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Greetings, and help please.

Fajing
Fajing Posts: 34
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I am trying to figure out my egg. Just got a large. I can't figure out how to dial it down. It won't go below 400. I have the bottom and top almost closed.

I am looking forward to participating here! Can't add anything yet, unless you want to know about fajing.

Completely different subject though.
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Comments

  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    Welcome and you will get lots of info here.
    Tell us more about how you are starting up your large and how much lump. Basically the whole steup you used.
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Fajing,

    Cooling takes some time. What are you cooking?

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Fajing
    Fajing Posts: 34
    Thanks Biker.

    I was told to load up to the top of fire ring, so that's what I did. I used 3 starter squares. Haven't put in the plate setter.

    I want to start out with a porterhouse. Then later I want to do pork shoulder.

    A lot of different advice as to how long that will take though.
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    The key is not to overshoot your target temp by throttling down as you get close. The beauty of the egg is how it retains heat and will take some time to come back down. Also after choking it down be sure to check that you didn't put the fire out. Part of the learning curve but you'll get used to it.
  • Fajing
    Fajing Posts: 34
    Ah, I figured that might be the case.

    Cooking nothing, yet. Ha! But like I said above, I've got a porterhouse for dinner tonight. Then I'm going to try to shift into low and slow.
  • Fajing
    Fajing Posts: 34
    Thanks. I didn't think about the timing of it.
  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    Yea, what FlaPoolman said. :laugh:
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
  • Fajing
    Fajing Posts: 34
    What kind of bike you got?
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Fajing,

    You will find that when you add cool meat, the temp will come down some. 400* is a good temp for steak, and there are tons of different ways to do them. When you put the steak on, watch that the temp recovers and give it more air if it needs it. Before you start the butts close the vents up for a while and let the temp come down a little. When it is clearly dropping open the lower vent about the thickness of a quarter and the daisy cracked a little. Put the butts on and see what happens. The temp should drop substantially. Give it time and make small adjustments after half an hour and I mean small. New eggs are a hot rod so any minor adjustment will have big effects. Let the temp stabilise about 250* and watch it for a couple of hours.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Molly,

    What about me? I did all that typing and all. What does Poolman know about anything? :laugh:

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    Don't make me come up there :angry: :P

    Meet me halfway in Waldorf :woohoo: :woohoo:
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Pat,

    Can we get there in time to close the pre-afterparty?

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    We might just have to start a new one :silly:
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Pat,

    Chris is there..and Wess and Max, we should be OK. Just meet me at the IHOP

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    So did not mean to dis you, really :laugh:
    You are the man of knoweledge, fo sho!!
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Molly,

    Just hate typing. :laugh:

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    Specialized w/shamano parts. Also the 'other' biker.
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
  • cookn biker
    cookn biker Posts: 13,407
    I feel your pain.
    Molly
    Colorado Springs
    "Loney Queen"
    "Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendship, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it."
    Bill Bradley; American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, former U.S. Senator from New Jersey
    LBGE, MBGE, SBGE , MiniBGE and a Mini Mini BGE
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Some of this was stated above...

    Taking an egg to a higher temperature and stabilizing then trying to bring the temperature down is always a pain.

    Using 3 full starter cubes to light, hopefully in different spots is fine but a somewhat aggressive.

    For lower temperatures after the initial light close the bottom screen and slide and adjust the DFMT.

    Om my large (screen closed in all examples).

    250° - lower vent 1/8" - 1/4" open. Top slider full closed and petals 1/4 open.

    350° - lower vent 1/4" top slider closed and petals 1/4 - 1/3 open

    400° - lower vent 1/4" open, top slider closed to 1/4 open petals 3/4 to full open.

    450°
    eggsettings455.jpg

    I have some pictures for lower temperatures, when I get time to compose I will get them up.

    Learning temperature control is pretty simple as long as one doesn't get themselves into "chasing temperatures" which can be a common problem even for experienced eggers.

    GG
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    No Msg

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Fajing
    Fajing Posts: 34
    Thanks so much Gramps. This really helps. :)
  • Fajing
    Fajing Posts: 34
    Cool.

    I just rebuilt my road bike. I forgot how much I loved riding it.

    It's the kind of bike you could have won the Tour Du France on, 20 years ago. Semi custom Dave Moulton frame, all Campy.

    Just a pain in the butt to maintain though.
  • Fajing
    Fajing Posts: 34
    Great advice Steve. Thanks.

    It seems to be stable at about 250. It's an 8 lb pork shoulder. Is it really going to take 18 hours?

    I have a Tai Chi and a Bagua class from 2 to about 5.
  • Panhandle Smoker
    Panhandle Smoker Posts: 3,018
    What time did you start?
  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
    14-18 hours kinda like the cable guy :ohmy:

    Didn't you say you filled the lump to the top of the ring? not the firebox. You should be in good shape. If you check on it in the night and the temp has slipped, give a little poke up into the coals through the holes in the fire grate. A hanger will do the trick. I mean through the bottom vent. That was a little bump in the road on my 1st butt.
  • Fajing
    Fajing Posts: 34
    9:30 p.m. Central Time
  • Fajing
    Fajing Posts: 34
    I'll do that. Thanks.
  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
    You'll be laughing tomorrow when your pulling butt meat. All the worrying and stress will make you feel silly. As long as the fire keeps going (which it should) you can't mess up. Get some sleep, but do check it at least once maybe twice.
  • Panhandle Smoker
    Panhandle Smoker Posts: 3,018
    You should be ok. It may suprise you an be done around noon.
  • Pharmeggist
    Pharmeggist Posts: 1,191
    Did you calibrate the dome temp gauge...
    It is on page 30 in my BGE manual... it may be a different page now just in case they upgraded the book.

    Good luck!

    Also check out www.nakedwhiz.com
    This site will teach you everything you need to know :) except how to convince your wife to buy you a fourth egg :whistle: FOr that Your on your own :silly: