Getting The Most From Your Yoder: Direct & Indirect Grilling, Smoking & Baking; Heat Up Times And Grate Temperatures - Yoder Smokers YS640 Operation Instructions Manual

Yoder YS 640
Getting the Most From Your Yoder:
Direct & Indirect Grilling, Smoking & Baking

Heat Up Times and Grate Temperatures

The question is regularly asked: "How long does it take from the time I press "start"
until I am ready to cook?"
When the cooker is setup traditionally (diffuser plate installed), the heat up time is 20 to
30 minutes. When the cooker is setup for direct grilling (diffuser plate out), the heat up
time is about 15 minutes.
It is also important to note that when the cooker is setup "direct", the temperature
at the center of the grate is hotter than the reported temperature. How much hotter
depends on the set point. At 350° F on the display, the grate center is approximately
425° F. At 475° F on the display, grate center is approximately 625° F. The difference
is caused by the reduction of airflow to the thermocouple when the direct grates are
installed. This is true with the diffuser in or out.
Finally, precise temperature management is not important when you are doing short
cooks where you are opening and closing the pit frequently. Find a set temperature that
works well for the type of food you are grilling... for instance burgers and brats do well
at a 350° F set point when indirect grilling.
The versatility of your Yoder is realized by choosing one of its three unique setups:
1) Smoking from 150 to 275° F & baking from 350 to 400° F (with diffuser plate in
place)
2) Indirect grilling from 275 to 350° F (with diffuser plate and optional Direct Grill
Grates installed)
3) Direct grilling where searing temperatures are desired, simply by removing the heat
diffuser plate and installing the optional Direct Grill Grates.
The traditional setup for the Yoder has the heat diffuser plate between the firebox and
the cooking grates. With this setup, the cooking style is best described as a wood-fired
oven. This setup is ideal for all of your smoked and baked foods.
Setup #1: Smoking and Baking. Heat diffuser plate in and standard cooking grates
installed. In this setup, the variable displacement damper (VDD) is generally pushed
in about 6 inches from the right hand side to create an even temperature across the
grates. See FIG 22.
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