LESSON LEARNED (just in time) - comments from the low n slow Eggsperts welcomed

TRex · January 2005

As I posted below, at hour 20 of my 9 lb butt cook, my Guru started blowing almost continuously as it struggled to maintain a dome temp of 210 (I had it set at 225, then cranked it up to 250). As I had feared, my fire was out. But not b/c of the Guru - I had just maybe 5% of my charcoal left, and the ash was blocking nearly 95% of the air holes in the grate. [p]Here's two possible lessons learned, but I'll let the more advanced low n slowers comment:[p]1) Maybe I should have set my Guru (also in this case, dome) temp to 250, which would have equated to a meat temp closer to 225.[p]2) I think obviously I didn't use enough charcoal, and I remember thinking about that for a second last night before I closed her up. I wasn't quite to the top of the firering, and I have a Medium.[p]Anyway, I removed the butt, added lump, started it back up, and now the Guru is holding a 250 dome temp pretty well. My internal temp dropped two degrees to 174, but I'm hoping it will start to climb again soon.[p]Do you think my assessment in 1) and 2) above is accurate?[p]Hoping to see 195 on my Polder SOON . . . [p]TRex

GrillMeister · January 2005

TRex,[p]Actually, 20 hours on a medium is pretty good. Now if it had been Wicked Good Charcoal, I'd bet a case a beer that you would not have had to add any lump. I think your original temp was fine as it has worked for me many times, but 250 works for lots of other folks.[p]Welcome to the low n slow club![p]Cheers,[p]GrillMeister[p]PS, popped some FoodSaver'd brisket from March of last year in boiling water for 30 minutes. Wow, just like I sliced it and slid it in the bag. Gotta love the food saver when the egg's gasket is being replaced.

HolySmokes · January 2005

TRex,
your obvious answer 2) not enough charcoal is... the obvious answer ![p]Seriously, I did the same thing with a butt overnight two nights ago,
and about 08:00 the following morning the lump just ran out. The ash
on the grate wasn't the problem; just not enough charcoal. On a large,
you gotta get well up into the firering, which I didn't really check
before I buttoned it up for the overnight cook. That's with BGE lump.[p]By the way, your first place photo in food was right on!
Best steak and steak photo I've ever seen. [p]Congratulations and here's a glass raised to ya (ok, so it's a blue,
white, and red can)! HolySmokes

thirdeye · January 2005

TRex,
I don't have a medium, but that seems like a good cook time. More lump would have extended it for sure. Do you have the 4cfm or the 10cfm blower? When you changed lump, did you notice a little blow hole in the ash?

TRex · January 2005

GrillMeister,[p]Yeah, maybe it's just time to take the plunge and get me a Large. Perhaps around the May timeframe I'd have the money saved up . . . . :-)[p]I'm anxious to try this Wicked Good.[p]Hey, have you ever tried to use your foodsaver as a marinade enhancer? I've heard of people using the vacuum to suck the marinade into the meat.[p]Internal temp is now at 185 and rising. Looks like some late-night pulled pork sandwiches are on the menu . . .[p]Cheers,[p]TRex

TRex · January 2005

HolySmokes,[p]Yeah, I think if I had used my brain and went ahead and filled to the top of the firering that I probably would have made it to the finish line without adding lump. I've also been thinking that I used mostly large to medium sized pieces and not a lot of small pieces - wonder if that had anything to do with it . . .[p]A glass (or can) raised in your direction as well - thanks for the kind words.[p]Cheers,[p]TRex

TRex · January 2005

thirdeye,[p]I have the 4 cfm blower, standard issue with the Pit Minder. No, I did not notice an air hole through the ashes. But the air was making it through somewhere.[p]She's truckin' along now, though. I'm anxious to see the results.[p]TRex

Central Pork · January 2005

TRex,
I think both of your assesments are right on. A little more lump couldn't have hurt if you had room for it. However, if a dome temp of 250 had been used your grid level temp would probably have been around 225 which might have sped up the cook enough to finish on the amount of charcoal you initially started with. Lastly, I have always built the fire pretty much to the specifications laid out by "Elder Ward". That said it would have made for a more dense load of charcoal had you filled in gaps with smaller pieces of lump. I'll bet you one thing though, that butt is going to be fantastic when you pull it off. Everything you have done so far is great for making pulled pork, it just made it a little more work on you to refill, etc..
Good Luck,
CP

Central Pork · January 2005

TRex,
I purchased the square container used for marinating and it works great. Saves a ton of time for those "semi-spur" of the moment cooks when you need marinating fast.
CP

Hammer · January 2005

TRex,
Sounds like you had a good plan, and know what the problem was with the lump; re not up to the firering.
As someone mentioned; it may sound anal sorting charcoal, and doing it the Elder Ward way; but it works. I've never had a fire go out, or lack of sufficent charcoal since using that method.
Hammer[p]

TRex · January 2005

Hammer,[p]Yeah, I've done the Elder Ward way on all my past low n slows - I was just in a hurry last night and, well, see what happens when you get in a hurry!![p]At 192 now - I'm pullin' this baby off at 195, can't wait any longer!![p]Cheers,[p]TRex

TRex · January 2005

CentralPork,[p]I think next time I'll try a dome of 250 and see what happens.[p]Thanks for the encouragement and advice,[p]TRex

TRex · January 2005

CentralPork,[p]Do you have a website you could point me to, or a brand name? Is it called "Foodsaver"? I'd be interested in the model you have.[p]Thanks,[p]TRex

HolySmokes · January 2005

TRex,[p]try the link below (http://www.foodsaver.com/).
We just got the 840 for Christmas, and we're
really enjoying it. I've had others in the past,
but this is the right one, finally.[p]cheers,
HolySmokes

[ul][li]FoodSavers[/ul]

TRex · January 2005

HolySmokes,[p]THANKS![p]TRex

Central Pork · January 2005

TRex,
Mine is the Foodsaver Pro II. I just bought it off of Ebay.
This one has a few features that arent completely necessary but i like, such as one hand operation.
CP

GrillMeister · January 2005

TRex,[p]Just head to Costco or Sam's Club. They have the best deals on the systems.

Bob V · January 2005

Have to agree about the Elder Ward stack. Also the instructions on Whiz' site about lighting fire on the top vs on the bottom (top for low & slow, bottom for steaks and incendiaries).[p]I have a medium and the longest I've ever gone is 18 hrs, but I still had some lump left. The other thing that I've noted is that it may be unrealistic to try to cook at a *dome* of less than 250. Since the temp differential between the dome and the grill level is roughly 50 degrees, if your target cook is roughly 200 degrees, that leaves almost no temperature differential for the meat to absorb.[p]Bob V

Mark Backer · January 2005

Bob V,[p]I agree about the dome temp. I find that it's unmanageable and nearly unattainable. Of course with a fried gasket, 350 is getting tough to hold, especially if it's windy. [p]But even in the best of conditions, I think the 250 is solid, should burn all night, and leave you with fuel at the end without going out during the night (probably).

jake42 · January 2005

TRex,
I too agree with the Elder Ward method. When you are as passinate about this whole low and slow thing separating your lump is not a problem. I did a pork shoulder using that method a couple of weeks ago. Went all night right around 250. Did not have to touch it. As a matter of fact at one point I thought my thermometer was stuck. This is the only way I will do a low and slow cook now. Anxiously awaiting my Wicked Good charcoal to be delivered. I'll bet that stuff is really going to perform using this method.

LESSON LEARNED (just in time) - comments from the low n slow Eggsperts welcomed

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