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Maintaining extremely low temps - 180* ideally

Anybody got any tips on doing this. I know a stoker would definitely make it easier but as of yet I don't have one. I am planning on curing homemade pepperoni. (sort of homemade, ordered a kit from Sausage Maker)
LBGE 2013, SBGE 2014, Mini 2015
Columbus IN

Comments

  • rtt121
    rtt121 Posts: 653
    edited January 2014
    I did this once successfully before I got the guru (which takes all guessing out of the equation.

    I first heated up my egg ceramics with a small normal charcoal fire that I basically let burn out. After than I kept a charcoal fire going outside of my egg. 

    I took a small aluminum can - I think it was for pineapple peices(small enough to fit into the bottom vent) and filled it with glowing hot embers, I inserted this into the bottom vent onto the floor of the egg below the fire grate.  (No charcoal above firegrate - empty egg other than food).

    This held 165-185 really well in 40-50 degrees ambient. 

    When the charcoal in the can burnt out I pulled and replaced with more glowing embers.

    Forgot to mention I poked holes in the can all over to let air flow in
    Medium, and XL eggs in Galloway NJ.  Just outside of Atlantic City.  
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Sometime ago, an Egger said that if he started a very small fire at the bottom, and then piled more lump on that, he was able to maintain sub-180F for hours.
  • mokadir
    mokadir Posts: 115
    Similar suggestion as above. I did some jerky earlier this week and did use a controller, but I suspect I could have done without one. I used leftover lump and placed it in an old 2 pound sized can with the top and bottom cut out and placed on the fire grate. The concept of preheating the ceramic is a good one which I may try next time.
    Delaware Valley, PA Large BGE, CGS adjustable rig, iQue110, High-Que grate
  • These are awesome ideas. I never thought about using a can to bring in little bits at a time. Thanks!
    LBGE 2013, SBGE 2014, Mini 2015
    Columbus IN
  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 32,162
    The size of the fire is the key especially w/o a controller-as  mentioned by @gdenby.  Also w/o a controller it does require some adult supervision.  That said,  load  enough lump to get above the air holes in the fire box or more as the quantity of lump does't matter (its what's burning) then light (bottom-dead center for me) in one spot-once you have about a baseball sized (or slightly smaller) ball of lump burning then throttle down on the bottom vent and dfmt when you know the fire is good.
    Just like any other BGE fire-throttle the air-flow and you can run for many hours under 200*F.  But be mindful of adult supervisory beverages on this one as you could be led astray.  This is not a "fire and forget cook".
    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.