Installing a Thermometer on a Charcoal Grill
An important feature to have for a grill is a way to gauge the level of cooking temperature.
Ideally you would want to know exact temperature, but it is also helpful to know at what level
you are cooking. The best solution is to permanently install a temperature gauge on your grill lid.
Another possibility is to get a magnetic gauge that measures the surface temperature of your grill.
I can't stress enough how important it is to have this on your grill. You will have a much
better relationship with your grill after adding this feature.
Selecting a Temperature Gauge
There are two basic types of gauges that can be used with a charcoal grill. One type requires
physical modification to your grill, and the other does not. The gauge types are:
- A gauge that takes a reading of the ambient temperature of the air.
- An external gauge that takes the surface temperature of the grill.
The first type offers the advantage of being permanently attached. In theory, it also gives a
better reading because it is taking the temperature of the air inside the grill. In practice,
many people claim these gauges are still affected by the surface temperature of the grill that it
is attached to. I still decided on this type of gauge because I didn't want a gauge that could
fall off or get lost.
The second type is quick and easy to install. Just stick it on the side of the grill. One thing is
for sure, having any gauge that gives you an idea of what heat level the grill is at will make you
more consistent. It takes all of the guesswork out of when to begin cooking or when to open/close
vents.
Installation of a Permanently Attached Temperature Gauge
To install it you just drill a hole in the lid of your grill, insert the gauge, and tighten the nut down on the
inside of the lid. The trick is finding a gauge that isn't too expensive. I purchased the gauge shown in the
illustration for under $10 at my local home improvement store. It was intended for gas grills, but has worked
great for me on my charcoal grill.
Once you install this device, you won't know how you got along without it.
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