Love seeing this test Jake. I had always heard that the bottom ran hotter than the top but like you found, my 640s is the opposite. Was great to see I was not crazy. It tells me, that maybe I can safely cook on the bottom more without fear of too much heat. Top right has always been my hot spot no matter where the damper is. Great job on the test and thank you!!
This confirms what I always thought. Once I started running with damper fully open my cooks became more consistent. When it's fully open it makes more sense to me where the temps sit as it acts somewhat like an offset.
This is super helpful. I screen shot the different setting and when I cook for example, some tomahawk steaks, they are widely different in thickness. I use this all the time to chose location and it has really helped!
Very useful and helpful as I always wonder if the danper really did that much. I basically keep it wide open for low and slow cooking then push it all the way left when using grill grates and the direct cooking method.
My understanding is that when cold smoking (less than 225F), the damper should be open, but when searing/grilling at higher temps, the damper should be all the way left. What you tested was all at the same temp, and not what the damper was designed for, but I could be mistaken. Thanks for running this test!
The purpose of the damper is to adjust temp throughout the entire pit. The temp doesn’t matter as much, it’s more about airflow. The reason you push it all the way in when searing is because you are trying to maximize all the temp on the left. It could possibly make more of a difference at higher temps, but I don’t think it makes enough of a difference to be overly concerned about it. 🍻
I agree, the damper would make the most difference at the extremes. I doubt it's really intended to make a difference at moderate conditions like what was tested. I think this would be interesting to see at max temps and at minimum temps.
Great video man, I have had a hell of a time with my ribs thinking the top shelf was the best place for that using the recommended. Setting. Thanks for spending the time to record this.
I still smoke my ribs on the top shelf. Def more smoke up there. Check out my Yoder video playlist. I have a couple rib videos. Have a new one coming in Jan. 🍻
I know this is an old video but hopefully you see this. Go get knits with the nitrile applied to the palm and fingers. Super cheap, like $5-10 max at every hardware store. Reusable saving you money and waste and the knit is insulation allowing you to make adjustments at smoking temps. Best yet it allows you to slip them on and off with ease allowing you to touch other things without all the filth you collected on your gloves. It won’t replace knit/nitrile combo where moisture is involved or welding gloves for high temps. It is an excellent choice for cleaning and low temps. Quickest way to prevent filth transfer while cleaning, reduce cost, and reduce waste. I paid like $3.50 for mine and I’ll buy another pair when needed.it’s worth every penny.
Good video! This video clearly shows that by pushing the damper fully in you will have a more consistent temp throughout the cook chamber vs pulling it all the way out or 6” in for smoking. Going to have to test on my 640 now!
Right you are the only one to seem to have acknowledged this. Having it in the middle as recommended has a shocking 37 degree variance whereas having all the way in has only 10 degrees.
Great video! I use the top rack almost exclusively because I think you get more smoke that way. I also think Yoder needs to get off their rear ends and send you a free 1500 for all the fine Yoder content you put out.
Thanks, I use the top rack and believe it will has more smoke as well. LOL I have no more room on the patio. Wife said we need a bigger patio or a new house before anything else. Don’t worry though, Yoder does help and support me with various things now. I have no complaints. 🍻
I've been wanting to do this experiment for a while but don't have enough probes. Thanks for those results. Most interesting and like you, opposite from what I thought.
As a person who had worked with temperature measuring devices, Yoder could stabilize the temperature by adding more than one temperature probe and the circuitry, that way the hopper could add pellets more accurately giving you a more stabilized heat signature. It’s not that hard to do, you just got to have engineers who have the ability to think outside the box…
You’re dealing with a live fire. Every pellet grill on the market fluctuates. Yoder chooses to show accurate temps. Those who don’t show any are lying. 🍻
I’ve found if I pull it out about 5 inches from all the way in is where I get the most consistent temps on my 640. So opposite of what Yoder recommends. Interesting to see your results.
How should we set the damper when we direct grill? Clearly, if we’ve loaded up with food, wide open. What happens when we only use the left third of the grill for searing and BBQing meat? BTW, much appreciate your controlled temp/damper test!
Great video. I just recently checked this channel out after binging on your Offset Rookie channel. I really enjoy your approach. Maybe the food is cooking quicker on the bottom grate due to radiant heat from the diffuser plate even though the air temp is similar or slightly higher on the top grate? I have no experience to back that idea, but just a thought. Anyways keep the vids coming.
