Temp issues - Is it time for a controller?

JWBurns · July 2012

Don't buy an EGG unless you know what you are doing. It is an expensive item and you should get your stuff together before you step into it.

This comment is rather harsh and uncalled for in my opinion.

That's what makes this community the best, because everyone here is willing to help, no matter what. The learning process is half the fun.

bigphil · July 2012

Don't buy an EGG unless you know what you are doing. It is an expensive item and you should get your stuff together before you step into it.

I didn't have a clue how to use a egg . and after a little over a month and the help of people here am slowly getting the hang of it . hang in there your get robnybbq

North_Is_Up · July 2012

I bought a controller because I live above 6000 feet and what someone at 600 feet may experience opening the draft door 1/2 inch may require me to open it to 2 inches to get the same temperature. It makes that much of a difference because the air is thinner. So, you just have to experiment. That's the fun of it. Then, I think it's okay to give up like I did and just get a controller. Smiles!

robnybbq · July 2012

OK I am going to cook 3 racks of baby back ribs tomorrow. What do I need to do to NOT fail?

This is the plan. I will take pics along the way.

7:00 AM - prep the ribs - pull silverskin and apply rub - back into fridge
9:30 AM - Clean out the old lump/ash - load the egg with fresh and some used lump to the top of the fire ring all the way across with apple/cherry chunks as well - light one spot in the middle of the lump - Get Egg to 250 indirect with the adjustable rig/stone
10:30 AM - Put the ribs on
3:00 PM - add BBQ sauce to the ribs
3:30 PM - Pull ribs if done (bend test plus bones showing on both ends of ribs

Now I usually make my own rub since most rubs around here are blah

1 tablespoons coarse salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2teaspoon celery seed

What else can I do to make sure this is not a fail and not to have to keep the pizza place on speed dial?

lousubcap · July 2012

Sounds like a plan to me, although lump to the top of the fire ring sounds excessive-how much clearance would there be between the lump at that height and the stone for the indirect cook (I don't use the ar set-up)? When I light the lump for low&slow I always light in the middle around bottom dead-center-then build up the lump around the initial fire. Haven't lost a fire with that approach-but there are as many ways to light as posters. I would wait to sauce til the ribs are very close to passing the bend test. Here's a link (scroll down to the section about pork) for some great info.

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html Good luck.

tazcrash · July 2012

Hey Rob, I know you've been going through lump quickly in the past, and having temp issues but If you are going with that much lump, I would light it earlier and make sure that the fire is steady earlier. I think you have an Hi-que, so air flow shouldn't be a problem.

Don't dump the dust, from the bottom of the bag.

Wait for the smoke to smell good.

Also, try not to open, and peek, and don't keep open longer than needed.

Don't worry when the temp drops from putting in the ribs.

Don't worry when you open the dome if a smoke chunk catches fire.

Don't worry about temp fluctuations. remember small changes can take a long time to show.

good luck. I hope to see this work!!!!

robnybbq · July 2012

I meant loading the lump up TO the fire ring. I will fill the fire box area. That will give about ~4-5 inches to the bottom of the rig.

No dust - got it.

I can light it earlier and make sure its stable - I just dont want to run out of lump like last time. And since I have no remote monitors/probes I will have to keep walking by the Egg all day (I have it downstairs on the lawn for now). I will not open the Egg for 4 hours minimum. This is what I did last time to find out I had 1 small piece of lump burning and the temps down below 200 with the ribs not done but I will try again. I have also raised the indrect stone to where is should be as well this time and not on the fire ring.

gdenby · July 2012

Your plan seems pretty good.

My method differs a little. I leave the slabs out on the counter while the Egg is coming to temperature. They come up to room temperature, and that cuts maybe a half hour off the time in the Egg.

Its a drag, but do check the temp frequently. But do not mess w. the vent settings unless the temp varies more than +/- 25. Even then, hesitate. If the fire settles in at 275, that is perfectly fine. Just means the ribs will get done a little faster.

If the fire somehow goes out, you can always put the slabs in a low temp kitchen stove while bringing the fire back. (Altho, if you are in the same temperature I'm in, it would probably be just fine to put them on the car dashboard w. the windows rolled up (I'm not kidding, I once measured the metal parts of the dash at 180)).

The Cen-Tex Smoker · July 2012

All good. Your fire should last 24 hrs with that set up and temps. This is the cook that starts you on your way. You got this!

MrCookingNurse · July 2012

How'd it turn out? Never mind. I thought you were doing this tonight. Missed it was tomorrow. Good luck. Excited to hear. I'm putting 3 racks on at 9ish so will be right with you!

