Thermowell Temperature- Too Hot?

[loxie12]

After two months of restoration, The Boss is ready to CWTGTO. My question is about the proper temperature for the Thermowell. I have the flame adjusted at the recommended 3/8". Some of the Idle Hour recipes advise to pre-heat the well for as long as 30 minutes. After 25 minutes, my well was up to 575 degrees. Is that normal? It just seems soooo hot.
Also, does the well pilot light need to be kept on to retain some of the heat or is the well insulation alone enough to retain the heat that cooks the food?

<font color="#FFFFFF" size="1">[ July 24, 2006 06:53 PM: Message edited by: loxie12 ]</font>

[stoveman]

Hi Loxie, I think you may have miss read the Idle Hour cookbook about thermowell use. The "gas on" timings are for after you have put your food to be cooked into the thermowell. The pilot should be on during the cooking cycle to help keep the temperature up to cooking level.

[Todd W. White]

I did a quick check of the Cookbook, and I don't see anywhere that a recipe calls for preheating the Thermowell.

You put the food in the kettle(s), lift off the Thermowell lid, turn on the gas, wait fir the burner to light, place the kettle(s) in the well, put the lid on the Thermowell, then burn the gas according to the chart or the recipe. Then turn the gas off.