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Need help - cleaning the egg and gasket issue

Boken Smoker
Boken Smoker Posts: 18
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hi everyone and happy new year.

I have been egging for a month now, and today when i grilled i had a very bad fire. Only half of my lump was really burning. and thus my food was burned on the hot side. So I have probably used my egg about 15 or so times, and i never really have cleaned the lump out on the inside. Can anyone tell me what I should do or point me to a reference? Should i get some gloves on and just empty the lump and clean it, or any other recommendations.

Second, I look like i burned my gasket making pizza the other night. Here is a photo. Do i need to replace it or should I be fine. Its not that bad, just slightly at the back of the egg.

b0b98a56.jpg
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Comments

  • boston_stoker
    boston_stoker Posts: 794
    Do you mean the ash or leftover charcoal?

    Regarding the gasket, several people continue to use their egg with no gasket. I would keep going with it.
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  • psalzer
    psalzer Posts: 108
    I am a "new egg owner" as well ... I have been removing the unburned lump after 2-3 cooks and cleaning the firebox with my shop vac ... then re-using the unburned lump. Might be overkill, but works for me.
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Not sure what you were cooking on your egg when you had a hot side on the grid but I generally let my egg stabilize before I go to cooking. When I lite my lump I use a mapp torch but if you use another method try to lite in several places then let the bad smoke burn off. I may even go as far as pushing the burning lump around to even out the coals if it went to burning on one side. Tim ;)
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    That's right use that lump until it falls through the lump grate. Tim ;)
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  • Boken Smoker
    Boken Smoker Posts: 18
    Leftover charcoal.
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  • Boken Smoker
    Boken Smoker Posts: 18
    I recently bought a mapp torch. How long does it usually take your egg to stabalize? I am finding it more like 45-60 min between 350-400. Is that correct because it seems long? They advertise it as 10 minutes...
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  • BullyQue
    BullyQue Posts: 48
    It usually takes me 15-20.
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  • NC-CDN
    NC-CDN Posts: 703
    I use the old charcoal every time. I just use the ash tool to knock the small pieces and ash through the bottom grate and vent holes. The rest is left and refired. Just add a bit of fresh lump and you're good to go. Don't throw it away. It's still good.

    Try starting the fire in a couple of spots. That may help. My fire never just burns on one side, not once it's going.

    As for your gasket. I wouldn't worry about it. Many on here don't even use one. Mine is so old and missing that it's a joke. Still, my EGG cooks great at every temp.

    Enjoy the egging. Don't throw away your charcoal. Just shake up the ash prior to each cook and every 2-3 (that's what I do) cooks or before a long overnighter I clean out the ash through the bottom sliding vent. Just take your tool and reach around all sides you can reach.
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  • 2Fategghead
    2Fategghead Posts: 9,624
    Yes 30, 40 even 60 minutes. If I ever go to using my egg in 10 or 15 minutes it's because I am using used lump and I am going to sear something. Your egg is stabilized when you wave your hand in the smoke and it don't smell bad smoke (white smoke)you smell good smoke (clear with maybe a blue haze)and you no longer need to adjust your egg.
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  • SmokinGuitarPlayer
    SmokinGuitarPlayer Posts: 698
    fyi ,. i did a test last year ..went 16 months without cleaning out the egg except dragging ash out the bottom vent with the ash tool ... no shop vac, no take out the insides ...nothing ... just whatever I could reach ...and the cooker gets a ton of use and all this pizza making uses up tons of charcoal etc. etc. anyway ...egg still worked perfectly after 16 months ... finally cleaned it recently figured I should but it was still working perfectly ... the moral of the story is that you don't have to clean out the thing nearly as much as most of us do.
    fyi, cleaning video on our website if you want to see the procedure.
    FB/SGP
    Fred A. Bernardo , owner of Tasty Licks BBQ Supply in Shillington, Pa. 
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Hey Andrew,

    3 zip for the good guys. Third is just starting.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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

    Russians came back with two quick ones. Might get a game outta this yet

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    4-3 for the dammit Russians with 5 minutes left

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • NC-CDN
    NC-CDN Posts: 703
    Little Steven wrote:
    4-3 for the dammit Russians with 5 minutes left

    Yeah I was watching the live TSN feed down here over the internet. London Knights goalie stole the show. Ours choked after letting in that first goal. They started sitting back on their lead in the 3rd. Stupid stupid stupid.

    Wait... is this the IIHF World Jr thread? LOL. May as well be. Time to clean up the ash. I couldn't sleep last night and my stomach was all knotted up. Horrible.
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Really eh?

    Worst choke in Junior history.

    Steve

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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