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need more heat

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Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Today was my first cooking experience with a BGE and I need to know how to get more heat from the charcoal. Both air vents are open but the temperature stayed around 200 to 250.
Ashley ash4mcg@yahoo.com
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  • BTG
    BTG Posts: 76
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    Ashley McGowin,
    Make sure you have enough charcoal in the firebox. It should be filled to the top. Don't worry about waste. Just close the vents completely when you are done the fire will extinguish and you will have plenty leftover for the next cook with the addition of only a small amount of fresh charcoal. Also make sure the grate is not clogged with ash and small pieces of charcoal and the large opening of the firebox is aligned with the lower vent opening.[p]check out the naked whiz website as well for answers to lots of questions[p]hth
    [ul][li]http://www.nakedwhiz.com[/ul]
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  • backyardbbq
    backyardbbq Posts: 34
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    Ashley McGowin,make sure the opening in your your firebox is lined up with your bottom vent.

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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
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    Ashley McGowin,
    Previous answers are probably the cause but it could be something else.[p]What size BGE were you cooking on? What did you use to start it with? My small BGE temp will quickly climb to 300° or more just from the heat given off by a fire starter cube but once the cube goes out the temp drops to 150° or so, then it gradually climbs to higher temps.[p]I've also found that damp (just from humidity is enough) will burn slowly, as will poor quality lump, until it reaches 400° or so. Then it does okay. [p]Sometimes I can stabilize my temperature in 15 or 20 minutes and other times it may take two hours. That's one reason I like to use one kind of lump... Predicitibility.[p]You might want to clean out your Egg before the next cook and put in some fresh lump.[p]I just learned that 200° was not hot enough internally for this particular pork butt. Very greasy after 20 hours of cooking. Back in the heat.[p]Spring "Had To Get Up Early To Check My Butt" Chicken
    Spring Texas USA[p]
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    Spring Chicken, my medium egg is brand new and this was my first cooking attempt so the egg charcoal was also new. Are you saying that I should try and have the same size charcoal and not mix the big pieces with the little ones because I did mix them. I was cooking a hamburger and chicken breast with bone in and neither one were completely done after one hour for the chicken and 30 minutes for the burger. The cooking temp. rose to 300 initially and then dropped to 200 to 150. Also used the fire lites and they seemed to work well.
    Thanks. Ashley

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  • Spring Chicken
    Spring Chicken Posts: 10,255
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    Ashley,
    If that was your first attempt on the Egg, then it probably wasn't plugged up from needing cleaning. Sounds like you did everything right if the fire box was lined up properly with the draft door, your grate was clear, your damper open and you used new lump. By chance, if you used a fire starter did you bury it down in the lump some or just lay it on top? That could be one reason why it didn't do well for you.[p]If I was you I would go outside now and remove all the lump (set it aside on some newspaper), clean out the ash pit, make sure the fire pit is lined up properly, put a starter or two in and place some larger pieces of lump in before lighting the starters. Let 'em get started good and then put your old lump back in. The starters should produce some flame and probably a rise in temperature at first but the temperature will likely go back down some as the starter burns out and the lump starts to burn. In fifteen minutes or so you should be well above 400° and climbing. Just let it run a bit so you can get a feel for how long it takes to reach various temperatures. Keep your bottom vent full open and your full function top off during the heat up time. You will learn that when you put the top back on it will slow and possibly reverse the temperature climb. That's normal. What you are looking to achieve is a "Stabilized" temperature. Reaching that comes with practice and knowing your Egg. Just don't let it stay over your desired temperature too long or it will take forever to get it back down.[p]I would have something handy to throw on the Egg when you do this. No use wasting lump.[p]Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. Some Eggs have a personality of their own. Just like with people, you have to learn how to work with them.[p]Good luck and welcome to Big Green Eggdom.[p]Spring "Having Similar Problems Myself" Chicken
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  • Brobear
    Brobear Posts: 43
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    Ashley McGowin,[p]Make sure the fire grate is not upside down. The holes are conical, and if the wide side of the holes are facing up, they will clog and restrict air flow. I had the same problem for a week after I had bought my egg. It makes a huge difference.
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