AleBrewer · July 2012

Would like to hear how things are going for you.....hope all is going as planned.

MrCookingNurse · July 2012

I just cooked in my large for 9 hours at 225-275 and then did 500-600 for about an hour. This is my left over lump.

robnybbq · July 2012

Good news. Stay tuned. Pics coming later

tazcrash · July 2012

Ok, its later!!!!

robnybbq · July 2012

Pics are home. I'll try and download them later. Too many 4th of July cocktails.

Packed the firebox to the top with about 8 apple/cherry chunks and some smaller chips in that were in the bag.

9:00 AM Lit ONE spot in the center of the lump
9:10 AM Verified I saw/smelled white smoke. - Closed dome - Vents wide open
9:20 Dome Thermometer started climbing to 175 - I started closing the vents down 1/4 inch in the bottom and 1/8-1/4 on the DW
9:50 - Dome thermometer down below 100 - no smoke - I opened the bottom vent wide open and top wide open until I got smoke and the temp gauge started moving again
10:00 Set bottom vent to 1/2-3/4 inch open and the DW petals 1/2 closed
10:30 temp at 250 and clear smoke - ribs on (Not happy about the 1.5 hours to get going but it was going)
Throughout the day it stayed between 225-275 but mostly 250 with occasional puffs of white smoke (Guessing chunks getting lit)
3:30 - opened the dome and did the bend test and the ribs bent in half easily. I applied BBQ sauce and increased the temp to 275-290 for ~20 minutes then pulled the ribs.
4:00 After pulling the ribs I removed the indirect stone and threw on a London Broil a guest brought and cranked up the egg to 400.
4:30 (flipping the steak in between 4-4:30) - shutdown the Egg. It looked like 1/2 the lump was still there but will verify later.

Now my findings.
I am guessing in my past lump loadings I had the firebox full but that was hand packed. This time I hand packed the bottom larger pieces then I threw in hand fulls of lump to fill the box. I took the ash tool and moved some lump around and had to add more lump. This was about 1/2 bag of Royal Oak Red and some left over lump I had from a previous cook.

Ribs came out OK - fall off the bone but a little dry and not allot of smoke flavor but the guests liked them. I think I am becoming a food snob as I thought they were only OK. Maybe a spray of apple cider during the cook here and there may have kept them more moist. Plus the BBQ sauce I used was not the greatest or at least not what I was in the mood for.

Everyone there chanted they want brisket next time. I told them to make reservations at a restaurant.

lousubcap · July 2012

Congrats on persevering and the great results. It can take time to figure out but you have cleared several hurdles that you have mentioned on the forum. Now, about that brisket....:)

Brownie · July 2012

Very happy to hear you had some good bonding time with your Egg! You'll be a pro in no time at all!

MrCookingNurse · July 2012

If you want comments. You shut it up a little premature. That's why you had to reopen and fiddle for an 1.5 hour start time. But keep in mind it's normal for an hour to have fire lot and temp set. Let it blaze (need flames not just smoke) for a little while till you get dome temp of 350-400. Then plate setter and grates and shut it down. I do bitten vet half and daisy wheel half. Give it about 15 min while I'm fiddling with meat. Then I do bottom vent to a half inch or quarter inch daisy wheel barley open. Toss meat on about 10 min latter. Here comes patients!! Just let it stabilize for about 45 min without touchin anything and I usually land around 225 and it is stone cold for hours.

Sounds like you got the hang of it!! Congrats on good results for your company. And if your like me you will always have somethig to improve on. I'm very hard on myself but I want perfection!! My ribs were too moist for me yesterday. Thinking either no apple juice in foil or no water in drip Pan next time.

robnybbq · July 2012

As promised pics. I looked at the leftover lump - there is more than 1/2 a firebox left.

Bad news (maybe) is the gasket is shot. When I opened the dome I hear it tear and pull off the grill. One good thing - Now its time to get it really hot - PIZZA time.

marimar · July 2012

I am so happy with
a kitchen company called www.the-kitchenfactory.co.uk
that I found on Google. I do think that when buying a kitchen that you should
try and buy from a local dealer so that if you do have a problem with missing
items than you can just go and collect them rather than having to wait for the
company to deliver them when it’s convenient for them to do so. If you live in Luton. Then you should try buy your kitchen from Luton. As well as safe guarding yourself against
problems you’re also supporting the local economy.

I was selfish and
went to a national company and I ended up with a kitchen that was 80% complete
and I had to wait over a month for it to be finally completed. I had drawers
missing and the wrong design of tap to the one I ordered. They delivered the
items in three separate deliveries spanning a four week period.

