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Newbie problems getting right temp.

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I have my XLBGE in the table and have a few smokes under my belt. Love it! I smoked a Boston Butt today and wanted to start the cook around 225-250 and the egg zoomed up past 350 after lighting and wouldn't come down much. So I finally shut the daisy wheel and the bottom to slow it down and ended up putting the fire out. So, I restarted it with the little lighting stick and it was pretty manageable after that. My first start was with a chimney starter and I'm wondering if that gets it too hot too quickly for a low and slow. Suggestions?

Comments

  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
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    Sometimes when I fire up some flare ups will cause flames to sneak by and you get a bad reading on egg thermometer. Usually caused by the wood. If you get it up to 250-300 and keep the daisy wheel open a crack and the slide open a 1/4 inch just give it 20 min and you should be fine
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
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    One of the main things to understand is "what" stabilization means.  Stabilization is the operating temperature you want to cook at.  To reach it requires you to get the entire egg to that temperature.  "Entire Egg" means the ceramic walls all the way to the outside, and all the inside parts and pieces.  Getting to this temperature, and remaining there for say 30 to 45 minutes without adjusting anything.  Thats stabilization.  Why do you need stabilization?  So any heat load, like opening up the dome, or placing a 40 degree, ten pound pork butt inside, or maybe even a rain storm, the egg will try to compensate and bring back to that set temperature first from it's "mass" and then more slowly by the adjusted vent openings.  If you try to load the egg before reaching "stabilization", you will be over compensating for this cold meat load, then as the meat gets hot and the actual load begins to lessen, the egg temperature will go up way beyond what you are shooting for.  Many here will recommend you to play with your egg to attain different temperatures, and get used to the way it acts.  You will learn how fast it can increase and how very slow it takes to come back down.  And you can't memorize setpoints by vent openings, because so many things continuously change, thats why i think you need to get the "feel" for how to control temperature.  My $.02

  • cmbj
    cmbj Posts: 9
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    Thanks for your experiences and opinions. I'm new to smoking and eggs and have a lot to learn. This forum has been very helpful and encouraging.
  • CAT Seller
    CAT Seller Posts: 208
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    @ Charlie, well said.
    If it ain't a CAT, it's a dog!!! 2 LBGE's & BGE Backyard Chef Edition Cart
  • Charlie tuna
    Charlie tuna Posts: 2,191
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    cmbj,   You may be new here, but we are all here to learn from others, we learn from both mistakes and successes.......  And never forget there are many different ways to accomplish the same good foods seen here, so that too enters into the confusion for you to filter through and see what works best for you..