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Off to a Slow Start w/New Egg

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Mass. Wine Guy
Mass. Wine Guy Posts: 22
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Ahh ribs! What a typically great bbq dish. I started the coals in my new Egg fine. The temp shot way up, but I got it cooled down to around 350 or so. Put the ribs in on the rack over the plate holder.

In about 2 hours the heat was all gone and so were most of the coals. I guess I didn't put enough fuel on. When they say at least one inch above the air holes in the firebox, how much more than that is good?

The ribs are now back up to temperature because I added more charwood. This is going to be a slow process for me.
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Comments

  • fieroguy
    fieroguy Posts: 777
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    ALWAYS fill to the top of the firebox.
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  • outrageous
    outrageous Posts: 803
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    fill it up with lump,,, that way you have plenty for your cook and left over for next cook... you are correct, you did not have enough to start.... enjoy your new toy... it will be fine...

    Large egg and mini max egg plus a Blackstone griddle

    South Ga. cooking fool !!!!!!!!

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  • elzbth
    elzbth Posts: 2,075
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    Give yourself time...you will get it. It takes time and patience to master the temp - you likely did not put enough lump in to begin with. When I egg ribs, I egg at 275 for 3 - 4 hours, then foil for another hour or so, lastly remove foil and finish with sauce. I'm sure some of the pros will jump on this thread and help you with suggestions - my best advice: patience! :)
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  • Judy Mayberry
    Judy Mayberry Posts: 2,015
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    N/M
    Judy in San Diego
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  • Judy Mayberry
    Judy Mayberry Posts: 2,015
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    It's always good advice to stick around when starting the Egg and watch the temperature, because it's so easy to walk away and get distracted for the next 10 minutes. Then...BOOM!...it's at 800°! It's happened to all of us.

    You want to catch it at 200° and then close down the bottom vent a bit, put on the daisy top partly open, and fiddle around till it gets to 250° and STAYS THERE. Those few minutes are a small price to pay for the time you have to spend bringing the temperature DOWN!
    Judy in San Diego
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  • pci
    pci Posts: 249
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    I did the same thing when I got my egg it was a rib cook to. Now I just keep it full of lump. Dosen't take long to get use to it just have fun like the rest of us.
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  • tacodawg
    tacodawg Posts: 335
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    As most of the regulars will say,,keep the bowl full. Watch the temp and when you get to about half of where you want start closing down the vents. The other thing is keep a log/ track of where you set the vents and where the temperature stabalizies, it will make it easier as you do more cooks. I measure the bottom with a tape and keep track of where it is so I know where to adjust to. Try to just adjust on the top or bottom..its easier to see which works.
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  • Mass. Wine Guy
    Mass. Wine Guy Posts: 22
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    elzbth wrote:When I egg ribs, I egg at 275 for 3 - 4 hours, then foil for another hour or so, lastly remove foil and finish with sauce.[/quote]
    **

    Elizabeth, when you finish you ribs with sauce, do you just apply the sauce to them off heat? Do you then put them back on the grill at all?
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  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
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    Apparently it is.....you need to spend some time reading the forum and some of the recipes..maybe even use the search function...you obviously didn't have enough lump in the egg..and depending on your lighting method you may have been entirely mislead on your temps shooting "way up" due to a reading from a burning starter cube...the egg is a very simple device..take the time to "learn" it and don't overcomplicate it...there is an invaluable wealth of information here...search it and learn..you'll be very happy in the long run..
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  • Mass. Wine Guy
    Mass. Wine Guy Posts: 22
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    WessB wrote:..maybe even use the search function...[/quote]

    How snarky of you, Wess. Looking forward to when you have a question. Good content, awful delivery.

    Thank you so much to everyone else for their patience and good suggestions.
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  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
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    For a long time egger the advice of using a measuring tape sounds kinda silly...but in fact it is a very good piece of advice....all egg users will come to learn that not all eggs cook at the same temp and lets just say 1/2" bottom 1/4" top might yield you 450..it might give me 350...learn your own egg and in next to no time you will know exactly where to set the vents for any given temp you want without using a tape measure...the bottom line is that all we are doing is regulating the amount of fuel to a fire......
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  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
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    back off Bud...did you come here to learn..or just show up to ask...
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  • Mass. Wine Guy
    Mass. Wine Guy Posts: 22
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    It's my nature to ask a ton of questions, Wess. Each of us learns in a different way. But no one is obligated to reply.

    I've gained a lot form this thread. Filling up the firebox and waiting until the coals are really going (not the fire starter) will be quite helpful. My thanks to everyone.
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  • WessB
    WessB Posts: 6,937
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    Questions are fine...but a litle research can save one from needing to ask a ton of questions...that have been answered a ton of times...we are all here to help....please don't construe this as anything other than trying to be helpful
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  • elzbth
    elzbth Posts: 2,075
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    Sauce them on the grill...you will see the meat pulling back from the bones. I egged these spares a couple of weeks back. (I don't get all caught up on the bend test - but that's just me - and I don't worry so much about the temp - over that length of time, they will be cooked - the meat will be falling off the bone, but with some bite). Here's a pic of the last ribs....I used Bone Suckin Sauce. Good Luck! :)

    Almost forgot - raised grid, drip pan with water - some will say you don't need the drip pan. To each his own.

    IMG_2680.jpg
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  • Mass. Wine Guy
    Mass. Wine Guy Posts: 22
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    Wow, Elizabeth! Let me know the next time you make ribs.

    Wess, good point.

    I think tomorrow I'll try doing a whole chicken.
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