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Need a Cork

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Janet Wilder

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Nov 4, 2012, 6:05:14 PM11/4/12
to
I seem to have lost my natural cork that I put at the end of my probe so
that I can tell the temperature of my smoker. Just about all the wine I
buy lately has either synthetic corks or screw tops.

Is there something other than a cork that I can put on the end of the
probe to get a reading on the temperature inside the smoker?

At some point I took off the cork and inserted the probe into the meat,
but I need to have a good reading on temp inside the smoker.

Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?
--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

monroe, of course

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Nov 4, 2012, 6:08:38 PM11/4/12
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Janet Wilder <kellie...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> I seem to have lost my natural cork that I put at the end of my probe so
> that I can tell the temperature of my smoker. Just about all the wine I
> buy lately has either synthetic corks or screw tops.
>
> Is there something other than a cork that I can put on the end of the
> probe to get a reading on the temperature inside the smoker?
>
> At some point I took off the cork and inserted the probe into the meat,
> but I need to have a good reading on temp inside the smoker.
>
> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?

there are cheap bubblies that still use real cork

monroe(asti spumante baby)

Roger Hinson

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Nov 4, 2012, 7:00:33 PM11/4/12
to
check the local hard ware store. in the nut and screw isle with all
the pull out bins. ACO or ACE here in my area, also Lowes and Home
Depot has cork in the same isle as the nails and screws, blue pull out
drawers usally at the end of the isle. Lastly, arts and crafts stores
carry cork stoppers of all sizes

Good luck
Message has been deleted

tutall

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Nov 5, 2012, 10:05:44 AM11/5/12
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On Nov 4, 7:35 pm, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:

> >> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?
>
> I don't understand why you need a cork.  What idiot here told you
> that? ;-)  Occasionally I have used a small potato to keep the probe
> from falling through the grate - is that what you['re using it for?

Potatoes, onions, parsnips, eggplant........
Never used cork.

> As far as I can remember, M&R Asti Spumate always had a plastic cork.
> I know this because I put a dent in my grilfriend's forehead with one.
> And I'd do it again!

Steve, purty sure she had that dent before you met her. Had to have,
she's with you after all. <eg>



monroe, of course

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Nov 5, 2012, 10:38:21 AM11/5/12
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Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:

> I don't understand why you need a cork. What idiot here told you
> that? ;-) Occasionally I have used a small potato to keep the probe
> from falling through the grate - is that what you['re using it for? I
> generally just use the built in ECBG thermometer now that I have it
> "calibrated".

> As far as I can remember, M&R Asti Spumate always had a plastic cork.
> I know this because I put a dent in my grilfriend's forehead with one.
> And I'd do it again!
>

A wine cork can be whittled whereso it fitteth in between the gill bars.
Champy corks work even better cuz they're denser. This very idiot has
endorsed corks for years. (until I got the flowerpot-it has a thermo
hole drilled in it) Reduce reuse recycle. And a 12 hour smoke doesn't do
much for making yummy potatoes. That's spud abuse.

M&R is the PBR of the spumante world. She should have left you over your
choice of swill,not the assault with a carbonated weapon.

monroe(at least spring for Freixenet)
Message has been deleted

monroe, of course

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Nov 5, 2012, 1:51:49 PM11/5/12
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In article <iru6jb42i2ac$.d...@sqwertz.com>,
Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:


> > Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:

> I'll see your hillbilly cork and raise you a high tech binder clip.

<scoff> how inorganic and unnatural.

> > M&R is the PBR of the spumante world. She should have left you over your
> > choice of swill,not the assault with a carbonated weapon.
> >
> > monroe(at least spring for Freixenet)
>
> Asti made in Spain? Surely you jest. Andre Cold Duck all the way!
> None of that dry or brut shit for me.

You can always stir in some Splenda...

monroe(gimme Veuve Clicquot or Mumm anyday)

Janet Wilder

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Nov 5, 2012, 2:02:51 PM11/5/12
to
On 11/4/2012 6:00 PM, Roger Hinson wrote:
> check the local hard ware store. in the nut and screw isle with all
> the pull out bins. ACO or ACE here in my area, also Lowes and Home
> Depot has cork in the same isle as the nails and screws, blue pull out
> drawers usally at the end of the isle. Lastly, arts and crafts stores
> carry cork stoppers of all sizes
>
> Good luck

Thank you. I'll look in those places.

