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Pgrnfarm
Pgrnfarm Posts: 18
in EggHead Forum
I picked up our BGE 2 weeks ago and what adventure we have been on!  2 smoked whole chickens, brisket, pork butt, ALL successes and a pizza that needs a little tweaking!  My question is about getting the egg to temperature.  I purchased a bag of BGE charcoal, but the hubby found some Frontier brand at Lowes cheap and before the BGE bag was opening, he had the Frontier in the egg.  It's been taking like 45 minutes to get it to 350 degress, that doesn't seem right to me.  We are using a BGE electric lighter to start the fire.  There are a terrible amount of fines in the Frontier.....is it the charcoal or are we doing something wrong???   We've been stirring the ashes down and cleaning between uses.  Are there other brands of charcoal besides BGE that work well in the egg?  Thanks in advance..........
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  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
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    The Naked Whiz has reviews of 'all things' lump coal. Myself, I've had great luck with Royal Oak, which is actually the BGE branded lump. My thoughts on 'cheap' lump ... I don't buy bargain lump, my basic rule of thumb ... "Buy cheap, buy twice'
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
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  • Ktim
    Ktim Posts: 364
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    I really like Royal Oak available at Home Depot for about. 12.99 for 17.5 lbs. The only other lumps I have tried are Big Green Egg, which is the same as Royal Oak and they both work great for me and cowboy brand witch performed very badly for me.I know there are other brands out there that some people love but are not available close to me.I might try to order some Rockwood which I here is the grand champ online but for now Royal is what I will use.
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    If you don't want to buy 100lbs at firecraft.com to get Rockwood or Ozark Oak (free shipping on orders over $100), Fogo is available via Prime on Amazon and is a great product.
    NOLA
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  • Rusty Rooster
    Rusty Rooster Posts: 1,239
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    You have enough brand answers, to answer your other question, yes, for me 45 minutes, possibly even a bit more, is normal to reach cooking temp.


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  • Ktim
    Ktim Posts: 364
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    +1 for Rusty Rooster ^
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  • mimauler
    mimauler Posts: 136
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    It should not take 45 minutes to get up to 350.  Check your air intake make sure everything is aligned check thermo.  45 minutes seems a long time.
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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    You can definitely come up to temp faster than 45 minutes, but if you are doing any sort of longer cook, you will want to wait for the ceramics to heat up and the temperature to stabilize at your vent settings, and that can take 45 minutes, easy.


    NOLA
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  • Pgrnfarm
    Pgrnfarm Posts: 18
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    Low and slow is fine sometimes, but there are other times I need to throw on some burgers for a quick meal, I'm sensing I should not retire my portable gas grill for such times!  LOL!
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    If you need to be cooking in 5 minutes then, yes, keep the gas grill. 

    I agree with others that 45 minutes seems a little long. Do you have the bottom vent wide open and the top cap completely open when lighting and coming to temp?

    Also, I find that a new load of lump can take a little longer to get up to heat than lump that has been left over from a previous cook.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
    edited June 2014
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    @Pgrnfarm‌
    Sister I assure you that you can get up to temp much faster than that. Here is how. Switch from the cast iron lump grate that came factory installed on your egg to a after market high q grate. Next invest in a weed burner for lighting your lump. They are minimal investments when you factor in that they will last a life time. The weed burner has no rival when it comes to lighting your egg. You can light as much lump as you want in under a minute. The big one in the pic is 3 million BTU'S and the small one is 1 million BTU'S. That's a lot of fire power my friend. The high q grate makes a huge difference as well. In 45 minutes I can be over 1,000 degrees using these two items. I hope this helps my friend.imageimage

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
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    Make sure the opening on the firebox is line up with your bottom vent and make sure that the holes in your charcoal grate aren't blocked by small pieces of charcoal. And if you really want to get going faster, ditch the eletric starter and get a weed burner. I can be up and running at 400F in about 5 minutes.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    @SGH... should have started with "Sister".

    And, while I'm sure that the weed burner works great, she might get arrested using one of those; based on the fact that she mentioned fines on the frontier. 
    ;)
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    @TexanOfTheNorth‌
    My mistake my friend. Thanks for pointing that out. Hope I did not offend. I edited the reply to reflect "sister". Again sorry for the mistake.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    @TexanOfTheNorth‌
    After rereading the post it sounds like she is referring to the brand of Frontier lump and had a typo referring to "finds in the lump" not fines. I could be misinterpreting this. Again my apologies for my mistake.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    edited June 2014
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    SGH said:
    @TexanOfTheNorth‌ After rereading the post it sounds like she is referring to the brand of Frontier lump and had a typo referring to "finds in the lump" not fines. I could be misinterpreting this. Again my apologies for my mistake.


