Holding Temperature

Unknown

Hi group! Need help fast. Just put our first bunch of ribs on the BGE
but can't seem to hold the temp. I'm trying for 225deg, but even when
I shut all the vents, it zooms back up to 400. How can I bring it
down and hold it for several hours?

Cat

Doctor J,[p]The Egg holds heat so well that it takes a while for the temp to drop. Just leave all the vents shut down; don't open them up again until the temp drops a bit below your target.[p]In my experience, once the fire gets too hot it takes a lot of fiddling to keep it low even after you get it back down. But don't worry too much about spikes & dips; they average out over the hours, and your ribs will still be great![p]Cathy

King-O-Coals

Cat, I concur. Don't panic. Close your dampers to the widths of toothpicks and fix you another drink. Never let-um see you sweat!

Cat

King-O-Coals,[p]Great minds think alike. I forgot about the drink...;-}[p]Cathy

Tim M

Doctor J,[p]You will have a hard time if you try to chase the temp gage. With 2-3 cooks under your belt you will soon lean the approx settings for low and slow cooking. After the fire is going and stabilized (fire cubes is out, good fire, temps going up from 200 deg dome) you can start getting to the "cooking settings" if you will. Close the bottom vent to about 1-2" open and close the daisy top 1/2 closed. Monitor the temps for 2-4 min to see which way the temps are going - presumably still going up. Close the bottom vent 1" open and monitor 2-4 min. For 225 dome you will have the bottom vent about 1/2 to 1" open and the daisy you then adjust to fine tune that temp you want. As Cat will tell ya, you can adjust a wide range of temps with only the bottom vent, but the top helps fine tune. If you go over the cooking temp - don't panic and start opening Humpty up to vent it. That does little good as it flames up with the dome open. If you go over your cooking temp, close the bottom vent to 1/2" and close the dasiy. If left long enough it will drop to 200-210 deg but open the daisy when the temp is very close to the desired temp - don't open the bottom vent unless you need to.[p]It sounds hard - by next week you'll not think so. Enjoy and welcome to the BGE forum and family!![p]Tim
[ul][li]-Cookin with Tim-[/ul]

Cat

Cat,Thanks lady. I did get paniky for awhile. I'll take
the "kings" advice and fix another one. Thanks again.

Tim M

Tim M,Boy, you saved the day. I did open the lid several
times, but it just fed the flames more. Now with you, Cat
and King I'll just let her go and pop another one. Thanks
much. The forum is great.

King-O-Coals

Tim M, the board if FIRING UP again. This is what it's all about..

Tim M

Tim M,[p]Glad it helped - now if you can only remember that "I" am Tim M and you are Doctor J. Teasing with you! Have fun cooking. If you need help you need only post a message and someone will respond soon. There are many ways to do everything on the Egg so you often get more than one way to do things. [p]Tim M

Tim M

<p />King-O-Coals,[p]And they say BBQ'ing is seasonal -- ha ha ha. Ofcourse where you are its always warn - unless you call 50 cold. Cold is anything lower than what your frig is set at. SNOW AGAIN TONIGHT here in Virginia! [p]Tim[p]

Grumpa

Tim M,[p]I know snow is not welcomed up your way but, that is sure a beautiful setting except for the egg sitting idle.

King-O-Coals

Tim M, one man's junk is anothers treasure. That's beautiful.. Eggcuse me, I have to go get a tissue..

Tim M

Bob,
Actually I love snow - its hot weather I hate. I bought my second Jeep Cherokee in 1997 and have only driven it twice in snow and one was only 1/2" (last march 1999). I recall the days here when we would get 10-14 inches - yea, thats fun!! Times like that I wish I had my snowmobile again. [p]Tim

Mark

Tim M,
Leaving for Colorado in the morning to ski and snowmobile.
Mark

Gfw

Tim M, last year - just after the first of the year - we had about 10-12 inches one Saturday morning - I had to put the top on my Jeep Wrangler before I could go out to play - 3 ft. drifts are no match for a jeep - Fun...........

Cat

Mark,[p]Where are you skiing? I grew up in Denver - we had a school bus trip to Winter Park every Sunday, and my family spent weekends in Breckenridge, Vail and Aspen (when it was still a sleepy little mountain town instead of a jet-setter's paradise). [p]Next to my folks, the Rockies are what I miss most about Denver.[p]Have a great trip -[p]Cathy[p]

Dr. Chicken

Cat,
You have good tastes! Winter Park, Granby, Hot Sulphur Springs, Kremmling..all of those places are still great today!

Mark

Cat,
Going to Breckenridge, staying at the Beaver Run. Got airfare on VanGuard for $96.00 round trip from Atlanta to Denver. That was an internet booking only.
Mark