Stable temperature

Beli

Can someone tell me when you reach the desired cooking temperature in the egg, how can you know that you have a stable temperature??? in other words.....how long do you need to keep the egg running at the desired cooking temperature to say it is a stable temperature for cooking?

Rusty Rooster

I start closing my vents to where I have learned they should be for a desired temp ablut 50 degrees before I reach it. Then try to get it to stay steady at my desired temp for 30 min. before opening and adding food. Then do not touch vents for an hour after putting n the food. Especially for large pieces of meat. They are usually cold and will seem to lower your temp. If you wait it will come back. Hope that helps a bit.
Tom

Rascal

20 minutes + 10.

Grandpas Grub

What method are you useing to light your lump & how many places.

What is your desired temp?

What size is the egg you are working on?

GG

WooDoggies

For my large egg, it usually takes 30 to 45 minutes from starting the fire to stabilize the temp and get a clean burning fire.
Before going to bed for an overnight cook, I will make sure the fire has been stable for a couple hours.

john

fishlessman

once you believe the temp will stay put without rising or dropping its stable. i only wait a bit for low and slows that go overnight. really for most cooks you can throw the food on when the smoke subsides to a transparant blue. i cook with rising temps and falling temps as long as its still in the ballpark, infact on an overnight if its above 190 and below 275 im happy, its still close enough unless it looks like ill be pressed for time. if the temp doesnt budge for 5 minutes theres a great chance its stable. be aware that wet or damp lump or a wet interior of the egg will fool you as well as adding huge amounts of cold meat. you really dont need to worry about exact temps in an egg its pretty forgiving,the only time i really aim for plus or minus 5 degrees is when im cooking brisket or jerkey and i have enough control that im not going to chase temps all night, i can wait it out even during the cook

Beli

To start it I use a little bit of cooking oil on a paper cup and set it in the middle of the lumps, forming a sort of little volcano around it. As far as temps I like extremes....either Low & slow or high searing, my egg is a large size. Beli

Eggweiser

Once I zero in on my temp I let it go for 3 Beers or as Rascal said 20 minuets + 10

Beli

This has to be the best!!!!!!!!! and after a while....who gives a hec about temperature???

Grandpas Grub

Beli,

Thank you for letting us know.

Oil/paper method is a very good method.

There are hundreds of answers to your question, here is what I do on my large.

With oil/paper and a good base of lump. For any cook I will make 2 or 3 small 'trenches'.

If two put them at 3 and 9 oclock in the lump about 1 inch away the outer edge of the lump.

If three lighting spots I place at 3, 6 & 9 o'clock.

I make the 'trenches' put in the light paper (I light both ends) and then build a very samll 'volcano' over each.

I fully open all vents and close the dome. I never leave the egg at this point and watch the temp.

When the temp gets to withing about 50°F of desired I start adjusting vents.

For my large I have learned a 1/8" bottom vent opening and a pettles open fully top will get my egg to about 250°.

I open the bottom vent to about 1/4" and top just a small opening of the slider and full pettle opening on the top will get me to 350° to 400°.

I continue to watch the temp and now pay more attention to the color of smoke. Once the smoke clears from white to a clear or clear blue I am ready to press on.

Your temp should be somewhat stable now. I do open the dome and make sure all spots have a good light and glow.

For me this process takes form 15 to 30 minutes and my egg is staying where I want the temps to be. If you are not sure if you are stable wait another 15 minutes.

Your egg will be at a given tempatrue and holding steady at this point.

From this point and until your food has been of for a little while DO NOT adjust your vents.

A suggestion before opening your egg quickly look at your top vent and remember the settings BEFORE opening.

Now if you don't have the accessories you need to cook, put them in now and close.

Get your flavor smoking wood on the egg and close and get your food.

Put your food on the egg.

DO NOT adjust vents - your dome temp will drop and this is expected. Let the egg do it's work without touching the vents. Your egg will come back to the previous temp. The time will depend on how cold the items were when you loaded the egg - trust your egg it will come back to temp.

Your egg should be at desired temp. If you start making adjustments to the vents you will end up chasing your desired temp the entire cook.

If you need to change temp make a change at the bottom OR top only and leave it alone for 15 minutes. Only then make another adjustment.

It is much harder to bringing the temp down than to bring the temp up.

It won't take long until this all is very easy.

GG

Eggweiser

Unlike my liver the Egg is very forgiving. Even if I screw something up the Neighbor’s will eat it and rave about how good it was. But seriously even my screw up’s are better than anything off a gasser.

Beli

Great answer Thank-you!!