Nunya Bidnits

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Nov 5, 2012, 3:27:21 PM11/5/12
to

"Janet Wilder" <kellie...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5096f469$0$58035$c3e8da3$9b4f...@news.astraweb.com...
>I seem to have lost my natural cork that I put at the end of my probe so
>that I can tell the temperature of my smoker. Just about all the wine I
>buy lately has either synthetic corks or screw tops.
>
> Is there something other than a cork that I can put on the end of the
> probe to get a reading on the temperature inside the smoker?
>
> At some point I took off the cork and inserted the probe into the meat,
> but I need to have a good reading on temp inside the smoker.
>
> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?
> --

Get an alligator clip where the cylindrical non-business end matches the
diameter of the probe. Jam the probe into the clip. Clip vertically to grill
grate. Voila!

MartyB


The Public Library

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Nov 5, 2012, 6:14:39 PM11/5/12
to
On Nov 4, 10:35 pm, Sqwertz <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote:
> On Sun, 04 Nov 2012 18:08:38 -0500, monroe, of course wrote:
> >  Janet Wilder <kelliepoo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >> I seem to have lost my natural cork that I put at the end of my probe so
> >> that I can tell the temperature of my smoker.  Just about all the wine I
> >> buy lately has either synthetic corks or screw tops.
>
> >> Is there something other than a cork that I can put on the end of the
> >> probe to get a reading on the temperature inside the smoker?
>
> >> At some point I took off the cork and inserted the probe into the meat,
> >> but I need to have a good reading on temp inside the smoker.
>
> >> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?
>
> I don't understand why you need a cork.  What idiot here told you
> that? ;-)

i did. you knead a cork because of the influence of cork country
ireland.

Occasionally I have used a small potato to keep the probe
> from falling through the grate - is that what you['re using it for?  I
> generally just use the built in ECBG thermometer now that I have it
> "calibrated".
>
> > there are cheap bubblies that still use real cork
>
> > monroe(asti spumante baby)
>
> As far as I can remember, M&R Asti Spumate always had a plastic cork.
> I know this because I put a dent in my grilfriend's forehead with one.
> And I'd do it again!
>

i don't blame you. i remember her, and she was a real witch.

> -sw

Dave Bugg

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Nov 6, 2012, 5:33:21 PM11/6/12
to
Janet Wilder wrote:

> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?

Here's a picture of my setup:
http://tinypic.com/r/2hpr8sw/6
--
A democracy is two wolves and a small lamb voting on what to have for
dinner. Freedom under a constitutional republic is a well armed lamb
contesting the vote. --- Anon


The Public Library

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Nov 6, 2012, 9:29:38 PM11/6/12
to
On Nov 4, 6:04 pm, Janet Wilder <kelliepoo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I seem to have lost my natural cork that I put at the end of my probe so
> that I can tell the temperature of my smoker.  Just about all the wine I
> buy lately has either synthetic corks or screw tops.
>
> Is there something other than a cork that I can put on the end of the
> probe to get a reading on the temperature inside the smoker?
>

u drivah me krazy

Janet Wilder

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Nov 7, 2012, 9:28:52 PM11/7/12
to
On 11/6/2012 4:33 PM, Dave Bugg wrote:
> Janet Wilder wrote:
>
>> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?
>
> Here's a picture of my setup:
> http://tinypic.com/r/2hpr8sw/6
>

That looks like a great set up. I have wood clothes pins. Thanks.
Message has been deleted

Dave Bugg

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Nov 10, 2012, 4:32:37 PM11/10/12
to
Sqwertz wrote:
> On Wed, 07 Nov 2012 20:28:52 -0600, Janet Wilder wrote:
>
>> On 11/6/2012 4:33 PM, Dave Bugg wrote:
>>> Janet Wilder wrote:
>>>
>>>> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?
>>>
>>> Here's a picture of my setup:
>>> http://tinypic.com/r/2hpr8sw/6
>>>
>>
>> That looks like a great set up. I have wood clothes pins. Thanks.
>
> A set of binder clips works the same hanging upside down and don't
> take up grill space since the probe hangs just UNDER the grill.
>
> -sw

The space it takes up is really non-consequential. It fits nicely into the
space separation one would normally have for more than one hunk-O-meat. In
the decades I've used this configuration, I've never been fretful of the
loss of grill usage. Corks, potatoes, etc take up more space than the
clothes pins.
Message has been deleted

Big Jim

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Nov 11, 2012, 5:59:16 AM11/11/12
to

