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Low temp trouble
Comments
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My biggest improvement in that area has been my hi que grate. Really lets that baby breath.
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There are many ways to get the BGE lump up and burning-for me with low&slow I fully open the bottom vent, open the dome and light in the center. Leave the dome open for around 5-10 minutes (looking for around a softball sized mass of lump burning). Then shut the dome with DFMT off. When dome temp (calibrated) gets to around 200*F, I then set the DFMT and bottom vent to about the target temp (somewhere 250-275*F-don't chase it) and let it settle in. Make every attempt to not overshoot as once the ceramic heats up it can take quite a while for the temp to come back down. YMMV-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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@lousubcap outlined my approach as well. I honestly have trouble with keeping temps below 250 and the fire burning (I go old school, no auto temp fan), but can keep 250 dead on all night. Also, make sure you build your fire with big pieces on the bottom (and perhaps 2 layers of big pieces before putting the little stuff on) for a full fire box, that helps me keep even burn as well.-------------------------------------------------------------------------Keywords: Gator, Nashvegas, LBGE, Looftlighter, Thermapen in Racing Green (faster than the red one!), PSWOO2, Spider with CI, IQ120
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I have more trouble getting high temps than low. With low temps as soon as it hits 225 I start shutting down both top and bottom vents until it stabilizes for 30 mins. I am using royal oak which I have a hard time getting high temps out of.Duncan, SC
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@HoosierEgg71, one trick I've found helps in my XLBGE is to clear an area of lump at the front of the firebox before lighting. I like to see about two holes fully clear of obstruction. Since I started doing that I've had more luck keeping the egg lit and settled in on O/N low 7 slow cooks.@Mross, If your egg won't go nuclear after 20 min or so with bottom vent wide open and DFMT off something is wrong. You might need to clean out the ash trap? Do you mean you have more trouble sustaining high temp, or it doesn't go high at all?Cheers -B_BFinally back in the Badger State!
Middleton, WI -
@black badger I mean with a completely empty ash trap with a brand new bag of charcoal I have a hard time getting over 450. With that being said I am trying to do indirect with a KJ heat deflector which may not let enough air flow through. It does not have the hot spots of a PS.Duncan, SC
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@Mross have you taken all off the insides out and cleaned out the egg then.
I raise my kids, cook and golf. When work gets in the way I'm pissed, I'm pissed off 48 weeks a year.Inbetween Iowa and Colorado, not close to anything remotely entertaining outside of football season. -
@Mross, that's weird, and a little troubling. I would try it with the deflector and grid out and just make sure everything is kosher. Should go nuclear (like around the dial) in 20 in or less. If you do that be very careful when opening the lid, it can flash like crazy and you could get burned.Have you calibrated the thermo?B_BFinally back in the Badger State!
Middleton, WI -
Yes. I took everything out and cleaned every hole in the thing. I am trying to do some roast beef right now and, I got the egg to 400 before I put the K J heat deflector in. It dropped the temp 50 degrees. I put meat in when it got back to 400. It has been burning with bottom vent open and no top for 45 mins and it just now got to 390 when I turned the the egg into the breeze.Duncan, SC
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Calibrated thermometer last week and have maverick running they agree.Duncan, SC
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Thanks for all the input, I will spend a little more time "building" my fire and I will definitely look into the aftermarket grate.
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While the High Q grate has gotten excellent reviews, for low and slow cooks I've had the exact same experience as @Black_Badger. I've had some excellent overnight cooks with the stock charcoal grate in the 220 and 230 range where the thermometer didn't budge all night.
"one trick I've found helps in my XLBGE is to clear an area of lump at the front of the firebox before lighting. I like to see about two holes fully clear of obstruction. Since I started doing that I've had more luck keeping the egg lit and settled in on O/N low 7 slow cooks."
XXL BGE, Karebecue, Klose BYC, Chargiller Akorn Kamado, Weber Smokey Mountain, Grand Turbo gasser, Weber Smoky Joe, and the wheelbarrow that my grandfather used to cook steaks from his cattle
San Antonio, TX
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My experience, although limited, is that I have no trouble achieving 550 degrees in about 15 minutes. I can also achieve a low temp of about 235 and it holds that pretty good. I still have to keep an eye on it or it will creep up or down some.Dave - Austin, TX
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I have been using my Egg for a couple of years now. One trick I use may help. I keep an inexpensive small wet/dry vac by my egg. This allows me to clear the ash very easily each time I use it. I just did a beef brisket and had no trouble maintaining 220 all day.
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