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:
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Youtube | Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Temperature Control
Options
ajridge35
Posts: 71
I'm sorry if this has been mentioned before, or discussed before... but I'm doing my 3rd pork butt in my BGE this weekend, and every time I have done one (or a long cook for that matter) I always have a difficult time controlling the temperature. I have to monitor it throughout the duration of the cook, playing with the vents because of the change in temp. After a fair amount of research, it turns out that I need to get the temp of the BGE stabilized for a solid hour or so before I put the meat in. Tried that, and still it fluctuates and goes up and down. Long story short, I'm wondering if my problem is when I put the plate setter in w/ grid. When do I put them in - beginning of starting fire, when I hit my target temp, or when the meat goes in? Thanks for the help!
Comments
-
I add the platesetter, drip pan, grid etc once I have about a softball sized fire going in the lump. I then shut the dome, install the DFMT and adjust it and lower vent to about the target dome temperature. Fine tune the vents to required temperatue and wait til all is stable (around 40-50 mins) and the smoke is clear then start the cook. Works for me and I'm sure others will chime in.Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win. Life is too short for light/lite beer! Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
-
I believe in bringing everything inside the egg up to temperature together. I get the lump going for about 10 minutes and then assemble everything I need. Stabilize. Then add meat.
If I'm just grilling (no plate setter or pizza stone), I might be ready to cook in 15 minutes. If I'm doing low & slow or a pizza, it might take twice as long or more to get up to temp and stabilize.
There's no good reason to wait an hour to stabilize. If the smoke is clear and the smoke smells good, you're ready to cook.
Packerland, Wisconsin -
the worst way to try to adjust temps is to, well, try to adjust temps.
although you can dial in a temp, many people new to the egg try to do it too quickly. too high? then they clamp on the brakes. too low? they open the thing way up. this causes repeated overshooting and undershooting.
it's like driving a tractor trailer as opposed to a car. you need to start slowing well before the stop sign (desired temp).
when doing a low and slow, try adjusting vents only by 25% at most. never shut it or open it all the way to try to speed the temp change.
ignore any apparent drops in temp from adding a platesetter or meat. it doesn't matter if you start with the egg empty, or add the platesetter later. if the egg reads 250, it is at 250. adding 8 pounds of cold meat and then shutting the dome might show you a thermometer that says 190-200, but the fire doesn't know that. it's the same fire it was before you added the meat and cold platesetter. it's a 250-degree fire whether the dome says so or not. give it time, and the dome temp will rise again as the platesetter warms up and the meat gets cooking.
trick is top stop worrying, frankly. you want 250 and the dome is 275? so what. 300 won't even hurt. might get done a little sooner, but just shut the vents a little and see if it creeps down.
if the temp changes within a half hour of adjusting vents, that's typical. don't expect to see dramatic changes in five minutes
ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante -
I have the DIGIQ and the Pit Viper.....it is awesome!!!
http://www.thebbqguru.com/products/DigiQ-DX2--(Build-your-package)-.htm
I just bought it about 2 weeks ago for all the Thanksgiving cooking. It's a bit pricey...but worth every penny.
-
@ stike ... well stated.Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
-
Just what I needed to hear. Thank you all for the help! I will try to post some pics next week. Since I have quite a following on this particular thread.. any advice on injecting my pork? I think its about a 10# bone in, and I have Stubb's and Tony C's injectable marinade. Of course I can always create my own, but since I have those on hand I figured I'd give those a shot. What I have done in the past works (hickory wood w/ paprika-based rub), but wanted to try something different
-
I like thinning a mango puree with apple juice for injecting. Peach juice is also nice.Never eat anything passed through a window unless you're a seagull ... BGE Lg.
-
I bought an aubers temp controller, I love it. It is worth the money, I never worry about the temp not being right. I go to bed and wake up in morning and it is at the same temp.. I have used it a 225, 250 and 325 no issues at all.XL Walled Lake, MI
-
Is it only for the extra large egg? I couldn't see one on their site for the large.Every day is a bonus day and every meal is a banquet in Winter Springs, Fl !
-
Is it only for the extra large egg? I couldn't see one on their site for the large.
Granny here is the controller for the large BGE: http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_27&products_id=187&zenid=2b050ff11ecd4d9723a1cd98413e9660
-
Thanks, I don't know how I missed it. It seems pretty straight forward and easy to use. I wonder why it isn't mentioned as often as the stoker and the digiq? This looks like something I might be able to figure out.Every day is a bonus day and every meal is a banquet in Winter Springs, Fl !
Categories
- All Categories
- 182.8K EggHead Forum
- 15.7K Forum List
- 459 EGGtoberfest
- 1.9K Forum Feedback
- 10.3K Off Topic
- 2.2K EGG Table Forum
- 1 Rules & Disclaimer
- 9K Cookbook
- 12 Valentines Day
- 91 Holiday Recipes
- 223 Appetizers
- 516 Baking
- 2.4K Beef
- 88 Desserts
- 165 Lamb
- 2.4K Pork
- 1.5K Poultry
- 30 Salads and Dressings
- 320 Sauces, Rubs, Marinades
- 543 Seafood
- 175 Sides
- 121 Soups, Stews, Chilis
- 36 Vegetarian
- 100 Vegetables
- 313 Health
- 293 Weight Loss Forum