I saved nearly £1500 by using the company. My full Kitchen cost £1100 and they recommended a kitchen filter for me who fitted it for £700. Tatal was £1800 fitted. The local
company wanted £3295 for the same
kitchen fitted. So you have to weigh up if you are prepared to wait a month and
save £1500. If you are prepared to wait then www.the-kitchenfactory.co.uk is
the company for you but if not then my advice is to buy your kitchen from local
company.

[url=http://www.the-kitchenfactory.co.uk]Kitchens Luton[/url]

AleBrewer · July 2012

Ribs look great! Glad it all worked out for you!

tazcrash · July 2012

Glad it worked good for you!!!

to bad your thread has been spammed.

The Cen-Tex Smoker · July 2012

Great job. I just walked my Father In Law through a brisket and he can't figure out how to start his car anymore so we can help when you are ready

.

Ribs were overdone and that's why they were dry and fall off the bone. Like Cap said (and says) this is a journey and you came a long way in one cook. Time and temp is what it's all about and you don't get that all at once. You got the temp, just went a little over on the time. You'll get that dialed in very soon and you are well on your way to brisket or anything else you want to do.

Gotta go- I have the sudden urge to import some kitchen cabinets from the UK on this great site I found on google. I'm sure it will work out fine. What could possibly go wrong?

Eggdam · July 2012

If I have the bottom vent open that small the temp will be below 200.

You must have ash buildup or firebox isn't lined up with the bottom vent. I did 2 10lbs shoulders on the weekend and my Bottom vent was open about 3 screen holes wide and the daisy wheel was open the width of a credit card. They went on at 11pm at 250 and in the morning at 8:30am was 265 dome. Not sure why you would burn lump so quick thou. As far as the meatloaf tasting bad it went on way to early. I know the manual claims it is ready in 10mins but that is not true. I also found out the hard way with acrid tasting food. You need to give time for the VOC's on the lump to burn off. Also if you egg is climbing after the food is on then your vent settings were not stabilized. Which again is due to not allowing enough time. Any charcoal BBQ is going to take at least 30 mins to get ready to cook on and get rid of the white and grey smoke.

Blarneystone · July 2012

Don't buy an EGG unless you know what you are doing. It is an expensive item and you should get your stuff together before you step into it.

I am new to egging too. Haven't had a less than excellent meal yet.

The best advice someone gave me is take an afternoon and put coal on the grill and just PLAY. Don't cook anything. Just experiment with temps and see if you can keep them solid. Don't cook anything. Just get it to 350 and see if you can keep it there. Did you? Good... Take notes on the vent openings, etc. they won't change much. If not, you haven't ruined anything. But that was my first day. An afternoon of messing around with temps.

Little Steven · July 2012

Don't buy an EGG unless you know what you are doing. It is an expensive item and you should get your stuff together before you step into it.
This comment is rather harsh and uncalled for in my opinion. That's what makes this community the best, because everyone here is willing to help, no matter what. The learning process is half the fun.

Some folk just aren't jolly

stike · July 2012

Your last cooker probably had a thermo that said lo/med/hi. Stop caring if it is 425 when you want 400. There is no difference effectively

I simply cannot imagine anyone using a controller for a one hour cook anyway.

Seriously, stop staring at the thermometer. It's not possible to keep a car going pegged at 65 by staring at the speedometer. You need to look away and avoid making so many tiny adjustments. Same for the BGE.

stike · July 2012

Another point. It's not possible to let out 'bad' smoke any faster with the daisy off or on. If the egg is pegged at a certain temp, then air is moving thru it at a fixed speed. If your daisy is on one egg that says 400, and the egg next to it says 400 but without a daisy wheel, there's no way any more smoke is being let out of the first egg. Same airflow is thu both.

Hungry Joe · July 2012

Rob I'm glad to see your starting to get the hang of things, the ribs
look great. Keep cooking and your techniques will continue to evolve.

I have to comment on the amount of lump you used though. I start
every cook with more then you have there. Even it its just a one hour
cook. I'd say I have at least twice what you have there, maybe more. Every cook I
knock the ash down and add enough lump to at least cover the bottom of
the fire ring. More if I am cooking for a couple of hours. Starting with
the same amount of lump each time my temps stay pretty consistent with
the same vent settings from cook to cook. You will learn where 400 is
compared to 300 and so on. Sometimes I don't even wait to get to temp since I know
where say 400 is. I can light it, set the vents and go take a shower. Its
slower to come up like that but it saves time If I get home late and
have other things to do while starting dinner. Once in a while for who
knows what reason things might get a little to hot but its not often.

Temp issues - Is it time for a controller?

Comments

Categories