    :))

     You know, you're probably exactly right about that! Guess we'll never know unless she decides to comment herself.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • Pgrnfarm
    Pgrnfarm Posts: 18
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    No offense taken on the "sister" part!  No girlie, girl here!   I've been a tom boy all my life and a farm wife 1/2 my life.  I'm at home on a tractor, skid loader, under the hood of my Roush Mustang, etc.....

    And I was referring to the brand of lump charcoal when I mentioned Frontier.  In regards to the "fines",  the bag had a lot of small pieces (more like pea gravel or rice grade coal) rather than big chunks of charcoal and I'm wondering if that might have been clogging the bottom grate or was just compacting too much to provide adequate air flow.  Everything is lined up correctly and the top is open when starting the fire.  I am very curious to see if when we open the BGE bag our results will be different.

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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    So, @SGH, I guess we were 1 and 1. Hope you realize that I was just having a little fun.

    @Pgrnfram... you've got the bottom vent open all the way too, right?

    And, by the way... welcome. Keep in mind that - "pics or it didn't happen"
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • tarheelmatt
    tarheelmatt Posts: 9,867
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    Since getting the weed torch, the egg is up to temp in no time!  I used to get mixed results with the starter cubes.  I must say the weed torch has helped my Egg life. 
    ------------------------------
    Thomasville, NC
    My YouTube Channel - The Hungry Hussey
    Instagram
    Facebook
    My Photography Site
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  • Pgrnfarm
    Pgrnfarm Posts: 18
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    oh yeah, its open all the way!
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    @TexanOfTheNorth‌
    No doubt brother. I really didn't know I was speaking to a woman. I was glad that you pointed it out. I was afraid that I may have angered her by calling her brother. It was a honest mistake on my part my friends.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
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    Did not sound like she was offended at all.

    @Pgrnfarm, you won't run into a nicer more knowledgeable egger than @SGH!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    @TexanOfTheNorth‌
    As always I thank you for the kind words my friend. I do strive to be polite but you may be stretching the truth about the knowledgable part. But I sure appreciate the compliment just the same. ;)

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • Pgrnfarm
    Pgrnfarm Posts: 18
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    Like I said before, no offense taken!  So many horror stories I could share about being treated poorly in a "man's world" of farming, machinery, racing, etc.  When I bought my F150Raptor truck, there were many salesmen who would NOT talk with me, needed to bring hubby along!  Needless to say, they did not get my business!


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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    How do you like that Raptor?

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    @Pgrnfarm‌
    Just for the record I try to help everyone. Male, female, black, white or what ever they may be. The Good Lord said Ask and so shall ye receive. So if some one asks a question I try my best to answer no matter who or what they are. I have been helped through my life by many different types of people both male and female and of many different ethnic backgrounds so I try hard to return the favor. I even respond to people that I know harbor hard feelings toward me. Life is to short to worry over someone's gender or race. My advice is given freely and to all that ask.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • Pgrnfarm
    Pgrnfarm Posts: 18
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    LOVE THE RAPTOR, couldn't see driving anything else!  Given a choice, especially since my Total Knee Replacement last August, I would much rather drive/ride in the Raptor than any of our Mustangs.........

    As a new egger I will probably ask some really stupid questions, and will not be offended if I'm told as much!  LOL!

    Thanks to all who help us newbies............


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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,791
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    @Pgrnfarm‌
    Always remember that when it comes to cooking questions there is no such thing as a stupid question. But if it makes you feel better I have been known to give stupid answers!! Wish you luck in the future sister.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • Pgrnfarm
    Pgrnfarm Posts: 18
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    SUCCESS!!!!  Used Big Green Egg charcoal and in the time it took for me to run next door to the in-laws to get an egg for my meatloaf my Egg was at 400 degrees.......must have been the Frontier brand charcoal.......
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  • tksmoke
    tksmoke Posts: 776
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    Good news!! And welcome aboard.
    Santa Paula, CA
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  • chashans
    chashans Posts: 418
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    Several weeks ago I purchased several bags of Frontier Lump, as a test, and have almost used up one bag with very good luck. Lots of very large pieces in the bag...too many in fact as I have to dig past them to get to the smaller lump. Just finished a cook with it today...see my Chicken, Legs n Thighs post.
    LARGE, MINI BGE    SAN DIEGO, CA            An alcoholic with a barbecuing problem.

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