GatorEgg, first its not unusual for the dome temp to be 25 - 50 degrees hotter than the temp at the grid. .. .that's why, we often say specifically that you want to cook a something at X GRID TEMP ...particularly when doing lo and slo cooking (Like briskets or butts or ribs), that if you want to cook them at 225, you want that to be the temp at the food, not the dome. ....having said that, you should calibrate your dome temp thermometer. ... easy, pull out the thermometer, stick it in a cup of boiling water. .. it should read right at 212. ..if not, you adjust it by turning the nut on the back side of the thermometer till it reads accurately. . .its hard to get a brisket up to 200 degrees when its sitting in 190 degree heat :-)
