Should I upgrade my BBQ Guru?

[cruzmisl]

Hi All,

I'm curious if upgrading to the DigiQ II would be worthwhile over my existing Competitor model. Anyone know what a used guru is worth?

Thanks,

Joe

[ThreeDJ16]

Re: Should I upgrade my BBQ Guru?

Hi All,

I'm curious if upgrading to the DigiQ II would be worthwhile over my existing Competitor model. Anyone know what a used guru is worth?

Thanks,

Joe

No idea what the original Guru is worth, though someone did just purchase one on the forum....maybe they could PM you....or you could just check on ebay.

As far as upgrading, just compare the new features to decide if it is worthwhile to you. The Naked Whiz did a wonderful job with the review and made a comparison chart to boot. Will say I like my DigiQII, but still would not trade anything for my Procom (except maybe a new Procom).

-=Jasen=-

[tlinder]

Re: Should I upgrade my BBQ Guru?

Hi All,

I'm curious if upgrading to the DigiQ II would be worthwhile over my existing Competitor model. Anyone know what a used guru is worth?

Thanks,

Joe

Hi Joe

I just sold my BBQ Guru Competitor on ebay, so I could get the DigiQ II. I got $ 132 for the only 10 month old adapter together with the shorter adapter for the KK. For the new one I'm going to pay $ 260.- with shippment. So it's quiet a premium you have to pay but I guess it's worth it for geeks like me.

[primeats]

Thanks Tobias

[cruzmisl]

Thanks! I thought you would get more than that for it. I'm gonna get it anyway. Are you happy you got the new unit?

[tlinder]

Thanks! I thought you would get more than that for it. I'm gonna get it anyway. Are you happy you got the new unit?

I have to wait another few weeks till I'm back from the States to try it out.

[PrimoSand]

Hi Jasen,

Hay thanks again for the polder port plugs a while back. They really work well. They also look like they'll last forever if you don't drop them and watch them bounce off the balcony down 8 ft into the ivy. Only lost one !!

On a happier note .......

I'm looking to up-grade my current cooking thermometer. I bought a cheapy just to see what you get for about $40. I selected a an ACU-RITE from my local BBQ store. Both the BBQ store and the thermometer are pathetic. At least the thermometer does signal you when you reach your desired internal temp.

I'm reading here on the forum that you really like your Procom even over the new DigiQII (you own both !). Can you tell me why you like it so much. I have a few other questions as well (hope you don't mind).

If I'm reading the Guru web site correctly you pay about $550 for the Procom with out a blower. You can buy a Maverick RediChek Remote Wireless Smoker Thermometer for about $45. That's a huge $500 difference. Can you tell me what you get for that extra $500 ?

Next question:

How well does this whole electronically controlled Guru blower idea work on a KK? I've been trying to get boneless pork shoulders down to a science lately. I have 4 about to come out of my KK any minute.

Boneless only because that's all I can get cheap ($1.39 lbs) at Costco. I've also been experimenting with marinating the pork in Teriyaki sauce for about 4 or 5 days before cooking. I'm also trying a new Korean BBQ sauce as a marinade this go around. Why not ?????

I'm getting off the subject though. I cook these boneless shoulders at 225 degrees until they hit about 168 degrees internally. To maintain 225 degrees for 16 to 19 hours (I'm at about 19.5 hrs now with another 4 degrees to go) I practically have the top vent shut and the bottom vent with only a tiny sliver of an opening.

So my question is ..... with the need for such a ridiculously small amount of air wouldn't an electronic blower even with the fan always off be too much air to maintain the desired 225 degrees for low and slow cooking?

Final question: With the ProCom 4, The hand held pendent is capable of 2-way digital communication up to 600ft line of sight range. Will this thing transmit up to say a third story roof top deck and vice versa? I live at the beach out in LA. Here at the beach they build two separate houses on one, maybe 3000 sq ft lot. You usually don't get a yard, maybe a couple of flower beds. The houses are three stories straight up and practically out to the property line, with a roof top deck so you can BBQ and if you're lucky see the ocean. For the privilege of owning such a 2000 sq ft home you pay at least $1.7ml, with your property taxes running a bit over a $1000 per month.

