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Not so clean burn...

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jhl192
jhl192 Posts: 1,006
edited June 2014 in EggHead Forum
Inspired by @canugghead 's recent clean burn I decided to do one after reversing a few steaks last night. It burned two and 1/2 hours at about 700-750 degrees. Opened up the top to find it still black inside. It seemed odd to me that the temp never got over 750 and the top cap was off and the bottom vent wide open. I did experience brown ooze on the outside. In previous clean burns the temp wrapped around and must have been over 1000. Have others experienced this.
XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
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  • nick_banich
    nick_banich Posts: 110
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    What is the benefit to a clean burn?
    -Large BGE since 6-13
    -Indianapolis, IN

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  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
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    If you do a series of low and slow cooks or even spatchcock chickens, fat drips and is swept up in the rising hot air and coats the inside of your egg.  If left to sit long enough, that fat will turn rancid and impart a foul taste to your normal cooks.  A high temperature CLEAN BURN will burn up the fat deposits and brings you back to your ceramic stone.  I had done a few pork butts and then cooked a pizza and the taste was horrible.  Did a clean burn and made another batch of pizza and pretzels and they were perfect.  It is sort of like a self cleaning oven.  
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
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    I would guess the lump was at fault given that there were no obstructions. I did one too last weekend when I wanted to finish off yet another crappy bag of RO. Had the same results, ~700ish for nearly an hour, tons of ash remained and so did the black. As soon as I'm through with this $8 crap I'm going to try Rockwood.
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • nick_banich
    nick_banich Posts: 110
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    So the aim is to get back to the white ceramic? 
    -Large BGE since 6-13
    -Indianapolis, IN

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  • buzd504
    buzd504 Posts: 3,824
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    Usually when I can't pin the needle, it's because there is ash clogging the airflow.  Either small bits of charcoal in the grate and fire bowl holes, or an excessive build up of ash down below.
    NOLA
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  • GATABITES
    GATABITES Posts: 1,260
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    Maybe you didnt have enough coal to fuel the high temp. Is my lump is fairly low, i know i wont hit those high temps. 
    XL BGE 
    Joe JR 
    Baltimore, MD
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  • nealcr1
    nealcr1 Posts: 198
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    I have had the same issue in my medium.  Frustrating when I see people talking about getting everything back to a cleaner look and mine stays black inside.  Everything cooks fine, but it would be nice to burn it out once or twice a year.
    Mini Max, Medium BGE, Large BGE, Lodge Cast Iron Sportsman, Digi Q II, Woo 2, AR with Oval setup
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  • NervousDad
    NervousDad Posts: 307
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    I let mine burn well over 700 last week (needle went around to 200-300) and it's still black too. I use RO.
    Aurora,OH
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  • bettysnephew
    bettysnephew Posts: 1,189
    edited June 2014
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    I was having some issues with achieving high temps on my XL.  It turned out the back of the safety screen on the lower vent had partially plugged up and was limiting air flow.  After cleaning, high temps were again achieved.  I have a wooden deck so I never use the Egg without the safety screen in place.  I have also made a screen "balloon" shaped part that I place on top vent to preclude sparks or embers from being ejected during clean burns, but allow free air flow out the top.  I attach it with a large stainless hose clamp. It works like a spark arrester on a forestry service approved motorcycle/atv exhaust.  After forming mine around a childs ball and getting the neck down to upper vent size, I deflated the ball and removed it.  On looking back, it would be far easier to form it around a length of PVC tubing the size of the vent neck in more of a cylinder shape.  Be sure to use steel screen, not the plastic stuff.
    A poor widows son.
    See der Rabbits, Iowa
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  • llrickman
    llrickman Posts: 654
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    "I have a wooden deck so I never use the Egg without the safety screen in place."

    I almost learned that the hard way doing a clean burn . had a small fire on the deck at midnight, had left  my ash bucket sitting under the vent sparks fell in caught the bucket contents on fire. Luckily the fire burned on top of the deck and didnt catch the deck itself on fire
    2 LBGE
    Digi Q
    green Thermapen
    AR

    Albuquerque, NM
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
    edited June 2014
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    I just did a clean burn and needed about 2 times to get it white. Good thing I used my $1 bag cowboy lump, now I'm all clean and ready to install my Rutland from RRP.
    You may need more than one go around.left my stones in for one bag.
    Seattle, WA
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    imageimage
    Seattle, WA
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  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
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    I am guessing 700-750 gets rid of the fat.  To get rid of the black you need closer to 1000 degrees. I had the firering filled with lump but they were pretty small pieces.  I suspect the airflow was choked off  as you can still see ash on my grate.  Also note that @SkinnyV has a high airflow grate in and not the original.  

    Anyway, although the white looks closer to new I am not sure that it is needed to remove any bad taste that would result from fat caked up inside.   
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    Yeah probably not needed. I had flames shooting out the top...who knows how hot it got with that grate.
    I was hoping nothing went wrong.
    Seattle, WA
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  • Skiddymarker
    Skiddymarker Posts: 8,522
    edited June 2014
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    After the burn, did you give it a wipe with balled foil? Sometimes the black ash on the dome is easy to remove. If your fire ring and base are clean, chances are the dome is too, just needs a little help. 

    EDIT - Also - once the thermo clears 700º pull it. It is fun to watch it wrap, you will shorten its life if you let it wrap. 
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
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    @SkinnyV‌ where did you get that swinging grate adapter? I know it's been said before but I can't find it now.
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • SkinnyV
    SkinnyV Posts: 3,404
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    Grid extender from the group buy. My AR setup is due today may be ditching the woo and extender , not decided yet.
    Seattle, WA
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