Another great video. Learned a lot about the Yoder I have owned for 2 years. Where did you get your grates? Mine did not come with the ones I see in yours. Thanks
Great video, I was wondering the differences, as I really did not notice a difference when I was smoking. Very good set up in your testing. Great job! Thanks.
Same i thought doing pizzas that they cook faster on bottom left right over the firebox. But ive never done what you just did with thermometers. Very interesting! Thanks
How about the effect on cooking temperatures of foil on the heat defuser on a 640 verses no foil. Makes for easier cleanup. Does it interfere with cooking temps?
The gloves has enough stretch in them that you can probably keep the same size. In a golf glove I wear a medium large which is tight. In the black gloves I use a large and it’s fine with or without the cotton gloves. Make sure you check out my link. You can get a 1000 gloves for around $129 or something. Killer deal and they won’t go to waste.
hello It was another nice interesting and informative video. I close the plate when I grill and open him completly when I smoke on low temperture. Have you ever tested the difference in taste with the aluminum grill plate with holes and the cast iron grill and baking plate from yoder. my experience (personal taste) is that the cast iron griddle gives more flavor. while I expected more flavor due to the flames of the aluminum grill plate. What is your opinion ? Greetings Kees
Thanks! I’ve never compared the two and understand your logic. I think the cast iron holds more heat and it allows for more caramelization or searing on contact, depending what you are cooking. That’s just a guess though! 🍻
I believe you are talking about the diffuser plate and diffuser door. Super simple, scrape all of the old food and rust off. Then give a heavy coating of spray oil (Pam or Canola oil). Soak in oil and run at 400 for a couple hours. This will give it a nice seasoning, much like a cast iron pan.
I think the whole chamber fills up so I’d expect smoke to be somewhat equal. I do feel there would be more smoke in top because heat rises and the exhaust is there though. 🍻
The middle ones were close, but there are too many variables. My pit probe wasn’t cleaned, and pellet grills have a swing so it all depends on when you look at it. I saw it match at times, but I focused on coming out every 60 mins so every change was as fair as possible. Thanks for watching! 🍻
Hello sir - do you get that two-piece bottom grate from Yoder? I’d like to replace my stainless steel grates with a setup like yours for my 640, but don’t see the option for that bottom grate on their website. Thanks - “grate” video! 😉
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Yoder Pizza Oven
Storage ideas
Modifying the sear grate with a movable rod to move remotely
Good idea. 🍻
Love seeing this test Jake. I had always heard that the bottom ran hotter than the top but like you found, my 640s is the opposite. Was great to see I was not crazy. It tells me, that maybe I can safely cook on the bottom more without fear of too much heat. Top right has always been my hot spot no matter where the damper is. Great job on the test and thank you!!
Thanks, glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching. 🍻
This confirms what I always thought. Once I started running with damper fully open my cooks became more consistent. When it's fully open it makes more sense to me where the temps sit as it acts somewhat like an offset.
Yeah I was surprised it was hotter up top as well. 🍻
This was helpful. I keep my Yoder damper all the way pulled out since I do smoking low and slow.
Glad you found it useful. Thanks for watching! 🍻
This is super helpful. I screen shot the different setting and when I cook for example, some tomahawk steaks, they are widely different in thickness. I use this all the time to chose location and it has really helped!
Awesome glad I could help! Subscribe to my newsletter and get your free 11 secrets guide: pelletgrillsecrets.com 🍻
Very useful and helpful as I always wonder if the danper really did that much. I basically keep it wide open for low and slow cooking then push it all the way left when using grill grates and the direct cooking method.
Thanks. Yeah I keep it 5” and leave alone as well. Thanks for watching. 🍻
My understanding is that when cold smoking (less than 225F), the damper should be open, but when searing/grilling at higher temps, the damper should be all the way left. What you tested was all at the same temp, and not what the damper was designed for, but I could be mistaken. Thanks for running this test!
The purpose of the damper is to adjust temp throughout the entire pit. The temp doesn’t matter as much, it’s more about airflow. The reason you push it all the way in when searing is because you are trying to maximize all the temp on the left.
It could possibly make more of a difference at higher temps, but I don’t think it makes enough of a difference to be overly concerned about it. 🍻
I agree, the damper would make the most difference at the extremes. I doubt it's really intended to make a difference at moderate conditions like what was tested.
I think this would be interesting to see at max temps and at minimum temps.
