temp control not as easy as it looks

Unknown

My first cook is a 12 lb. turkey on the upright turkey holder in a pie pan for drip.[p]No plate setter or official grate exender as yet. Back ordered.[p]At first I tried to put the turkey on my home made grate extender with the pizza stone on the original bottom grate but wouldn't fit. Then I put the pizza stone on the original grate, the three ceramic feet on top of it and then the turkey pan but it still would not fit. Too high. So the turnky pan is directly on the original grate. The best laid plans ......[p]I have tried many combinations of openings for the top and bottom vent, mainly changing the bottom vent but temp keeps going up and down. As high as 425 and as low as 300.[p]With the bottom vent open all the way with the daisy wheel all wide open but closed and could only get a steady 325. I want 350 so I am playing with opening the top vent a bit while keeping the daisy openings full.[p]My best results have been with the bottom vent wide open and the top vent open about 1/4" with the daisy opening wide open on top as well.[p]But I have to keep checking it regularly although I just checked and it was up to 380 since beginning this post. So I closed the top vent again leaving the daisy openings full open and the bottom vent full open as well.[p]Allin all, though, I am probably averaging 350 with the up and down temps.[p]It seems to me that keeping the bottom vent full open is the right approach and figuring out the top vent setting is the key to keep 350. [p]Any sugestions are welcome.[p]But I guess this is to be expected for the first time use. I will be glad to have one cook under my belt, though, as it can only get easier.[p]Shelly

AlaskanC

shelly,[p]Hmm.... that doesn't sound right. I don't think I have ever cooked anything (other than searing a steak) with the bottom vent completely open. When I've cooked a turkeys, my bottom vent is usually 1/4 - 1/2" open, and the daisy wheel is closed with the vents open about 3/4ths of the way. I have to watch it though, because it can still get too hot. [p]I'm sure one of the better explainers will chime in soon.

Mike in Abita

shelly,
What tyoe of lump are you using?? Wide open and barely gaining temp sounds like you have some type of air restriction.[p]More info please???[p]Mike

Mike in Abita

Mike in Abita,
Should have previewed first then I would have seen the typo.[p]Should be: What type of lump are you using???

Unknown

Thanks for your feedback.[p]I just opened the dome to check my lump and it is glowing red with lots still left.[p]When the installer came by, they were careful to line up the opening in the firebox with the vent opening. [p]For this first time use, I used three large pieces of my home made lump (results from my cold smoking salmon in my cold smoker) with lots of bge lump poured on top, with a single fire starter in the middle and a chunk of dry oak on the top side.[p]The funny thing is that when I just went to check, and opened the dome, the temp dropped of course, but when I closed the dome the temp shot up toward 400 in just seconds, so I closed the bottom vent to 1/4 open with the top vent still closed and the daisy wheel still full open. Holding 460 for several minutes now in this new configuration.[p]This new configuration more approximates your settings.[p]Shelly

Unknown

That should be holding 360 now for 5 minutes in the new configuration of the bottom vent 1/4 open and the top vent closed with the daisy whell full open. [p]Shelly

