Smoking Chicken with FireBoard Pulse + Drive

The other week, Megan Day of Burnt Finger Barbecue joined the FireBoard team for a rooftop demonstration of how to use the FireBoard Pulse integrated with Drive technology. FireBoard and Burnt Finger have been partners for several years now, and we like to collaborate when the timing works out. If you missed the event back in November, check out our American Royal 2024 blog here.

Megan Day, co-founder of Burnt Finger BBQ.

But we had a bit of a hiccup on this shoot. Our main camera decided to give us the silent treatment, which is exactly what you don’t want when your star pitmaster is giving valuable information about temperature, flavor, and cooking techniques. But hey, here we are writing a blog about it—because the chicken was just that good.

Chicken on the Primo, using the FireBoard 2 Drive with the S1G antenna as the connection source for the FireBoard Pulse.

This cook was all about showing off how our new FireBoard Pulse works hand-in-hand with FireBoard Drive to give you more control at the grill. If you’re not familiar with the Pulse yet, it’s our newest wireless probe. One of the coolest features? It has an ambient sensor built into the top of the probe, which means you can monitor both internal and ambient temperatures with just a single probe. And yep, that’s also what makes it perfect for automatic Drive control.

Chicken about to be pulled off of the Primo.

For this cook, we set up a Primo (a kamado-style grill), but this setup works with just about any kamado. Megan opted for a simple whole chicken rub-down featuring her very own Smokey KC seasoning. She mentioned the target grill temp was around 350°F, but if you’re chasing that crispy skin, you could push it closer to 400°F.

We placed the Pulse into the thickest part of the breast, following general best practices for temping meat. When using the Pulse, make sure to insert it at least to the etched line on the probe tube for the most accurate internal reading. While the chicken cooked, we enjoyed seeing just how seamless the Pulse + Drive combo operates.

At this time, Ted Conrad, FireBoard CEO, gave us a quick breakdown of ambient temperature dynamics, noting that even with a smaller cut, like chicken, there’s a noticeable gradient between the outer and inner temps—sometimes a 20–30°F difference just a few inches deep. That ambient sensor on the Pulse helps account for this, giving you a more accurate picture of what your cook is experiencing in real time, inside and out.

And this is where Drive steps in. 

FireBoard App showcasing the Drive control channel. In this case we used Pulse – Green External (2).

Once you’ve paired the Pulse with your FireBoard, you can control the fan directly from the device or the FireBoard app. Just head into the Menu > Drive > Control Settings > Control Device, and choose the probe you want to assign. In our case, we used the Pulse itself to both monitor and control the cook—no need for a second ambient probe, and no wires to manage. Even through the thick ceramic walls of the Primo grill, the Pulse gave us rock-solid, reliable readings.

G3 Drive Blower fan mounted to the Primo.

We also mounted the G3 Drive Blower fan to the Primo, which comes with customizable adapter plates. Just break off the tabs to fit your specific grill, slide it into the vent, and you’re locked in.

Bottom line? This setup was clean, easy, and smart. Chicken’s never been simpler—and your Kamado has never been more dialed in.