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Sunshine EggFest & my first question

Grillin' on Wheels
Grillin' on Wheels Posts: 11
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm a BGE rookie but I went to the Sunshine EggFest last weekend. What a GREAT experience for someone new. Everyone was helpful and I learned soooo much! Can't beat the ocean-side location and it the wood deck was particularly nice for someone in a wheelchair like me.

I do have a question, though. What do you do at the end of a bag of lump? I assume you don't dump all the dust into the egg, but do you leave the smallest pieces or pull them out by hand?

Once again, thanks to the Sunshine EggFest for a great weekend... look for me BEHIND an Egg next year.

Ken

Comments

  • bobbyb
    bobbyb Posts: 1,349
    I pour my bag of lump into a plastic tub that is lined with wire mesh (rabbit wire). The fine stuff falls through leaving the usable lump on top.
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    I just dump the bag til it's empty. If I get some dust, so be it.

    Welcome to the forum! Glad you enjoyed the fest - sure wish I could have been there! Sounds like everyone had a great time.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • Pork Butt Mike
    Pork Butt Mike Posts: 2,584
    Hello Ken it was nice meeting you and I am glad you had a good time. As for your lump, I just dump it in as I need it, small pieces and the dust.
  • egret
    egret Posts: 4,168
    I do it by hand picking the small pieces out. I avoid pouring the dust in as this will cause some pretty spectacular flashbacks under the right circumstances! :silly:
  • Dimple's Mom
    Dimple's Mom Posts: 1,740
    I dump it in as well. I know I shouldn't. Maybe someday I'll get a mesh screen set up. But for now, dumping works. (I'm more concerned about all the dust going up my nostrils, all over my clothes, in my hair, etc., than I am about it going into the egg.)
  • HungryMan
    HungryMan Posts: 3,470
    Dump it all. I don't try to get all the dust out or use tiny pieces only. Too messy to worry about sorting pieces of lump.
  • I'm also in the 'dump it in, dust and all' camp.

    But before I do that I roll up my sleeves and get my hands into the used coal, to work it over and get all the ash into the ash pit and to get all my vent holes cleaned out.

    In almost 8 weeks of ownership, I've put about 120 pounds of Cowboy lump through my large egg.
  • Dimple's Mom
    Dimple's Mom Posts: 1,740
    You can just stir the lump and ashes with the ash rake. Quite a bit cleaner. :whistle:
  • Hey Ken,

    I'm a 'dump it all in and let the grate sort it out' sorta guy. I paid for it, might was well use it.

    It was good talking to you and your lovely wife Friday and Saturday.

    IMG_1332.jpg
  • eenie meenie
    eenie meenie Posts: 4,394
    Ken, it was great to meet you and your lovely wife at the fest! :) I'll be looking forward to seeing you cook at the fest.

    IMG_6318.jpg
  • Hi Ken. We did not meet, but I saw you around the fest, and I am so happy you and your wife enjoyed yourself. My mom told me on the way home that she made sure you could see the cooking competition, as she is short too, and it's easy for people to see over her! (Small spunky lady in the pink shirt.)
    I hope you will be a cook next year.
    Happily egging on my original large BGE since 1996... now the owner of 5 eggs. Call me crazy, everyone else does!
     
    3 Large, 1 Small, 1 well-used Mini
  • Gator Bait
    Gator Bait Posts: 5,244
     
    Hey Ken, Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your first fest! I hope to get to one soon.

    I try to avoid the dust at the bottom of the bag of lump. I don't have any special technique, I just stop pouring when I get to it. If there is a lot of dust I have had it block the air flow in my medium egg and I may never get my fire hot enough. This happens only on rare occasions but it is a real pain when it does.

    If you have not seen it yet Grandpas Grub has compiled a great collection of helpful information under one roof - FAQ - Tips & Helpful Information.

    Blair


     
  • dhuffjr
    dhuffjr Posts: 3,182
    You retired guys have all kinds of time :whistle:
  • dhuffjr
    dhuffjr Posts: 3,182
    I dump it in. Sometimes I take the very end of a bag and put it in a rubbermaid tub with holes I drilled in the bottom that sits in another tub. I've got a little stash of teeny tiny chips and dust.

    Some day my son and I will hand make briquettes with it and a little H2O and cornstarch for a binder. We'll not tell the wife we'll just come inside and touch everything :woohoo:
  • Thanks for all the suggestions. I guess I'll let my mood for gettin' dirty guide my choice for each bag. :laugh:
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    Dust no. But one of my easiest no-fuss fires was one where the top was filled in with smaller chunks and chips, providing lots of places for the fire to go

    I may be imagining it, but it seemed to behave better
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Jersey Doug
    Jersey Doug Posts: 460
    I use a trash can with a contractors bag liner for general cleanup around the yard. When I open a new bag of lump I put a mesh screen on top of the can, pour the lump out onto the screen and separate the bigger chunks into one of my two Kingsford Kaddy's. The smaller chunks go into the other Kaddy and the dust goes out with the trash. I have better luck on long cooks with a layer of large chunks at the bottom of the firebox.

    My son who is _not_ retired just dumps the lump out of the bag and his results are at least as good as mine.