Overnight butt

jerryp

Hey folks.  Did a 6.5 pound shoulder overnight Sunday for Monday.  Worked out well, but had JUST enough charcoal to finish the shoulder.  Smoked it at 220 for 19 hours.  I can't believe it used an almost full 10 pound bag of lump.  The outside temp overnight dropped into the mid 20's and the wind howled like a bastard all night and into the next day.  I understand fully the concept of thermal exchange and wondered if that might be the culprit for the reduced efficiency.  Or it 19-20 hours perhaps the limit for a 10 pound bag of lump. (I say about 10 pounds, but there were a few big chunks I threw back in the bag for my next pizza night, maybe totaling 1-1.5 pounds.)  I'd appeciate any thoughts or hearing about any other similar events.

By the way, I do use a temp controller.

ChokeOnSmoke

In my opinion 220 is way too low.  Cook that same piece of meat at 250 and you'll finish it in more like 12 hours or less.  There's no chance I use 10 lbs of lump for a pork butt. 

bluegrasstiger

I agree, a 10 lb bag for one butt is a lot.  I would guess that I can get 4-5 butts that size out of a 20 lb bag, and that's starting will all fresh lump each time.   That said everyone's egg and cook is different.

Also agree on the 250 temp.  I cook at about 235 grate temp which is usually over 250 dome and get fine results at about 2 hours per pound.

I haven't found much correlation between outside temperature and cooking time or lump usage.  I have found that when the wind is howling I have to watch the temperature a little closer though.

stike

Temp controllers seem to burn more lump.
I doubt the cold had anything to do with it. I've never burned appreciably more or less lump depending on outside temp

bamafan62

Please help me understand the difference between the grate temp. and the dome temp.  Why are they not the same.

Thank You,
Phil

Mighty_Quinn

As I understand it, they are different only on indirect, low and slow cooks because in that case over time, more heat rises and is basically held higher up in the dome, than where the grate is in the middle of the Egg...using the the indirect method does just that...a barrier of some sort (pacesetter) directs the heat around the sides of the grate and up into the dome. Maybe someone with more experience can explain it better.

bluegrasstiger

Please help me understand the difference between the grate temp. and the dome temp.  Why are they not the same.

Thank You,
Phil

There is often a temperature difference between the temperature at the level of the grate and the level of the dome thermometer, at least until the temperature of the entire egg has stabilized with a closed lid for several hours.

Mighty_Quinn's explanation may be the reason - it makes sense for indirect cooking; perhaps others have a better explanation.

I use grate temp because I use a temp controller or a dual probe thermometer, placing the probe as close to the level of the meat as possible, because I had rather know the temp at which the meat is cooking rather than the temp higher in the dome.

Others have different opinions...it's like so much else with the Egg...you have to find what works best for you.

bamafan62

Thank you very much.  I have a dual probe thermometer also.  I will try this.  I did a "lava" cook the other night.  The temp. rise on the dome was very fast.  I had the grate temp. clamp also.  The difference was almost 200 degrees.  I do not have any idea which one was correct but it was darn HOT.  Thanks for the help!

Phil