Problems getting my XL to smoke

Bone Daddy

I've had a large Egg for 4yrs, and use it religously. I even compete with it. This year I decided to add an XL to the roster, but I am having major issues with it. Unlike the Large, which is perfect, I simply cannot get the XL to smoke. It gets plenty hot, which is not such a good thing for slow BBQ. Has anyone else had this problem? I fill it with lump BGE charcoal, just like the Large, but the results are completely different. I cannot figure out why. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Mahi-Mahi

I have only owned a XL so I have nothing to compare to.
But I have bought a hanger and flip ring and grate from eggaccessories to get it like I want.

I have done some 12 hour cooks and I put my chips over the coals and it seems to do well.

For low and slow I put the eggaccessoirs hanger flipped down and put a 19 inch stone on it and a 18 inch drip pan covered with foil on top on it. I raise the grid to the highest position or even with the split with the flip ring. This gives me more separation from the stone.
My wife says I am putting to much smoke on it. I normally put the chips very close to the center because it seems to burn from the middle and outwardly slowly. But has not used that much charcoal on long cooks.

I do not like everything black so I try to do indirect with as much separation as possilbe.

I really think you have to think more horzionally with the XL.

I did a brisket with it at the top position of the flip ring and it turned out really well.

Let me know anything you figure out on the XL

Frank from Houma

I haven't had any problems smoking with the XL. I did get a chance to cook one evening on a large and found it to be different - not better, not worse, just different. I have done a few cooks on my new small and find it to be more responsive to temp adjustments - I assume the mass of ceramic on the XL makes a big difference. There was an adjustment for me to learn how to cook on the XL and its an ongoing process. Perhaps the differences between the large and the XL are enough that it takes a little getting used to. Maybe there are a few eggers out there with the large for a long time and then adding an XL that can comment.

alanjesq

I have owned a large for several years, and like you could control it with a Bar B Q Guru exactly. The XL just won't be controlled. I am really disappointed. I would like to hear from other XL owners about how they get their XL down to 190 or 200 degrees for a very long time. I am used to 27 hour cooks for briskets, and this won't do it.

alanjesq.