Help with temp control

calfan

I am a new egger and am having difficulty maintaining a constant temp control over long cooking times. This weekend I wanted to try slow cooking a brisket for 12 hours. I got up early yesterday and started my fire according to the directions. I let it heat up to 320 then put the meat on and closed down the dampers.The top was about 3/4 closed and the bottom was open about 1 inch. I thought this was O.K and went inside to take a shower. I came back out about 20 min later and the temp was up to 600.I took the meat off and shut the dampers all the way. About 2 1/2 hours later the temp was back down to 320 so I put the meat back on and opened the dampers back up. I checked back in about 45 min and the temp was down to 120. I guess I smothered the coals. You can see my problem. How do I maintain a constant temp over time? Thanks for the help.

Grandpas Grub

320° is pretty warm for a low and slow.

On my large to hold between 250° - 300° the bottom vent is 1/8" open (about the width of a credit card) and the top slider is closed petals are opened about 1/4 to 1/2.

With what you described above 600° doesn't surprise me.

Don't put your meat on the egg until the temp is well stabilized. I light my lump for a low and slow in 3 maybe 4 places. Center, 3, 6 & 9 o'clock about 1" inside from the fire ring.

Fill the lump up to the middle or top of the fire ring (top insert piece).

You will find a lot of different advice (good advice). What is above works for me.

Your egg, if the fire is established will hold temp very well.

One last thought - make sure your base has a good seal with the dome. Use a dollar bill or a narrow piece of paper and put it inbetween the dome & base, you should get a very snug fit all the way around the egg.

GG

AlwaysGolf

You said you put the meat on, did you use a drip pan and platesetter. Briskets should be cooked indirect like a pork butt,I believe.

Grandpas Grub

calfan,

AlwaysGolf's message appears to be directed to you and not me. - - Sometimes these things happen.

GG

calfan

Thanks. Yes, used both a drip pan and plate setter.

Mike in Abita

Have you looked at the great instuctions by the Whiz.

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/tempcontrol.htm

Eggtucky

Calfan, tip to a 'long' fire is first building a 'good' fire...try THIS link...in fact I highly recommend reading this whole section on whiz's site at least TWICE to anyone new using the egg...I STILL pop back to it from time to time....

Pdub

In order to get a better feel for temp control I try to mentally seperate what the ceramics are doing and what the fire is doing.
When you start a fire you are initailly storing heat in the ceramics. If you have a lot of stored heat in the ceramics and you kill the fire you will still see a lot of heat in the dome. As the heat dissipates from the ceramics and you have no fire strength the temp of the egg crashes. The initial thought is to grow your fire really strong but then as the ceramics heat up then the fire shoots over where you want. This is essentially what is describe as chasing the temperature.

For Low and slow it is easiest if you fire up the egg and grow both the fire and the stored temp in the egg togeather. Then when you place the meat on the temp will drop but the stability of the dome and the fire will bring it back fairly soon. I did a big cook this weekend where I loaded the egg full and meat was throughing off my dome thermometer. It was reading low by about 30-40 degrees. My initial reaction was to crank open up the air vents. After thinking about it for a while I stuck my polder down through the vent and it read spot on where I wanted it so I let it ride and the cook came out great.
I hope this helps, plus read the nake whiz's site. it helps tremendously
Pdub

Bacchus

I come from the "dump it in and light it camp", when bulding a fire.

Regarding the regulation of temperature. Just start low, and gradually open her up until you get about 250-270 deg dome, with everything already in the egg except the meat. Wait about 20-30 minutes, then put on the meat. The egg should stabilize itself after adjusting for the addition of the cold meat, and pur along steadily for many hours without attention. Effort and patience for the first hour or so after lighting the fire is rewarded with a full day of being able to concentrate on other things.



Ron

Stanley

My MBGE hasn't been delivered yet (this week, I hope) but I just bookmarked Whiz's Ceramic Cooker page. Wow, what an opus! Hope he got his PhD for this thesis.