient probe to be pretty close once at set/target temp.

Too simple @Motodad1776 but I used those for years in my stick and vertical. They work quite well.

 

[TheRicker]

This discussion illustrates why a lot of BBQ folks keep detailed notes on each cook they do; not just a temperature graph. I certainly do, and find it very useful to be able to go back and review notes of a previous cook before doing the next one. Even when I’ve cooked a certain type of protein many times, I still take notes on the next cook. Over time, you accumulate enough information to start seeing patterns and making adjustments based on the cumulative data.

I’ve applied that same process to my RecTeq cooks and now apply it to my coffee hobby/habit.
As I’ve gotten older, I can’t rely on my memory.

 

[TheRicker]

Conversely, I grilled burgers, dogs, and chicken on my B380X today. Because there’s no grease drain on this unit and because I had serious flame flare-ups the last time I grilled burgers (80/20 mix)…more so when I set the temp around 600. So, today, I put one of the round aluminum pans sold for the 380 under the grates and found that it inhibits grilling…even at 600F. Next time, I’ll grill without the pan but try to keep the temp setting to around 500F.

I only use my 380X for grilling and smoke on my 700. Oftentimes, I’ll have the 700 cranked up to bake beans or to keep meat warm while finishing the grilling.