I'm getting off the subject again. So I'm wondering if the transmitter will transmit up to one of these roof top decks. I sold that house so I don't have that concern at the moment but if I can ever afford to buy again that is what I'll be dealing with.

Thanks in advice for your time.

Anyone else who may know something about all this is welcome/invited to chime in.

take care

Jeff

There goes the timer !! the roast are done !!! the roast are done !!

A few more pics

my drip pan/heat deflector (all tin-foil, about 1/4 inch thk). As is gets crusty I peel off a few old layers and add a couple of new ones. Not so high tech but it works well.

Costco fan so the smoke won't kill my up stairs neighbors on both the 2nd and 3rd fl

New Food Saver from Costco and the bags it makes for marinading. A bit of work to use but the end result is a nice, clean, tough bag that didn't leak. The old method was a huge Tupperware with a small garbage bag in it. Very messy.

junk

20 hours later the eagles have landed

finally some help arrives

a quick wrap and then a bit of a rest

looks like a winner

the final test ....

[primeats]

Tobias, just got my Guru, everything looks in great condition,except the probe wires look as though they have been cooked. Will they still function, or should I call Shotgun Fred for a replacement? I would have bought this anyway for the price, no worry.Thank you once again

[Saucier]

Procomm

I have a procomm, and have to tell you that the range that they claim, is pure BS. I have been within 25' of range and have had it lose signal.

I called and asked the Guru joint about it, and they said that Shotgun Fred would call, but this never happened.

Other than that is neat, you can change the temp settings and all from the remote. They are also making some braided ss probes and leads, they are pricey but look heavy duty.

All in all a great product, but the range really blows!

[ThreeDJ16]

Re: Procomm

I have a procomm, and have to tell you that the range that they claim, is pure BS. I have been within 25' of range and have had it lose signal.

All in all a great product, but the range really blows!

They are subject to other electronics interference. I doubt anyone still has a 900mhz cordless phone anymore, but that wrecked havoc on mine when I first got the Procom. After I tossed the phone, no more problems. Also, the more structural interference, the greater the range reduction. Personally, I get great range out of mine now usually; just now and then get a signal dropout.

-=Jasen=-

[johnnyboy]

I have the wireless Maverick, love it, but hardly use it anymore.

I've found with the more pit experience I get, the less Maverick I need.

[DennisLinkletter]

target meat temp..

I have the wireless Maverick, love it, but hardly use it anymore.

I've found with the more pit experience I get, the less Maverick I need.

If your pieces of charcoal are all touching each other, you will have no problems with maintaining your target temperature with a Komodo.

What I really like is the alarm that tells you when you've hit your target meat temp..

Unless you are camping next to your cooker.. it's too easy to overshoot your target.

[cruzmisl]

I have the Digi Q II and had the Competitor. Both are very good and a welcome addition to any Q'ers tool kit. Sure the Komodo will hold 250 all day without so much as a hiccup but here are my reasons for buying it,

1. It's cool

2. You can go away and never have to worry about overshooting either meat or pit temp.

3. You can do really low/slows with the Digi Q.

4. Alarm sounds when pit over/under temp and when meat is finished.

5. Don't have to open the lid nearly as often, if ever.

6. It's cool....oh I said that already.

Not sure the Procomm is worth the Jake for my application.

[DennisLinkletter]

But I gotta tell you they look great..

I cook these boneless shoulders at 225 degrees until they hit about 168 degrees internally.

What made you choose 168º as your target internal temperature?

I believe the breakdown of the nasty stuff to collagen takes place from 165-175º

But I gotta tell you they look great.. Cooked enough to have that stringy texture but firm enough to have bite..