"Sqwertz" <swe...@cluemail.compost> wrote in message
news:1jp3bg3gsbjtv$.dlg@sqwertz.com...
> On Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:32:37 -0800, Dave Bugg wrote:
>
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>> On Wed, 07 Nov 2012 20:28:52 -0600, Janet Wilder wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 11/6/2012 4:33 PM, Dave Bugg wrote:
>>>>> Janet Wilder wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?
>>>>>
>>>>> Here's a picture of my setup:
>>>>> http://tinypic.com/r/2hpr8sw/6
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> That looks like a great set up. I have wood clothes pins. Thanks.
>>>
>>> A set of binder clips works the same hanging upside down and don't
>>> take up grill space since the probe hangs just UNDER the grill.
>>
>> The space it takes up is really non-consequential. It fits nicely into
>> the
>> space separation one would normally have for more than one hunk-O-meat.
>> In
>> the decades I've used this configuration, I've never been fretful of the
>> loss of grill usage. Corks, potatoes, etc take up more space than the
>> clothes pins.
>
> Some of us, like the OP, use ECBG's. And if the meat is in the center
> as it should be, then you'd need to put the probe on one of the sides
> where it read hotter from the heat coming up over the sides of the
> pan.
>
> -sw

Thermometer? I don't need no stinking thermometer.
Real Pitmen don't used them
BeeJay


Dave Bugg

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Nov 11, 2012, 2:29:15 PM11/11/12
to
Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:32:37 -0800, Dave Bugg wrote:
>
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>> On Wed, 07 Nov 2012 20:28:52 -0600, Janet Wilder wrote:
>>>
>>>> On 11/6/2012 4:33 PM, Dave Bugg wrote:
>>>>> Janet Wilder wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?
>>>>>
>>>>> Here's a picture of my setup:
>>>>> http://tinypic.com/r/2hpr8sw/6
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> That looks like a great set up. I have wood clothes pins. Thanks.
>>>
>>> A set of binder clips works the same hanging upside down and don't
>>> take up grill space since the probe hangs just UNDER the grill.
>>
>> The space it takes up is really non-consequential. It fits nicely
>> into the space separation one would normally have for more than one
>> hunk-O-meat. In the decades I've used this configuration, I've never
>> been fretful of the loss of grill usage. Corks, potatoes, etc take
>> up more space than the clothes pins.
>
> Some of us, like the OP, use ECBG's. And if the meat is in the center
> as it should be, then you'd need to put the probe on one of the sides
> where it read hotter from the heat coming up over the sides of the
> pan.
>
> -sw

Never have that kind of issue with either my WSM or my Kamado.
Message has been deleted

Dave Bugg

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Nov 11, 2012, 8:39:18 PM11/11/12
to
Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 11 Nov 2012 11:29:15 -0800, Dave Bugg wrote:
>
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>> On Sat, 10 Nov 2012 13:32:37 -0800, Dave Bugg wrote:
>>>
>>>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>>>> On Wed, 07 Nov 2012 20:28:52 -0600, Janet Wilder wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> On 11/6/2012 4:33 PM, Dave Bugg wrote:
>>>>>>> Janet Wilder wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Any suggestions for a substitute for the cork?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Here's a picture of my setup:
>>>>>>> http://tinypic.com/r/2hpr8sw/6
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> That looks like a great set up. I have wood clothes pins.
>>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>
>>>>> A set of binder clips works the same hanging upside down and don't
>>>>> take up grill space since the probe hangs just UNDER the grill.
>>>>
>>>> The space it takes up is really non-consequential. It fits nicely
>>>> into the space separation one would normally have for more than one
>>>> hunk-O-meat. In the decades I've used this configuration, I've
>>>> never been fretful of the loss of grill usage. Corks, potatoes,
>>>> etc take up more space than the clothes pins.
>>>
>>> Some of us, like the OP, use ECBG's. And if the meat is in the
>>> center as it should be, then you'd need to put the probe on one of
>>> the sides where it read hotter from the heat coming up over the
>>> sides of the pan.
>>
>> Never have that kind of issue with either my WSM or my Kamado.
>
> It's a fact. It's much hotter on the sides of the grate than in the
> center.

I'm talking about placement. I've never had to place it to the side as
you've described and its never interferred with placement of the meat on the
grill.
Message has been deleted

Dave Bugg

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Nov 11, 2012, 10:29:54 PM11/11/12
to
Sqwertz wrote:

> The meat should be in the center of the grates as much as possible.
> So should the thermometer. My solves that problem.

