Temperature Control - or lack thereof

Wish I had the magic bullet-right now I'm working to get from 220 to 250*F; bottom open around 1 1/2" and DFMT very open.  LBGE and with a brand new lump load (Rockwood) after a total clean out.  Not supposed to behave like this-but I obviously have an air-flow issue as that is the temp driver once you have good lump lit.  Oh well, there are worse things to address.   >- )

i'm having trouble getting my temp down...cleaned it out good and lit good hot fire (600), then started bringing it down...have both top and bottom completely closed and steady @ 350...any suggestions?

IMHO it's easier to maintain 250℉ ish over 225℉-235℉ with no Stoker, Guru or CyberQ. With my Stoker I just get the pit fire established and dial it in and it maintains real low no issue. Without I found I can settle in at 250℉ ish with lower vent 1/4" open and SS Smokeware just open a gnats ass. After using the Stoker I'm hooked.

@Stog‌ if you want to cook at a lower temp you new to slow it down Ion the way up. It's really hard to cool it down 300 degrees without putting it out. It wastes a lot of time and lump too.

You may be making to big a move on the vents. Small adjustments should be made when controlling the low and slow cook. Once I get the meat on I watch it pretty close and make small adjustments in the Daisy Wheel at top until it is fully stabilized. It may vary some but once fully into a long cook it stays at the temp I want for the entire time.

DoofusOfTheDay said:

Temperature Control on my BGE continues to be an issue for me.  Mainly, I can't maintain a lower constant temp.  Today, wanted to try a Dr. BBQ Flat Brisket recipe.  It calls for 235 indirect cooking.  I had a little Royal Oak left and some Rockwood I mixed together a little lower than top of fire ring.  Was lazy and used one of those little starter cubes.  After it got going good, adjusted the lower vent and stainless steel top hat both about 1/8" open.  I put the PS on with a drip pan and grate on top.  Let it sit for probably 30 minutes, and it stabilized nicely at just about 235, more like 230.  Put meat on and all was fine for about 90 minutes, then all of the sudden it starts getting hotter, and goes up to about 300.  It has gotten a few degrees cooler in last 10 minutes, 190, but still, not the 235 I was shooting for.  I seem to have this issue all the time trying to maintain lower temps.  Maybe I should break down and get one of those computers with the damper control and doo-dads.

Your gaskets all good? I don't have any trouble with 220* overnight but as others have said 250* is pretty darn close. I push the spark screen back into the lower vent slider and have it open the width of a credit card. Top just a sliver of the teardrops on the daisy.

The Dr. BBQ brisket recipes I've read call for a dome of 250F. Below 250F dome, the temp can be hard to maintain. Below 200, best be a wizard. My guess is that you didn't let the 'setter heat up enough. It can take a long time for that big hunk of ceramic to soak up enough heat that it doesn't return the heat to the cooking chamber. Once its hot, it'll be releasing heat around 600F. The 1st recommendation is that you should not fuss to much about the temps. +/- 25F in either direction will only shorten or lengthen the cooking time, not the quality if you make a time compensation. 2nd. If you have a way to raise the grill and just put a pan underneath the food, that pan will not get as hot as a 'setter, and it won't hold the heat. The vent settings will build or lessen the dome temp faster, and make over or undershoot less likely. Unless you are trying to "hot smoke" something, BBQ should be done at least at 225F. Anything lower, and the cooking time approaches infinity. 350F is the top end for the BBQ I know about.

DoofusOfTheDay said:

Man can't get it lower than 300, now I am wondering if it was because as I recall there were a lot of little pieces left over in the Royal Oak bag that I used, so maybe those little pieces are just burning quick and hot?

I have yet to have the DigiQ care about the size of the coals over the past 5 years.  I tell it the temp, and there it stays.  Good luck, pop a cool one, and take 'er easy.  It will come out fine.

I believe anywhere between 225 and 275 is a good temp for low & slow, but 250 is the sweet spot I think. Ive done over night cook, got egg stabilized at 230 and it went up to 262 in a 8 hour period. That's not to bad. I don't have a temp controler and can't afford one right now. I agree that you have to catch it on the way up and be patient.

Durangler said:

FWIW … I always hand select & place lump. 

I did that once. 4-5 years ago.

My large BGE is pegged at 225 for the last 4 hrs........but I have a temp controller driving it.  I could tune the BGE myself like the old days without the help of electronics, but I don't want to worry about it.

Party q is inexpensive, foolproof and it works.

Fred19Flintstone said:

Listen to Little Steven. He's kinda a big deal around here.

He said "credit card width". Didn't know he had one since he stuck me with the bill.