What gives them that glaze?

I'm going to pull my next low and slow at 178º and try to spend a lot of time in the conversion zone...

PS

Would you please repost those shots in the Cooking photos area.

Can't have too much of a good thing.

[PrimoSand]

I pull the pork shoulders off at 168 degrees because as I go higher even to say 171 the roast get a bit dry. Or dryer the higher I go. 168 seems to be the right place to stop on my KK ????

I realize this doesn't square up with most of the on-line internal temp recommendations. At first I figured it's my thermometer but the three that I have (two Tru-Tels from Dennis and that Acu-Rit in the picture above) all show the same temp (with-in one degree) when I stick then in very hot or boiling water.

When I first cooked a pork shoulder I took it off at 178 degrees and it was like mush. You could have made pork snow balls in your hands with it. No stringiness at all and not very good to eat.

Another odd thing with my KK is/are baby back ribs. I cook them at 225 degrees for 6 to 8 hours and they never pass the "tong pick up test". (You pick a rack of ribs up with the tongs and the weight of the rack breaks the rack in half). This makes me think they're not done but if I keep going longer than 7 or 8 hours they just dry out and get tough like jerky. I think most folks on this forum say they cook baby backs in 4 to 5 maybe 6 hours max.

So I pull my ribs once the meat pulls back and shows the exposed bone ends (6 to 8 hrs). They are juicy and meaty (most people love them and are shocked at how tender they are) but they show no signs of the stringiness that you normally see when cooking pork ????????????

The meat does not come off the bone completely clean, almost but not quite.

I would love to have all the rib experts out there weigh in and help me with that head scratcher.

As for the glaze I think it's from the teriyaki sauce that I marinade the bone-less pork shoulder in for 4 or 5 days in the bags shown above. This last batch of 4 shoulders did come out with a much better glaze than I've gotten in the past. In the past the out side has been some what dry and hard and I thought about putting some water or beer in-side the KK to add steam. I haven't tried that yet though. I'm thinking that this batch had a better glaze because of the extra meat in the cooker. This is the first time I've cooked four roast at once rather than two. Regardless of whether I cook the normal two roast at one time or four I get a little bit of brown water dripping from the bottom of the top vent so I know there is a certain amount of steam in side during a long cook.

I'll post the pics from above in/on the cooking section.

jeff

[Firemonkey]

I do my baby backs for roughly 5 hours at about 250*. I am not sure they break in half under their own weight (I try not to let them break ) The meat pulls back from the bone, and has just the right amount of tooth to it. I would say the bones come 95% clean.

One thing to consider, if you are trying to get them to come apart under their own weight is the membrane on the back. Are you removing it before you cook them? If not, that will hold them together.

[tlinder]

Tobias' date=' just got my Guru, everything looks in great condition,except the probe wires look as though they have been cooked. Will they still function, or should I call Shotgun Fred for a replacement? I would have bought this anyway for the price, no worry.Thank you once again[/quote']

Sorry, that I did not write back earlier, but I'm on a roadtrip at the moment and don't have internet access everywhere. I did not realize, that the wires didn't look good anymore. The probes worked still fine the last time I used them and I can't remember ever using them with too much temp. Could you please test them with boling water if everything still works fine. If not please tell me and I will give you a refund.

[Amphoran]

My probe wired darkened up to look like the inside of the KK after just a couple of uses. Could that be all?

[cruzmisl]

When I do a pork shoulder I tpically use a boneless shoulder. I use a dry rub with little or no sugar and don't brine or marinate. I usually set my Guru pit temp at 250 and they will take 8-10hrs depending on how many butts I have loaded in the cooker.

As far as temps are concerned I always take my butts off at 195. Never mushy and good tooth to the meat. Yeah the outside dries out but that's what you want. The "bark" is the best part. I'm not a BBQ expert by any stretch but it works for me.

[primeats]

please delete