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Stabilizing temperature

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bucksfan
bucksfan Posts: 2
edited May 2012 in Pork

We are in the process of cooking a 6 pound Boston butt. We had the temperature at 225 degrees for about an hour, but the temperature has now creeped up to 280. We obviously do not want to cook the butt at 280, but cannot seem to get the temp back to the desired 225. Anybody out there with any suggestions? We are somewhat new to the EGG and met some great folks at the Georgia Mountain Eggfest. I hate to think that anyone is on the computer on a great Memorial Day weekend, but anyone......

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

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  • Phoenix824
    Phoenix824 Posts: 243
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    Gonna be hard to get it down since the ceramic is hard to bring down.    I cooked a butt at 250 the other night and turned out great.    Close the vents a little more and watch to make sure temp is dropping not rising.    Hard to stop a train engine on a dime.
    Steve Van Wert, Ohio XL BGE
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  • tvest43
    tvest43 Posts: 20
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    The key is when it starts rising at initial start up, start closing the bottom vent immediately.  I did a butt yesterday, and think my bottom vent was open the width of a nickel.......use the top one for small temp swings, the bottom for big ones, but don't let it get too high on the initial start, or it's hard to bring down.  Only had mine a little over a week, but have already figured that out.
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  • bucksfan
    bucksfan Posts: 2
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    Thanks, Steve. We have the bottom vent open only about 1/4" and we keep closing the top one down more and more hoping to slow the heat.

    When we start the heating process with a desired heat of 225, what temp do we stop it at? I realize that putting a semi-cold 6 lb. chunk of meat will cool it and then it will go back up, but it wants to keep going.

    Interesting that you are from Ohio, we moved from there 13 yrs ago. Still go back quite often to visit family.

     

     

     

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,336
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    First up-recognize that the dome thermo temp for indirect cooks can be anywhere from 20-40*F hotter than the actual gird cook temp.  However, the longer the dome is shut the closer the temps.  So, with 225 on the dome (an assumption here) you will be looking at quite an extended cook time.  It seems that somewhere in the 240-260*F (+/-) dome temp is the BGE "sweet-spot" for low&slow.  All that said, nothing wrong with cooking the butt at 280 or even higher-on a slow day search "turbo-butt" for some high temp/short time cooks.  Even at 280 you can plan for around 2 hours/# and if finished early then just FTC (foil, towels, cooler) the butt til time to pull.

    BTW-can only take the 90*F+ outside heat for so long...

    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.
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  • Mattlock
    Mattlock Posts: 64
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    I got an Egg at the GA Eggfest too, for 225 your going to have an inch or less open on bottom vent and daisy wheels barely cracked.

    It takes time to lower temp, I experienced that yesterday. Good luck!
    Newbie Egghead - Just got a LBGE at the Georgia Eggfest! Life is Good!
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  • bucksfan
    bucksfan Posts: 2
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    Thanks to all. After about 45 minutes,  we have the temp down to 250. We'll keep working with it. Have a great Memorial Day weekend and Happy Egging!!!
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  • hartofatiger
    hartofatiger Posts: 204
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    Adjustments at that low of a temp just take time.  Sounds like you're doing great.  Have fun.

    GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!!!!

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,336
    edited May 2012
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    Below is a post I made regarding vent settings that may be of interest (or not:)) ubt the referenced web site is a must read-

    A couple of things-BGE fire is air flow controlled (assuming you have enough lump and got it going).  So, temperature control (aka fire volume) is a function of the amount of air flow through the bottom and out the top.  You can control by top or bottom vent or combinations of each (preferred for low temp cooks).  With any BGE (I have a LBGE) the trick is to catch the temperature rise on the way up to the desired end-point.  You have a lot of ceramic mass and if it gets heated above the target temperature it takes a while to cool down.

    So, with that-get a good mass of lump burning (don't know the relative descriptors for the XL) and then shut the dome and set your vents for the approximate final desired temp.  Minor adjustments as you go.  And remember, the feedback indicator to any adjustments is your dome thermo-and that will take a while.  So, patience is the name of the game at the low & slow temps.  Read all you really need to know here-


     

    Best basic info site going- http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm 


     

     

    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.
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  • Phoenix824
    Phoenix824 Posts: 243
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    Thanks to all. After about 45 minutes,  we have the temp down to 250. We'll keep working with it. Have a great Memorial Day weekend and Happy Egging!!!

    250 sounds great to me and the 1/4" is what I had mine set at.  I am no expert.   Only three low/slow cooks and have had the egg less than a month but am now cooking on it every night I am home.    The oven got fired up for the first time since we got the egg yesturday (my daughter baked a cake)

    When we start the heating process with a desired heat of 225, what temp do we stop it at? I realize that putting a semi-cold 6 lb. chunk of meat will cool it and then it will go back up, but it wants to keep going.

    I tried to stop at 225 but after an hour with no adjustments it still hit the 250.    I think due to the ceramic holding the heat.    I thought starting and keeping at 200 for a hour may hold it down to the 225 I wanted but I got worried the fire would go out so I opened the vent a little more.   Soon I was at 225 and then 250 for the next 12 hours.  Someone with more time with the egg should probobly answer that part.    I think as a new person we overthink this thing because when I stopped worrying about it and just went to bed when I was holding at 250 the meat turned out great.    I don't know how much difference 225 or 250 makes on a low and slow

    we moved from there 13 yrs ago   Sorry for you loss.     Go Bucks

    Steve Van Wert, Ohio XL BGE
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  • Phoenix824
    Phoenix824 Posts: 243
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    BTW.    I saw this link posted a few days ago.   It helped me a lot.

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/746823/x/p1

    Steve Van Wert, Ohio XL BGE
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  • texbagger
    texbagger Posts: 90
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    bucksfan said:

     I hate to think that anyone is on the computer on a great Memorial Day weekend, but anyone......

    Thanks for the suggestions.

     

    Man, were all working the Egg today!  You got some good advice here just don't do anything in a hurry. I hope you have a probe thermometer as I think I've found the key to a good butt.  Most important thing is to keep the egg around 250 to 300 and internal center temperature of the butt at least 190-200.  I pull at 190, many wait until 195 or 200 internal butt temp.  Best of luck brother!
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  • texbagger
    texbagger Posts: 90
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    BTW, Mine is an XL, daisy wheel barely cracked open and lower is about an inch or less, its looking solid right now with 4 big racks of ribs going since 11 am.

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