Best Fire Grate Configuration?

Z_Eggineer · April 2012

Comrades,

What is the best way to configure the fire grate (under the charcoal) for both low-and-slow and turbo/power cooks?

1. Standard Grate (curved side up or down?)
2. Hi-Q Grate (not sure exactly what this is)

3. Buy a replacement Weber grate (what size?)

4. Use multiple grates

Any input or help is much appreciated. I want to insure proper air flow throughout my cooks and do less checking, looking, stoking, cleaning, etc.

I like keeping my dome closed and temperature constant, but I am still a newbie/n00b.

Mickey · April 2012

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=high+que+grate&sprefix=high+que%2Caps%2C156

xraypat23 · April 2012

the one that comes with it works just fine for everything I've done so far. angles down

Botch · April 2012

I was never able to get my Large up to "margharita pizza" temps (+700 F) until I got a High-Que grate. It has no negative effect on Low-n-Slow cooks, as you can regulate the temp with the bottom damper just fine. I did worry at first that the High-Que let so many small pieces of lump fall to the floor of the Egg, but they just burn up and don't seem to have any other negative effect.

Thanks to this forum I just recently learned that High-Que makes a grate for the Small, and thanks to Mickey's post above I learned I can get it w/ free shipping, w00t! That will allow my Small to reach wok-level temperatures much easier.

ChokeOnSmoke · April 2012

Mine stays the same regardless of cook type. It's all about keeping the holes clear to get high temps.
The beveled holes in the charcoal grate should be facing down.

Doc_Eggerton · April 2012

My Large was far more temperamental than the XL as far as regulating temp, heat time, and blow backs. That seems to have been fixed by adding the High-Que. I also do low and slow on it with no problem. The only issue would be if you are anal about using every bit of lump.

njl · April 2012

The negative with the High-Que is the amount of "small lump" that it'll let through. If your bags of lump have significant small bits, and you tend to just pour from the bag into the egg, you'll end up with a big mess below the grate after each cook. I have one, and used it for a few cooks, and eventually got my cracked original grate replaced by a dealer.

Doc_Eggerton · April 2012

I don't seem to get an outrageous quantity of lump passed through, and what does goes into the garden.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · April 2012

I'm sure some grates are better than others but I have no issues with blast furnace hot or low and slow fires and I use all standard equip. I have never paid attn to whether my holes in the grate are up or down. I have no doubt that there are more high performance options out there but the egg comes with everything you need to cook whatever you want at any temp. Until you are really comfortable with your cooks, use larger pieces of lump to build your fires. it helps airflow and will help your fires "act right". You will eventually be able to dump and light like lots of guys on here do (I don't but it works just fine both ways). I put mine in by hand and only use the larger pieces. It's fool-proof but I throw out 10-15% of all my lump because I'm allergic to small pieces. Maybe a bit wasteful but it works for me.

camueller · April 2012

I've got an option to buy a high temp stainless grate for 20 bucks with my next charcoal order, and I can't decide if I should do it. I have no problems getting any temps I'm shooting for with standard equipment. Though I'm curious about the firebox chimney he's offering, for help with burning all coals in a low in slow cook apparently.

tazcrash · April 2012

FWIW, I tried using the charcoal grate from my small Weber Smokey Joe to help me light Wicked Good easier, but after a dozen cooks, it's starting to sag.
Now that I have some other lump that lights easier I'm gonna try the original again.

FWIW, I do have a Hi-Que in my amazon cart.

billybon · April 2012

I've got an option to buy a high temp stainless grate for 20 bucks with my next charcoal order, and I can't decide if I should do it. I have no problems getting any temps I'm shooting for with standard equipment. Though I'm curious about the firebox chimney he's offering, for help with burning all coals in a low in slow cook apparently.

Tell us more about the firebox chimney you referenced.

tazcrash · April 2012

Tell us more about the firebox chimney you referenced.

X2

fishlessman · April 2012

i made my own from a high temp alloy because the origional kept wearing out. i was getting about 3 years from the original. there wasnt the hi q option back then

tazcrash · April 2012

i made my own from a high temp alloy because the origional kept wearing out. i was getting about 3 years from the original. there wasnt the hi q option back then

Can't even imagine the heat to wear out the cast Iron plate. Bag of Molten rock.

Can you post a pic, or description? What did it cost you to make?

fishlessman · April 2012

heres the cast iron

some expanded metal i tried

this was some inconel scrap from a job i had, stainless should work as well but this takes even more heat abuse. i think it was around 2000 dollars a sheet back then for the inconel, probably more now

) he hique grate should work just as well but i would use the castiron til it fails. i made this one bigger than the original and added more holes

RichardBronosky · April 2012

Holy guacamole! Contact BGE and replace that fire ring and fire box. You're reduced to "lump porcelain" at this point.

fishlessman · April 2012

Holy guacamole! Contact BGE and replace that fire ring and fire box. You're reduced to "lump porcelain" at this point.

i like puzzles

if you notice, i added even more holes to the grate

tazcrash · April 2012

fishlessman You do realize, this isn't supposed to be used in glass working!

ok, at that price, I'd just keep buying High-ques if my cast iron ever fails.

fishlessman · April 2012

dont know what they do to the bottles now, but they dont melt into ash trays like the old ones i used to toss into the fire on the beach. ive tried it in the egg, it doesnt work, they just crack

MaskedMarvel · April 2012

dont know what they do to the bottles now, but they dont melt into ash trays like the old ones i used to toss into the fire on the beach. ive tried it in the egg, it doesnt work, they just crack

This thread is hilarious, and I haven't done this since I was a kid...

I use the stock grate "upside down," so the skinny part of the holes in on top and it widens as it goes down.

I just changed that from the original configuration. I was having a fair amount of need for the wiggle stick before. No problems getting low or nuclear. Now, it seems to be working even better.

No interest in the Hi-Q. Ask me again in 6 months. :P

stike · April 2012

they all bust eventually.

need to replace the fire grate now. that was a year ago. it's now basically useless
but i still use it

)

RichardBronosky · April 2012

Thanks for the photo. I'll photoshop out the good fire box and use this to order a full set of spares.

!gniddik tsuj <----=

joe@bge · April 2012

Stock fire grate works well for me. I have only had a couple cooks where I had issues getting temps up to my desired target and that was because I needed to clean out ashes. As long as the fire grate is clear, bottom cleaned out...and lump is good quality and dry - life is easy with the Egg.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · April 2012

I just got my box ring and grate replaced by the mothership for nothing. It wasn't nearly in as bad of shape as yours! Dang, get that thing replaced

Mickey · April 2012

Stock fire grate works well for me. I have only had a couple cooks where I had issues getting temps up to my desired target and that was because I needed to clean out ashes. As long as the fire grate is clear, bottom cleaned out...and lump is good quality and dry - life is easy with the Egg.

Joe is 100% correct. It is just some people want to drive a sports car to get to point A and some a van. It works fine, just a little different in how you get there. Do I need three "turbo's", no...... Do I want them, yes. Same as some wanting this to start the egg:

Best Fire Grate Configuration?

Comments

Categories