Frustrated after my first overnight low & slow...........

GenesGrill · June 2006

I was cooking a 4 pound pork butt and used the Elder Ward method of doing the lump. Put in the large pieces, then the medium, then the small pieces. I had the dome temp at a steady 250 starting around 6PM when I went to bed and when I got up the next morning the fire was out. When checking the lump, I saw that the lump burned in the center all the way down to some of the large lumps and went out. What did I do wrong and what do I change the next time I low and slow????????

Smoked Signals · June 2006

GenesGrill,
I'm a dump and light guy. I just dump in a bag (not the whole bag ... the very small pieces and dust can go in the trash). I just make sure I have lump all the way to the top of the fire ring and its even all the way around. I light it in the center with some green gel alcohol starter and walk away. I do poke the fire about every 6 hours or so with my Eggtoberfest billy bar (long metal bar). I mean its fire and I'm drinking ... of course I'm gonna play with fire. The only time I have problems is if I mix charcoals ... say Wicked Good (yes I still have 3 bags) and Royal Oak. The RO burns up and the WG stays around longer and I get uneven burns. Keep trying.
Did you really go to bed at 6 PM?[p]Doug

fishlessman · June 2006

GenesGrill,
drink heavily, light the grill at 9, put the meat in around 10:30 and go to bed. the drinking kicks in an automatic alarm clock that wakes you up around 2. check it then, and again around 6. ive gotten those center burns and waht you need to do is open the grill during the night and push the lump towards the center with a coat hanger or wiggle rod, also give the grate a shake thru the lower vent to rid it of any ash build up. ive only gotten center burns with wicked good, never with any other type of lump, but it does happen. some people sleep soundly thru the night, but i always give it atleast one check after 3-4 hours

GenesGrill · June 2006

Smoked Signals,
I put the butt on the egg at 6PM, and went to bed at 11PM at which time the dome temp was a steady 250. I was using BGE lump. Now, if I had a BBG guru on my egg, I assume the fire would not have gone out!?!?.......

stike · June 2006

GenesGrill,
i have tried a couple things after a few cooks. was pretty nervous about overnights when doing the first few[p]one, i usually light the fire with two starter cubes, small ones, in different spots. doesn't make for a hotter fire, it just splits the fire up.[p]i also save the smaller chips and pieces of semi-spent charcoal (leftover from previous cooks) and actually make sure i add them in somewhat evenly thoughout. it was counter-intuitive when i did it the first time because i figured i was maybe risking impeding air-flow, but it was worth a try. i still had big chunks below and small stuff interspersed. the fire wasn't hurt by the air flow, and it burnt pretty well.[p]on top of that, a friend of mine who got his egg around the same time i did told me one day that after pouring in the lump, and not fussing too much with building, he would jab a stick (or ash rod, etc,) down vertically in three spots or so all the way to the fire grate, and open up some channels. that was the extent of his 'firebuilding'[p]since then, i've done it basically the same way. open bag, dump into the egg halfway to 'full'. add some chips/chunks, top it off with lump, add more chunks/chips, look briefly to make sure i didn't fill it with lump-dust. ...then grab a stick, stir it to comingle the lump and wood chips. lastly, poke it down and 'dibble' the thing in a small tight circle to make a vertical path for the air flow. do that in 3 spots.[p]never had a problem since, and (horrible admission here perhaps) haven't hand-built a fire since from bottom up[p]the 'inventor' of this method is a long-time lurker who chides me occassionally for posting during work.... hahaha[p](what say dave, beerworks at noon? )

stike · June 2006

Smoked Signals,
i don't advocate drinking.... tsk tsk[p]

stike · June 2006

fishlessman,
if i drink heavily, i pass out...
how do you manage to nail the correct blood/alcohol ratio?[p]again, i do not advocate drinking.