Unknown

shelly,[p]I am a relative new egg owner - about 3 weeks now. You did not say which egg you are working with, how much lump, what you use to start etc.[p]Let us know what size you are working on.[p]With what you described above, watch your temp. My egg heat would be getting way out of control on the hot side with your vent openings.[p]I will fill my fire pit full with lump for almost all cooks. Low & slow I will fill almost to the top of the fire ring.[p]For this example lump to top of pit & air vents in pit clear and using BGE starters 2 or 3. The initial start I will have the bottom vent wide top completly open.[p]The initial burn of the starters will take the dome temp to 350° possibly 400° then the temp will lower some where into the 250°. Leaving things alone the dome will begin to climb to well over 600° (I don't let that happen any more. [p]I was told on this forum to let the heat rise and when it gets to desired temp start closing down lower vent and put the metal top on. Corse adjustment down to just open and small air holes fully open. [p]This is where I am having problems... The egg temp seems to me to depend on the size of lump being used and how dense the lump is in the fire pit. I have't figured this out yet.[p]On my egg the bottom vent open the width of one or two credit cars (about 1/8" and top daisy only open about 1/3 of the small vents will put my egg at 260 to 300.[p]Lower vent 1/2 inch and top daisy small vents wide open will put my egg at 350 to 450 and sometimes up as high as 550.[p]It is important to adjust onlt one vent at a time and wait for the egg to make its change. I drive myself nuts when I adjust both vents at the same time.[p]It sounds like you are making too big of changes too quickly and not letting the egg stabalize.[p]Anyway, I am still trying to get this temp thing down, I guess it is just a learning process. At this point, for me, trying to get 15° adjustments is just a dream. I am hoping to get 50° adjustments accomplished right now.[p]kent

AZRP

shelly,
What's happening is you are chasing the temp you want and over and under shooting it. Next time you're doing a 350 cook, try this. Light the coal and put in your grids, plate setter, etc. Leave the top off and the bottom door fully open. The temp should climb fairly slowly to 300 and then start climbing faster, let it go to 450-500, this will happen very quickly so don't get distracted. Between 450 and 500 set the daisy wheel on top with the large hole closed and the small holes fully open, leave the bottom door open. Do not lift the lid for at least 5 minutes or you will experience flashback. In about 10 minutes you should have a stable Egg at 350, if it reads higher, just open the lid and let some cool air in, then close it and the temp should climb right to 350. Once you are ready to start cooking, close the bottom door to about 3/8" open. -RP

Unknown

I have the large egg and filled the firebox to just above the vent holes.[p]The vent holes were covered by the lump. Should I move the lump away to clear each vent hole even when the lump used goes above the vent holes?[p]Shelly

Unknown

shelly,[p]Two important things. Be very careful about flashback and watch the temp closely on these first firings at least until you get more of a feel of how quickly the heat can go up.[p]Watch the link at The Naked Wiz about flashback - very important.[p]http://www.nakedwhiz.com/flash.htm[p]kent[p]

Unknown

shelly,[p]You will love the large. Once I get the temp 'close' to where I want it I don't 'fiddle' with the fire at all even on a 22 hr. cook.[p]Right now there is no need to 'fiddle' with the lump. Just watch what is happening adn learn how your bge is working.[p]You said you are using your own lump, you are probably the only one who is going to know how that burns.[p]People are telling you 1/4 inch not 1/4 open on the lower vent. Lower vent 1/4 open would give me a pretty hot fire.[p]Kent

Unknown

Right now my top vent is closed with the small holes full open.[p]The bottom vent is open exactly 1 1/2" (just measured with a tape.) I am holding 350.[p]Since I opened the dome, I do not have to keep the bottom vent wide open. Not sure what happened by doing this.[p]If I were to close the bottom vent to just 3/8", I am sure that the temp would drop. Or does your system depend on getting the egg much hotter to start, which then allows it to store more heat, thus maintaining the 350 with such a small lower vent opening>[p]Shelly[p]Does it matter that I filled the firebox with lump to just over the vent holes, covering them?

AlaskanC

shelly,[p]Sounds like you are getting it! [p]As far as filling the firebox above the holes you have nothing to worry about. Most of us here fill our egg all the way up to the rim of the fire ring (the ceramic ring that sits on top of the firebox). I try to keep the little kibbly bits of lump out of the holes in the grate and the firebox by layering bigger chunks around those areas.[p]I bet in the time it took me to type this out, someone has already answered your question! lol

AZRP

shelly,
The thing you have to remember is that airflow controls temp, the coals don't know which vent is open or closed. You can control airflow completely with one vent. This is what you are doing now, your daisy is maintaining the 350 and your bottom door is having no effect. You could cook with the bottom door fully open and let the daisy control the temp, the reason I close the bottom door down to 3/8" is so that when you open the lid you don't get excessive airflow and flames. -RP

