2nd Time Advice

pileit1971

Well I lit it up finally for some pizzas and turned out well... some questions... (I know big surprise...)

1.  When it talks about filling up the fire box with lump, for a long low and slow, are you supposed to fill it up to the top of the fire ring to?

2.  I am using an electric starter and as advertised, had a roaring fire in the lump in under 8-10 minutes.  Temp went right up to 600, preheated plate setter and pizza stone and pizzas turned out great, but for the low and slow, do I still get the lump going like with pizza, and just close the vents more to reduce temp? or should I only keep the starter in for a shorter period of time?

Filled up just under rim of the fire box and got it going for about 2 hours at around 500-600 and most of the lump is gone, I just kind of poured it in and didn't really "organize" the stack....

Thanks again for all the advice, I guess I am officallly a novice egghead, sure there were be more to ask and learn...

Baysidebob

I don't fill mine to the top of the ring.  Top of the firebox at most, not top of the ring for me.  For "low and slow" I assume you mean indirect. Note: hot and fast uses waaay more lump than low and slow.  I give it 8 minutes with the electric starter then close it with the vent and daisy wheel open wider than I'll need it until I get just below the target temp.  Then I pinch it down.  If it drops I open a bit, if it raises I pinch a bit more.  BGE defies Newton: what goes up does not come down.  At least not quickly.  Cook and cook again and you'll learn what works for you.  If you're shooting for 225-250 and it gets there with the lower vent open an inch, don't walk away!  That's way wider than it will be at stable.  Mine usually comes in at the thickness of a credit card with the little daisy wheel holes more than half closed (your results may vary)..  Once you do stabalize, figure an hour if your cautious, you're in like Flint.  If you peek dome temp will drop.  Don't mess with it right away.  That's cool air (and more O2).  The food, metal and ceramic is still just as hot as it was before you opened it.  Before each cook it's all about air flow.  I root through the lump with gook gloves and get all the ash out and the holes in the grate and vent-holes clear.  5 minutes tops. Somewhere someplace there are pics of temps and vents and daisy wheels.  I've lost the link.  Perhaps someone else can provide it.

Hillbilly-Hightech

You'll find w/ "egg-sperience" you'll fill the Egg w/ as much lump as needed.  If you need to fill it to the top of the fire ring, then you will.  If you only need to fill it to the top of the fire box, then you will.  

FWIW, I fill mine up to the top of the fire ring, and then use it till it needs to be filled up again.  Depending on what I'm cooking, I can usually get anywhere from 3-6 cooks before refilling (YMMV depending on whether it's a low & slow, or a high heat cook, or how long you're cooking, the type of lump you use, etc).  

As far as starting your fire - I've never used an electric starter, so I can't speak to it specifically.  But generally, all other things being equal, to get the same size fire, you can either have less lump burning w/ greater intensity, or more lump burning at a lower intensity.  Either way should get you to the same point.  

HTH,

HH

Tjcoley

For low and slow I fill to just above the firebox (not the ring) Start with 5 or 6 fist sized pieces on the grate, then I just dump in the rest, new and old. I'll pull out some of the larger pieces to save for the next low and slo but I don't separate by size. Did a 13 hour brisket at 270 - 280 and here's what I had left. https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/FileUpload/f2/1ae7b24f1df216adb7ba4dd321b1a9.jpg I switched from electric started to paper towel and oil and won't be going back.

Onegrecook

I also fill mine to the top of the firebox. If I'm doing low and slow, or want the temp around 250, the daisy wheel is a little less than half closed, and the finger-splitting bottom vent is open about an eighth of an inch. Similar to Bayside's post above.

bigphil

For lo and slo i fill to the top of the fire ring and whats left over am usually good for a few more fast cooks after . i figure am gonna use it and just saves me time loading for a few days and i only light the center for low cooks