Very informative video. Greatly appreciated 👍
Happy to help! 🍻
Great video man, I have had a hell of a time with my ribs thinking the top shelf was the best place for that using the recommended. Setting. Thanks for spending the time to record this.
I still smoke my ribs on the top shelf. Def more smoke up there. Check out my Yoder video playlist. I have a couple rib videos. Have a new one coming in Jan. 🍻
I know this is an old video but hopefully you see this.
Go get knits with the nitrile applied to the palm and fingers. Super cheap, like $5-10 max at every hardware store. Reusable saving you money and waste and the knit is insulation allowing you to make adjustments at smoking temps. Best yet it allows you to slip them on and off with ease allowing you to touch other things without all the filth you collected on your gloves.
It won’t replace knit/nitrile combo where moisture is involved or welding gloves for high temps. It is an excellent choice for cleaning and low temps. Quickest way to prevent filth transfer while cleaning, reduce cost, and reduce waste. I paid like $3.50 for mine and I’ll buy another pair when needed.it’s worth every penny.
Cool thanks for the tip. 🍻
Good video! This video clearly shows that by pushing the damper fully in you will have a more consistent temp throughout the cook chamber vs pulling it all the way out or 6” in for smoking. Going to have to test on my 640 now!
Thanks! Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching! 🍻
Right you are the only one to seem to have acknowledged this. Having it in the middle as recommended has a shocking 37 degree variance whereas having all the way in has only 10 degrees.
Another helpful video. Thank You. I can’t wait until I can get my YS640S.
Welcome! If you sign up for my newsletter you get my 12 secrets to more smoke free: www.pelletgrillsecrets.com 🍻
Great video! I use the top rack almost exclusively because I think you get more smoke that way. I also think Yoder needs to get off their rear ends and send you a free 1500 for all the fine Yoder content you put out.
Thanks, I use the top rack and believe it will has more smoke as well.
LOL I have no more room on the patio. Wife said we need a bigger patio or a new house before anything else. Don’t worry though, Yoder does help and support me with various things now. I have no complaints. 🍻
I've been wanting to do this experiment for a while but don't have enough probes. Thanks for those results. Most interesting and like you, opposite from what I thought.
Yep I was surprised! 🍻
@@RumandCook I'd like to see you review the new Yoder Pizza Oven.
Check the channel in 2.25 hours 😁. First video on pizza oven drops at 6PM EST 🍻
@@RumandCook That's so spooky! Looking forward to your review.
Haha
As a person who had worked with temperature measuring devices, Yoder could stabilize the temperature by adding more than one temperature probe and the circuitry, that way the hopper could add pellets more accurately giving you a more stabilized heat signature. It’s not that hard to do, you just got to have engineers who have the ability to think outside the box…
You’re dealing with a live fire. Every pellet grill on the market fluctuates. Yoder chooses to show accurate temps. Those who don’t show any are lying. 🍻
I’ve found if I pull it out about 5 inches from all the way in is where I get the most consistent temps on my 640. So opposite of what Yoder recommends. Interesting to see your results.
Thanks for watching! 🍻
Good video, thanks for taking 3+ hours to get and show the numbers.
Thanks. No problem! 🍻
I'd suggest switching to a firm plastic grill brush. The metal wires can sometimes get caught in the throat.
Yeah I’m pretty careful with it. I have some other options as well. 🍻
How should we set the damper when we direct grill? Clearly, if we’ve loaded up with food, wide open. What happens when we only use the left third of the grill for searing and BBQing meat? BTW, much appreciate your controlled temp/damper test!
Honestly, I don’t think the damper does much. 99% of the time I leave it 6” in and never touch it, regardless of what I’m cooking. 🍻
Great video. I just recently checked this channel out after binging on your Offset Rookie channel. I really enjoy your approach.
Maybe the food is cooking quicker on the bottom grate due to radiant heat from the diffuser plate even though the air temp is similar or slightly higher on the top grate? I have no experience to back that idea, but just a thought. Anyways keep the vids coming.
Thanks much. Radiant heat def has an impact. 🍻
Another great video. Learned a lot about the Yoder I have owned for 2 years. Where did you get your grates? Mine did not come with the ones I see in yours. Thanks
Thanks! Check my atbbq link in the description. They sell them there. 🍻
Thanks. This video saved me from doing this myself. Much appreciated.
Thanks for watching. 🍻
Excellent experiment! Many thanks
Great video and as you, learned alot. I will now start to smoke on the bottom rack instead of the top. Thamk you!!
