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1 a.m. help

Eggercat
Eggercat Posts: 46
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Good morning all.

I am one hour into a 11 lb brisket cook and I'm struggling to keep the temp below 295 dome.
The bottom vent is open less than 3/16" and the daisy wheel is about a half turn open.
I'm afraid to go anything less for fear of it going out on me.
I'm hoping to have it stable around 230 by 2 am, so I can catch a few hrs sleep.
(I don't have a stoker, so I'm doing it the old fashion way...alarm clock)

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks in advance

Rick

Comments

  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,452
    Rick, how longs has it been at 295? 230 may be hard to maintain manually, generally it stabilises at 250 with lower vent opened the thickness of a credit card, the slider on the DFMT should be shut and the petals about 25% open at the most. I'm in TO, want me to courier you my stoker? :P
    Gary
    canuckland
  • Eggercat
    Eggercat Posts: 46
    I'm in TO, want me to courier you my stoker?
    Hehe
    No, thats ok. It must be that clean air we have here in the Hammer, it's burning just a bit hotter! (no smart a** comments)
    I'm heading out again now, I'll check to see if it came down any. 2 minutes to 2 a.m.
  • RNLV
    RNLV Posts: 42
    Did you start and settle in the BGE about an hour before you put your meat on. This is,I find,an important
    step. So it's almost two hours before I put the meat on.
    250* is the easy to hold. Keep the doome closed or you
    chase it the entire cook. Once settled in not to worry.
    I have had it go almost four hours without adjusting. Forgot to wake up. Your settings are close. Happy Egging.

    Ron
  • I agree with Canugghead, 250 is about all you can do manually. Get some rest, check it later, you'll be ok.
  • Eggercat
    Eggercat Posts: 46
    Thanks everyone.
    Yes RNLV, it was over an hour before I put the meat on.
    I added 4 or 5 big chucks of apple just before that, so that may have accounted for the extra heat.
    I'm now sitting about 260. That sounds like a safe sleeping temp.
    BTW
    Never use a real credit card to gap your vent. :whistle:
  • Eggercat
    Eggercat Posts: 46
    Brisket update:

    4:45 a.m
    Dome temp slightly below 200. Fire on it's last leg.
    I cleared the grate holes, added a bit of air flow via a small personal fan and got the fire going again.
    By 5 a.m. temp was back up to 250.

    7:30 a.m (7 hrs into cook)
    Dome temp holding steady at 250, bricket temp is 163 point, 170 in the flat.

    Now we wait...
  • dsmith
    dsmith Posts: 147
    I've had the same thing happen to me on an all night butt smoke. Still, it turned out great even though it was an effort to get my temp/fire back stoked up as my dome temp had dropped to about 150F. I am VERY close to buying a Stoker or Guru for just that reason.
  • Eggercat
    Eggercat Posts: 46
    Well, it is now been 9 1/2 hrs.
    Picture019.jpg
    I just pulled the point off at 195
    Picture020.jpg

    The flat is still around 185 so I'm going to give it another hour or so.
  • Smokinb
    Smokinb Posts: 103
    I agree, keep the lid shut until meat hits temp. If your lookin', your not cookin'
  • TRPIV
    TRPIV Posts: 278
    Looks like you nailed it. Nice work.

    T