Fire out on Boston Butt cook

Crob28 · July 2011

Fire went out today on my 8 lb boston butt cook after 15.5 hours when the butt was at 187 internal. Fire box was filled to the top with Royal Oak...any suggestions for keeping the fire going through this length of a cook?

BullyC · July 2011

I would think 15 hrs is a long time on a load of lump.
All you can do is add more if think running out.
Besides, you can take off, wrap in foil and pop in oven
on say 300-325 to get it up 3 more degrees. I have done that and it works fine. BullyC

meat03man · July 2011

I've went 15 hours on a a butt before and still had plenty of coals left to burn. I guess it is just different bags of lump and temperature control.

mxdad · July 2011

I've gone 14 hours running BGE lump at around 225. Had plenty left

Crob28 · July 2011

Did you use larger chunks or was it basically whatever came out of the bag?

lousubcap · July 2011

After many searchs and real life experiences, "you can never load too much lump". Low & slow means at least half way up the fire ring and that should get you 22-25 hours at 250*F on a LBGE.

Carolina Q · July 2011

15 hours is not a long time. I recently did an 18-20 hour cook (250° dome) and I probably could have gone close to 40. This is what I started with on a Large using Wicked Good dumped right out of the bag (I don't "arrange" my lump). Second pic is what it looked like after I shut it down and it was cold. Third pic is after I stirred it to get rid of the ash and ready for the next cook.

Grandpas Grub · July 2011

Wondering how high you loaded the lump?

and, did you have a vertical burn, lump burned down the center and unburned lump on the outer edges?

and, did you stir the lump after lit (I wouldn't).

Loaded to the top of the fire box with Royal Oak should be more than enough to do a butt cook. However, I would load at least 1/2 way up into the fire ring and maybe to the top of the FR.

Size of the lump doesn't make a lot of difference unless the chunks are way to big.

All small pieces of lump loaded that high may force you to use a wigle rod some but once the lump bed is going and stable you shouldn't have any trouble after that.

As carolina Q said above, you should have a longer burn that that even with Royal Oak.

GG

Crob28 · July 2011

I loaded to the top of the fire box only....had about three pieces on the outer edge that did not burn.

Grandpas Grub · July 2011

Vertical burn would be quite a bit of lump on the outer side of the burned lump. Sort of like what would be if you have a large funnel in the lump (tapered down).

It could be your lump was very loose, a lot of air space in the load so less lump was in that load, but that isn't too likely.

I am surprised on that short of a burn with a full load of Royal Oak especially at that temperature. Your dome thermometer is accurate, calibrated that is?

GG

Crob28 · July 2011

Ran at dome 250 and grate on the maverick averaged about 220 to 225.

Next time I will load up into the fire ring.

How many different places do your light the lump when first starting?

Grandpas Grub · July 2011

Load to the top of the fire ring, better to have lump left over than run short.

For a low and slow I light in 3 to 4 places, sides, front and center. The sides are just a little over half way from the center to outer edge of the lump.

I have had a center burn with the lump going out on a non assisted overnight cook and also when using my DigiQII. I don't trust a center only light. Many people light in center and that's it.

I try to be careful I don't get the lump hotter than my cooking temperature. Cooling and egg down is a pain in the butt (my butt).

GG

Crob28 · July 2011

Thanks for the comments and advice.

danv23 · July 2011

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Fire out on Boston Butt cook

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