It’s a toss up, more smoke up top I think just due to it rising. Be interesting to compare top vs bottom.
Great video, I was wondering the differences, as I really did not notice a difference when I was smoking.
Very good set up in your testing. Great job! Thanks.
Thanks for watching. 🍻
Same i thought doing pizzas that they cook faster on bottom left right over the firebox. But ive never done what you just did with thermometers. Very interesting! Thanks
Thanks for watching. I’ll be trying a calzone video very soon! 🍻
@@RumandCook Can you cook pizzas/calzones on a yoder? Do you need to remove the heat deflector? I ask because they warp when it gets too hot.
My latest video is a calzone. Didn’t remove the plate.
Very informative video, thank you very much!
No prob. Thanks for watching. 🍻
Great info man! Cheers
Thanks! 🍻
How about the effect on cooking temperatures of foil on the heat defuser on a 640 verses no foil. Makes for easier cleanup. Does it interfere with cooking temps?
Doesn’t affect the temps at all, but does make it nice and clean. I used to do that a lot and have gotten lazy 😀
Thanks for video. Very informative 👍
Thanks for watching. 🍻
What kind of vacuum system are you using on that 5 gallon bucket 🪣 🤔 looks nice?
It’s actually called the Home Depot bucket vac. Like $30, but works pretty well. 🍻
Great video. Love the content!
Thanks much! 🍻
Another question. Using cotton gloves. The black vinyl gloves, same size or one size larger? Thanks.
The gloves has enough stretch in them that you can probably keep the same size. In a golf glove I wear a medium large which is tight. In the black gloves I use a large and it’s fine with or without the cotton gloves.
Make sure you check out my link. You can get a 1000 gloves for around $129 or something. Killer deal and they won’t go to waste.
hello
It was another nice interesting and informative video. I close the plate when I grill and open him completly when I smoke on low temperture.
Have you ever tested the difference in taste with the aluminum grill plate with holes and the cast iron grill and baking plate from yoder.
my experience (personal taste) is that the cast iron griddle gives more flavor. while I expected more flavor due to the flames of the aluminum grill plate.
What is your opinion ?
Greetings Kees
Thanks! I’ve never compared the two and understand your logic. I think the cast iron holds more heat and it allows for more caramelization or searing on contact, depending what you are cooking. That’s just a guess though! 🍻
@@RumandCook
So there is the next test 😄
What im also looking for is a explanation to remove rust from the platesetter. My platesetter and fire plate are covert with rust.
I believe you are talking about the diffuser plate and diffuser door.
Super simple, scrape all of the old food and rust off. Then give a heavy coating of spray oil (Pam or Canola oil). Soak in oil and run at 400 for a couple hours. This will give it a nice seasoning, much like a cast iron pan.
I wonder how temperature zones relate to smoke exposure.
I think the whole chamber fills up so I’d expect smoke to be somewhat equal. I do feel there would be more smoke in top because heat rises and the exhaust is there though. 🍻
Interesting that not one probe matched the set temp.
The middle ones were close, but there are too many variables. My pit probe wasn’t cleaned, and pellet grills have a swing so it all depends on when you look at it. I saw it match at times, but I focused on coming out every 60 mins so every change was as fair as possible. Thanks for watching! 🍻
Hello sir - do you get that two-piece bottom grate from Yoder? I’d like to replace my stainless steel grates with a setup like yours for my 640, but don’t see the option for that bottom grate on their website. Thanks - “grate” video! 😉
🤣- Check out atbbq.com and search for Yoder Smokers YS640 2-piece Stainless Steel Cooking Grate Set. 🍻
Awesome, thanks!
No prob
Oh by the way I just love your videos.
Thank you, I appreciate that! 😀
YS also comes in the 1500
Very True, but most backyard folks aren’t going to grab a 1500. 🍻
5:14 #TWSS 😂
LOL 🍻
Have you tried changing the stack angle?
I always have it straight up. 🍻
@@RumandCook quick question.... does your Yoder turn on with 1 push of the on/off button or 2?
1 push of power and then have to push start. 🍻
@RumandCook weird. When I plug mine in, I need to push the on/off button twice to power up then start.
Do you turn it off and let the cool down sequence run?
How do you install the silicon band?
I show it in my ultimate cleaning video. 🍻
Be careful of the wire bristles. They sometimes break off and get on the food.
Yep I’m aware, thanks. 🍻
Maybe the 1500 would have been better. ?
It is a nice unit. Too big for my needs though. 🍻