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

Uuugh - first time chasing temps - help!

SomedayMommy
SomedayMommy Posts: 199
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
This is probably the 15th cook I've done, and for the very first time, I overshot during startup. I used the electric starter for 13 - 15 minutes, shut the dome, and lo and behold, the egg shot up to 400 degrees. (looking for 200-225 for baby backs).

I left the vent and the daisy barely cracked and it was coming down very slowly. About 45 minutes went by, and I burped the egg and *thought* the fire went out. Nothing glowing. So I put in a single square starter, lit it, closed it and it was at 150. I had opened the vent and the daisy *just* a little bit. Suddenly, it shot up to 270 again, where it's been stable now for 20 minutes. I have the vent completely closed and the daisy cracked just a hair.

It is just NOT coming down.

Suggestions? Other than a time travel back to about an hour ago or 20 minutes ago when I threw the square in.

Thanks!

Comments

  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    Don't swing to the extremes, just set the vents to slightly less-open than you think you'll end up with. If you shut them completely you'll likely wind up putting out four fire (which you seem to hav done) with the temperature still high. Once you start getting close to your desired temp, open them a little again.

    Coax the temp down...it should drop fairly quickly if you've only had the Egg going for 20 minutes or so. It's when you've had it crusing for an hour or two at 350* that it's darn near impossible to cool in under a couple of hours.
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,676
    270 is fine just keep the vents at your normal settings. I'm having the opposite problem, Started the ribs 2 hours ago and the egg is still at 200 but do not want to change the vents too much. either way it will work out.
  • SomedayMommy
    SomedayMommy Posts: 199
    Thanks "Jeff!"

    So I left that daisy cracked and shut the vent. SLOWLY it started coming down. I let it get down to 190 and I put in the wood and the platesetter and drip pan.

    I let it slowly come back up to 200 - 205 stable and then I threw the ribs on. It's holding at abt. 210....
  • Kailas
    Kailas Posts: 146
    Close the lower vent to about 1/4" and the daisy wheel about 1/3 open with the slider closed. Should settle down.
  • Dimple's Mom
    Dimple's Mom Posts: 1,740
    I always put the platesetter in right away. Am I doing it wrong? (It wouldn't be the first time!)
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    Nice job, Stacie.

    BTW, I used to live in Akron (Tallmadge, actually) when I worked for Goodyear down on Market.
  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
    Dimple's Mom: I believe yours is the preferred method for the majority. That way, everything comes up to temp together. Adding the platesetter late will always drop the temp, then you have to wait for it to come back up. So IMO, you are not doing anything wrong in the least.
  • Scottborasjr
    Scottborasjr Posts: 3,494
    I always put platesetter in at the beginning as well. Only time I don't is if there is literally no wind to circulate the air around the fire then I might make sure the fire is going good before I put the platesetter in.
    I raise my kids, cook and golf.  When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.
    Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. 
  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
    Someday Mommy: If you overshoot again, simply adding the platesetter will help you drop the temp. I have seen as much as 75* drop adding a cold platesetter to a hot egg. Most here add the platesetter as soon as they know the fire is going, so the egg and setter come up to temp together. Adding the meat will often help you get the temp down, too. FWIW, you still would have been ok at 270*. I think most prefer 225-250* for ribs. Enjoy your ribs! I'm sure they'll be great!
  • Jeffersonian
    Jeffersonian Posts: 4,244
    I've done that, too, but it took a couple of weeks for my finger hair to grow back :P
  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
    Yup!

    Adding the plate setter and the drip pan with some water in it, is a sure fire way to bring the temps down in a hurry.

    Sounds like you're on track now.

    T
  • Braumiester
    Braumiester Posts: 134
    Imho you left the electric starter in to long to begin with thus creating much more fire than you needed and you spent the rest of the time trying to reduce it. I use a electric starter and as soon as I see smoke I am watching the fire to make sure it doesn't get to big.
    I also lay the starter on top of the charcoal and then lay a few pieces of charcoal on top of it kind of like the Minion method, fire doesn't get to big that way.
  • SomedayMommy
    SomedayMommy Posts: 199
    No, certainly not. I just like to wait so I can throw my wood on. Once I throw my wood on, then I put the platesetter in. I was just waiting for the fire to die down just a little before I threw the wood on.

    Holding steady! It's been at 240 - 250 the whole cook...
  • SomedayMommy
    SomedayMommy Posts: 199
    Seriously? :laugh: I work for Goodyear. haha Live in Fairlawn/Akron - not sure which my signature says, so I wrote them both
  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
    Not sure what the problem is but I always start my 250 cooks at 350. Once I get the plate setter in and the vents set, drops to 250-270 just perfect. Put on the meat and blammo, right on target. Works for me.