The Naked Whiz · June 2006

GenesGrill,
The guru would have probably kept the fire going because when it sensed the temp dropping, it would have started blowing and getting the fire going again. This would have probably got the fire to spread to the lump around the center. I've never had a fire go out with the guru running the show.[p]TNW

GenesGrill · June 2006

The Naked Whiz,
to buy a guru.....I'll never tell my wife what I REALLY paid for it or she'll go to WWIII with me over it

The Naked Whiz · June 2006

GenesGrill,
I think you should try getting the fire going in more than one spot. I actually once started a low slow cook by dumping a chimney full of roaring coals on top of the prepared fire. Sure, the temp shot up to 400, but by the time I added the plate setter and the butts, the temp was below 200. I could then let the fire come up to temp, shutting down the vents until it stabilized. That particular cook was probably the steadiest and easiest cook I had, staying at 230 all night long and into the morning. [p]TNW

Dos Huevos · June 2006

The Naked Whiz,[p]I always always light in at least two and usually three spots for that very reason.

GenesGrill · June 2006

The Naked Whiz,
TNW...sounds like a good idea....the coals that you dropped out of the chimney.....were they all small coals??

WooDoggies · June 2006

GenesGrill,[p]I can't think to add anything else to what folks said below but if you're going to be home, put the 4 lb butt on the first thing in the morning and monitor the egg throughout the day to see firsthand how the egg breathes and ebbs and flows... and it DOES breath, ebb and flows.
You will learn a lot about a long cook and you'll get a very good idea of what to expect next time.... and you'll have fresh pulled pork in time for dinner.
Just my thoughts after three cups o' joe.[p]john

SirKeats · June 2006

The Naked Whiz,[p]I've never done an overnight (not yet anyway) but when I do a brisket and decide to actually BUILD my fire as opposed to dump-and-lite, I use NWs method of dumping one chimney of coals on top of my preset coal arrangement in the egg. May take slightly longer to get the temp down... but it seems to be well worth it for the even burn.

GenesGrill · June 2006

WooDoggies,
Where in NC did you used to live??? I have lived in Charlotte, Wilmington, and now in Murphy......ain't leaving these mountains except in a pine box.......

sprinter · June 2006

GenesGrill,[p]Havent read all of the replys yet, those that I did pretty well answer the question about how to keep the fire going, or give good tips anyway. [p]What hasnt been brought up though is cooking a 4 pound butt overnight? A 4 pounder should at the OUTSIDE take 8 hours at those tempreatures. My guess would be several hours less. Putting that thing on at 6PM would mean that it would be done about 2AM at the latest, probably closer to midnight or earlier?[p]Good rule of thumb on pork, at those temps, is that its 1.5 hours a pound, 2 if you want to be real safe.[p]Just my two pennies.[p]Troy

WooDoggies · June 2006

GenesGrill,[p]Fort Bragg, Hope Mills, Swannanoa, Charlotte, Wilmington and Asheville. Asheville for about 20 years.
I love the Murphy area and you've got to be living in one of the most beautiful places on the face of this planet... being in the Blue Ridge is like being cradled in your mother's arms... is what I've always said.[p]john

EddieMac · June 2006

I didn't have time to read all of the responses to your issue....But one thing I've told folks...from personal experience and failure....is...As great as the BGE truly is...it's not a "set it..and forget it device"...
That's the Popiel method....lol[p]I've done at least 20 overnighters over the past 18 months....and I even have a wireless temperature monitoring device....and I still get up every 2 hours and check things out....I check dome temp, meat temp and fire status....and then go back to bed....Maybe a little weary and bleary...but with GUARANTEED results....[p]The BGE is awesome...not always foolproof..And with that in mind....until you get a BBQ Guru....you need to check it during the night.....All part of it![p]Good Luck!![p]Ed McLean...eddiemac
Ft. Pierce, FL

Wardster · June 2006

Ahhhhh Grasshoppa... Wardfucious say "need more lump!"

