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First low and slow experience

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jtrivers87
jtrivers87 Posts: 21
in EggHead Forum
Finally had a chance this past weekend to do my first low and slow. 8 lb pork but rubbed down with dizzy dust. Fired up the egg about 830 Friday night and loaded up almost to the place setter. Mizxed in some hickory and apple and lit. Got egg, ps and grid stabilized at 250 for about 45 minutes. Then added meat around 10. Made sure everything was good for another hour and went to bed with egg sitting at 250. Woke up at 5 am to an egg at 75 degrees. Got it cranked back up to 400 and finished it off. I assume I had an airflow isssue?? Any suggestions? Other than that it turned out great and I was very happy with the results. I can't believe it took me this long to get an egg. Cook on it every night. My fiancé says I have a problem....
Marysville, OH
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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
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    Marry the girl and feed her! 
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
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    It was a big butt
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
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    And, it's a good problem to have.
    :D
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
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    Probably an airflow issue. Sometimes with that much lump in it the lump will settle and choke itself off or block a hole or something. I upgraded to hi que grate and it solved the problem. I upgraded from hi que grate to Kick Ash Basket and I'm 99% sure that will never happen again cuz now the side holes are protected as well. Welcome. Happy to see another member. Butt is nice and crusty too
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

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  • GeorgeS
    GeorgeS Posts: 955
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    Welcome to the addiction my friend! Tell your fiancé to sit back and enjoy the ride.
    Bristow Virginia XL&Mini One of the best feelings in life is watching other people enjoy the food I cooked!
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  • jtrivers87
    jtrivers87 Posts: 21
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    grege345 said:
    Probably an airflow issue. Sometimes with that much lump in it the lump will settle and choke itself off or block a hole or something. I upgraded to hi que grate and it solved the problem. I upgraded from hi que grate to Kick Ash Basket and I'm 99% sure that will never happen again cuz now the side holes are protected as well. Welcome. Happy to see another member. Butt is nice and crusty too

    So your saying it would help to upgrade to both a hi que grate and kick ash basket?
    Marysville, OH
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  • jtrivers87
    jtrivers87 Posts: 21
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    THEBuckeye said:

    Marry the girl and feed her! 

    Yeah. She likes the egg too...just not quite on my level
    Marysville, OH
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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
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    ^no the ash basket replaces the hi que. Buy it.
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
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    If the kick ash basket was around when I bought the hi-que I would have passed on the hi-que
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

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  • jtrivers87
    jtrivers87 Posts: 21
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    Jeremiah said:
    ^no the ash basket replaces the hi que. Buy it.

    Ok. Does the basket sit on top of the factory grate or do I take out the factory grate out and just use the basket?
    Marysville, OH
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  • Jeremiah
    Jeremiah Posts: 6,412
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    Take it out. Just use the basket. That's were the value is!
    Slumming it in Aiken, SC. 
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  • GoVols
    GoVols Posts: 216
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    Welcome Aboard
    Tim Rickman,Tn.
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    edited January 2015
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    Looks like you have a large egg.  Not many folks have complained about airflow problems on a large.  Your first post suggests that the low-and-slow was not your first cook.  Have you removed the fire ring and fire bowl to clean around the base?  That's something you can't see and it will affect airflow.

    You might have started the fire a little off center and towards the front of the egg.  That would focus the majority of the hot gasses up the front through the opening between the plate setter legs ... see your picture above.  That could create a false high reading and cause you to set the vents extra tight.  It's harder to keep the fire going below 250 degrees.

    And, least I forget, welcome to the club house.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • UrbanForestTurnings
    UrbanForestTurnings Posts: 1,294
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    Welcome.
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  • jtrivers87
    jtrivers87 Posts: 21
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    Jeepster47 said:
    Looks like you have a large egg.  Not many folks have complained about airflow problems on a large.  Your first post suggests that the low-and-slow was not your first cook.  Have you removed the fire ring and fire bowl to clean around the base?  That's something you can't see and it will affect airflow.

    You might have started the fire a little off center and towards the front of the egg.  That would focus the majority of the hot gasses up the front through the opening between the plate setter legs ... see your picture above.  That could create a false high reading and cause you to set the vents extra tight.  It's harder to keep the fire going below 250 degrees.

    And, least I forget, welcome to the club house.

    This was my first low and low. I intended to do it when I did my first post but it got delayed till this past weekend. Before I fired up the egg I removed everything and cleaned out all the ash. I lit the coal in the center. I didn't stack large lumps on the bottom and had a lot of small piece. Wondering now if that could be the problem. Next time should I position one of the ps legs directly under the dome thermo?
    Marysville, OH
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    @jtrivers87‌ what brand lump?
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • jtrivers87
    jtrivers87 Posts: 21
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    henapple said:
    @jtrivers87‌ what brand lump?

    BGE lump. Haven't found anything other than cowboy in my area. Thinking about ordering some rock wood here soon
    Marysville, OH
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
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    jtrivers87 said:
    ...

    ... Next time should I position one of the ps legs directly under the dome thermo?
    I use a DigiQ for low-and-slows.  Several times I've found the dome temp climbing well above 300 degrees while the DigiQ is happily reporting 250 at the grill.  I've since started placing a plate setter leg under the dome thermometer and the dome temp has tracked the DigiQ very close.  Too many variables to suggest that is your problem, but it is a step in the right direction.

    For high temp cooks, the flames tend to go towards the rear of the egg ... that's the hot spot.  Many people rotate one of the PS legs to that position to help diffuse the heat during high temp indirect cooks.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • anton
    anton Posts: 1,813
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    Welcome to the club, a happy little mistake still turns out well on the egg.
    image :-bd
     Using a MBGE,woo/w stone,livin' in  Hayward California," The Heart Of The Bay "
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
    edited January 2015
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    Another suggestion, try 275 on the dome and get stable just like you did. I find on my large at 275 I sleep like a baby. 250 or below, the maverick wakes me up 3:30-4:30. 275 is just easier.
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