Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Let the egg get to hot and trying to cool it off

Options
erichboss
erichboss Posts: 27
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Ugg just let the egg get to hot and now temp is stuck at 400! Got both the dampers just cracked open. I also put a pan full of water in it to try and get it to absorb some of the heat. Any ideas? Wanting to put this 6.5lb butt on tonight so it will be ready by 6-7pm tomorrow.

Comments

  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    Options
    Set the vents correctly,it will stabilize.Bottom vent about 1/8 inch,barely open-,Top ,daisey wheel,about the same.Don't panic and chase temps ALL NITE.It is easy...Don't overthink it.Worst can happen,finish it in da oven.No SHAME! ;)
  • erichboss
    Options
    Heh ok will do. I got it down to about 330 by replacing the water every 15 minutes and dampening it back. Bottom is open 1/8 inch and top the same. Going to put the meat on once it dips below 300 and let it go. Thanks for the support! Guess I am not the only one up and getting the Egg going for tomorrow nights dinner!
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    Options
    The ideal thing to do is to bring the Egg up to temp gently,back off as you approach target temp.It is easier to raise the ambient temp than to lower it.Once the ceramic inside comes to temp it's a LONG process to bring it back down.Radiant heat. ;)
  • Hoss
    Hoss Posts: 14,600
    Options
    You can open the dome for several minutes to help cool it down ,just be sure to close the bottom vent also while you are doing this and reopen it(bottom vent) as you begin to reset your temps.Not being a smarta$$,but it ain't Rocket science!
  • thegrillster
    Options
    Listen to the Hoss! Much easier to know the correct setting for your selected temp and then give the egg time to stabilize.

    I think allowing the egg to stabilize at selected temp is the hardest concept to get.

    Shooting way past the target temp just wastes alot of time and frustration and it is much harder to stabilize once this happens.
  • jeffinsgf
    jeffinsgf Posts: 1,259
    Options
    I'm sure you've got things under control by now, but for future reference it is possible (but a little tricky) to "dump" heat by opening the dome. There's a delicate balance between letting heat out and letting oxygen get to the fire. Keep the bottom vent completely closed, open the dome for about a minute, then close it with the daisy wheel just barely cracked. Wait a few and repeat. As soon as things are going in the right direction, zero in on your target settings for both upper and lower vents.

    One thing that gets overlooked in most of these discussions of over-shooting temperature is the length of time that the temp was too high. If it's just for a couple minutes, recovery can be pretty quick. If it has been at 400-500 for 15 minutes or more, it's going to take a while to bring it down.
  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,897
    Options
    the trick that always works for me is to soak 2 or 3 handfuls of wood chips and scatter them on the fire. That along with the closed down vents will do the trick in shorter order than anything - but as others said it's better to not let it get out of control in the first place.
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • erichboss
    Options
    Last night was for sure a learning eggpierence last night and one that alot was learned. I did figure out that burping it with vents closed works well and also putting a big pot of cold water in the egg to soak up the heat worked great as well. I would change the water every 10-15 minutes and it just soaked up the heat in there. I then put the meat in once it got below 300 and had it stable at 250 dome by the time i went to bed. I got up this morning around 9, yeah i slept in after being up to 4, and temp was holding around 220 dome. Cracked the vents a little more and things are going well at 230-260 dome, it real windy here and the wind is changing directions so..... Just checked the temp of the meat and it is 167 after 10 hours, so I am hoping all turns out well, the roast is only 6.5lbs. About what time do you all think it will be ready pull, its 1:20 now? 4-5 ish?