Steve, there is no problem to solve. The probe resides near the center, not
off on the side. The amount of space taken up by the clothes pins really
amounts to nothing. But I do agree one can use binder clips, if one sees a
fraction of an inch of grill space to be a problem.
Message has been deleted

Dave Bugg

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Nov 12, 2012, 1:23:20 AM11/12/12
to
Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 11 Nov 2012 19:29:54 -0800, Dave Bugg wrote:
>
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>
>>> The meat should be in the center of the grates as much as possible.
>>> So should the thermometer. My solves that problem.
>>
>> Steve, there is no problem to solve. The probe resides near the
>> center, not off on the side. The amount of space taken up by the
>> clothes pins really amounts to nothing. But I do agree one can use
>> binder clips, if one sees a fraction of an inch of grill space to be
>> a problem.
>
> Fraction of an inch? You must cook some small meat.

Why? The footprint of the clothespins sitting on the grill only takes up a
fraction of an inch. Not much displacement of the meat that's cooking.
Message has been deleted

Dave Bugg

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Nov 12, 2012, 12:42:12 PM11/12/12
to
Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 11 Nov 2012 22:23:20 -0800, Dave Bugg wrote:
>
>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>> On Sun, 11 Nov 2012 19:29:54 -0800, Dave Bugg wrote:
>>>
>>>> Sqwertz wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> The meat should be in the center of the grates as much as
>>>>> possible. So should the thermometer. My solves that problem.
>>>>
>>>> Steve, there is no problem to solve. The probe resides near the
>>>> center, not off on the side. The amount of space taken up by the
>>>> clothes pins really amounts to nothing. But I do agree one can use
>>>> binder clips, if one sees a fraction of an inch of grill space to
>>>> be a problem.
>>>
>>> Fraction of an inch? You must cook some small meat.
>>
>> Why? The footprint of the clothespins sitting on the grill only
>> takes up a fraction of an inch. Not much displacement of the meat
>> that's cooking.
>
> You just don't get it.
>
> Thread killed. I'd rather argue with Jerry Sauk.
>
> -sw

Oh, I get it... You claim that the clothespin setup, which takes up less
than an inch in width along its footprint while sitting on the grill, would
push your meat to the edge of the grill, causing all sorts of heartache.

I guess I'll need to change my ways.

tutall

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Nov 13, 2012, 9:19:30 AM11/13/12
to
On Nov 12, 9:42 am, "Dave Bugg" <davebu...@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Oh, I get it... You claim that the clothespin setup, which takes up less
> than an inch in width along its footprint while sitting on the grill,


No, his is this really wierd one that has length *and* width, where
yours only seems to have one dimension.

Dave Bugg

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Nov 13, 2012, 1:35:23 PM11/13/12
to
Let me see if I'm getting this correct as it pertains to a pit like a WSM or
Kamado. A fraction of an inch in width, for the length of a probe sitting
between more than one butt, brisket or slab, will then force at least some
of the meat to hug the side of a pit-- like a WSM --forcing it past the
water pan or deflector? Mine seems to have missed that problem. I'm just
wondering how folks who use corks or potatoes or etc evade that problem, but
that setup doesn't?

Dave Bugg

unread,
Nov 13, 2012, 1:45:22 PM11/13/12
to
Dave Bugg wrote:
> ..... I'm just wondering how folks who use corks or
> potatoes or etc evade that problem, but that setup doesn't?

Sorry for using too many "that"s. It should read: "I'm just wondering how
folks who use corks or potatoes or etc evade that problem, but [my] setup

Nunya Bidnits

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Nov 14, 2012, 8:52:11 AM11/14/12
to
Alligator clip method takes the least space if space is the only criterion.
Insert probe into wire receiver end of alligator clip. Attach clip
vertically to grill grate. Voila. Total grill space consumed is the cross
section of the clip.


Dana

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Nov 17, 2012, 1:49:45 AM11/17/12
to
On Sunday, November 4, 2012 3:04:10 PM UTC-8, Janet Wilder wrote:
> I seem to have lost my natural cork that I put at the end of my probe so
>
> that I can tell the temperature of my smoker. Just about all the wine I
>
> buy lately has either synthetic corks or screw tops.
>
>
>
> Is there something other than a cork that I can put on the end of the
>
> probe to get a reading on the temperature inside the smoker?

Rock's BBQ / Stoker sells a clip with silicone insulator that
might work really well for you - it's what I use with my Stoker.
Look at the Rock's BBQ website for more info.

If you just want a cork, I've saved a bagful. Privately email your
mailing address to me and I'll send you a handful.

Cheers -
Dana

Janet Wilder

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Nov 18, 2012, 2:12:09 PM11/18/12
to
Thanks, Dana.

I think I'm going to use the clothes pin idea. I drink wine so
eventually, I'll come across a real cork. I'm also going to look in
Hobby Lobby next time I'm there.

HEB had pork butts at $1 per pound this week. One is in the freezer and
Q is in our future.

Happy Thanksgiving all.
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