AZRP

AlaskanC,
Yup, I fill to the bottom of the fire ring every cook. -RP

uncbbq

shelly,
I guess I have to contribute my 2c.
It's all about draft, that is, how much oxygen gets to your lump. At the last eggfest, some grayhead told me that the bottom vent open the width of the ash tool (7/8"?) and the petals wide open with the main daisy top closed equalled 350 deg. He was not far off. 250 deg. is about a nickel's width (1/8") and the daisy petals about half open or less--not much air. I find that the bottom open about half way and the daisy cracked with petals full open will get me about 450 deg. If you are consuming all the oxygen that goes in, it really shouldn't matter how much lump is is there. But most of us start with a nice load to remove worries about running out. As AZRP said, don't chase your temps, and start from the bottom up. Many here recommend 30 minutes to stabilize the temp, and most say set the bottom vent for your main temp adjustment and perform fine tuning with the daisy.
Hope this helps.

Unknown

To summarize my first cook on my large bge:[p]I did not use enough lump. Filling the firebox to just over the vent openings is just about 1/3 full. This probably explains why I had to keep vents so open in the beginning to achieve 350. Other's posts indicate that my egg should have been running hotter at those openings. I was able to maintain 350 more or less.[p]Using 3 of my own lumps, all of which were much larger than the bge coals, had no adverse affect as they burned with the other lump.[p]My 12 lb. turkey was finished after just 2 hours. The breast came out at 170 and the thghs at 180. Rest time caused some over cooking.[p]But using the upright turkey holder was probably the main problem. I should have taken internal temp readings at 1 1/2 hours as it was probably ready then. I had originally anticipated 2 1/2 hours at 350.[p]When I roast a turkey in my Wolf oven, I usually take 2 1/2 hours for this size bird. And when I slice the breast, the meat tends to get more pink as I approach the bone--a bit on the medium rare side.[p]With the upright turkey holder, the meat became more dry as I got closer to the bone. I figure that this is because the metal holder heats up and cooks from the inside out as well as the normal outside in cooking from the egg.[p]Next turkey or chicken will definitely be without the upright holder. If I use it again, I will have to take internal temp readings at 1/2 hour intervals to avoid over cooking.[p]The slightly smokey flavor of the turkey (enhanced with my rub and the fresh basil leaves stuffed under the skin) was excellent. In fact, the dark meat, which remained moist as could be expected, was simply delicious.[p]Next up will be a roast beef done in a more traditional way with a v rack, and I will bake some bread and blueberry muffins.[p]Although this first effort was disappointing, especially due to the overcooking caused by the upright turkey holder, it was a great learning experience.[p]Thanks to all who treied tohelp me maintain my temperature.[p]Shelly

AnnaG

shelly,[p]Girlfriend, I am sending much sympathy... My first cook was burgers, because I figured if they turned out bad, then, whatever... No worries... They turned out juicy and great...[p]You were a big girl for trying a turkey on your first cook... [p]I just tried a brisket, with lackluster results... Fixing to go chop it up and put it in a crock-pot overnight... Surely, that will make it tender...[p]But..., I would cook some little girl things until you get to know your egg and get that gasket seasoned...[p]Do a couple of cooks (the number is up for debate) before getting the egg above, say 500, for an extended period of time... I have been using mine since 4/27/07 and no problems with the gasket yet... It looks yucky, but it still works...[p]Thanks...
...AnnaG...

Unknown

Well, I did follow much of your advice. I did put the clay pieces and racks in place for the preheat.[p]But because it is only my second cook, I have been advised to not take the temperature above 400 degrees for my first 10 or so cooks.[p]And my bolttom vent is now at 3/8" with the top daisy just 1/3 open and I am holding 350. Please read my post above to see if you agree that I have not been preheating long enough.[p]Thanks for the input.[p]Shelly