Tony · June 2006

eddiemac,[p]"and I still get up every 2 hours and check things out.."[p]Damn...you guys have me scared to death to do a "low and slow"[p]My wife already thinks I'm obbsessed with the BGE, and now I'm going to wake up every two hours in the middle of the night to check on it. She might have me committed :-)

stike · June 2006

Tiger Tony,
for crying out loud, it's an eight dollar piece of meat. try an overnighter. first time, check it as much as you need too.[p]you'll get a feel after a few as to whether you are the kinda guy who stays up all night worrying about it or not.[p]it isn't foolproof set or forget, but neither is a guru. someone had there's pooch on an overnight, and they ahd a guru. [p]i've had one go totally out, and one that was dicey.[p]and maybe 15 or so no issue.[p]cost/benefit analysis over a few beers convinced me to stick with the egg alone, dump, stir, light, sleep.[p]if it craps out. guess what, we're having steak.[p]i figure i need 20 cooks to go bad before i start losing money vs going with wires and electrodes.[p]take the plunge either way though. it's kinda cool to wake up and find amazing bbq in your cooker. i'm an idiot, and i can do it.
go for it.

Unknown · June 2006

Tiger Tony,
Don’t be scared. I am no long-term expert but I have probably done 12 or so overnighters in the last year. I have a maverick 73. I have no interest in getting up to check the fire if I don’t have too so I set a pretty large range on my grid temp. For a Butt I generally have 195 for the low and 275 for the high…a butt is very forgiving and like I said I don’t want to get up. I have only had the alarm go off once in all those cooks. [p]To each their own but why you would get up every 2 hours if you have a wireless thermometer is beyond me. LOL Ed.

The Naked Whiz · June 2006

GenesGrill,
They were probably on the small side, but not specifically chosen for being the smallest in the bag or anything.[p]TNW

dhuffjr · June 2006

GenesGrill,
Oh take the hit and go to the mall with her...let her look at clothes and encourage her to "splurge" for herself.......its all downhill from there :>)

Unknown · June 2006

I'm generally a pretty light sleeper....and don't mind checking the BGE during the night....As I've learned and become more confident...I've established my own system these days....I put on low-n-slows at about 11 p.m...check it again at about 1 a.m....again at 3:30 am....and then again at 6:30 or so......And being in the flower business....I get up at 4:30 a.m. most every day of the week to check shipments...prices...and deal with my customers that are located all over the world....so....my wife's kind of used to it...[p]Ed McLean....eddiemac
Ft. Pierce, FL

Eggtuary · June 2006

GenesGrill,
I have a Guru now, so I sleep a lot better than I used to. However, I totally agree with the advice to get the fire burning over more area if you don't get a Guru. [p]What I used to do was fill the lump to the height I wanted, but then only fill the charcoal chimney halfway, and light it sitting right on top of the rest of the lump. This way, embers would fall through the bottom and light a nice section in the center of your lump. Then I would pour my half-full chimney around this center to spread it out a bit. Worked great.

egginator · June 2006

Tiger Tony,[p]I had an Elder Ward fire go out on me as well. I was a bit freaked to try it again, but finally figured out that I was getting tired head thinking about the perfect arrangement of lump in the egg. Now, I clean the fire box well, dump the lump, light in at least 3 places and let go at 250 for 90 minutes or so, until she's rockin along nice and solid. I usually read the forum until midnight, go to bed, wake up at 5 to check the egg and let the dog out. I've only done half a dozen like this, but no problems yet.[p]Just my $0.02[p]Ed

av8or3 · June 2006

stike,
man...I like the way you think.I'm not nearly as experienced as you,but i've had similiar results.
good advise...:)

Smokin Bob · June 2006

GenesGrill,[p]It's just a Guru commerical.... sometimes that's what happens!

tach18k · June 2006

GenesGrill, As much as fire building seems good, I'm a dump and light person. If I have to place every piece of lump to make it go all night then I'm replacing the lump with a hot plate. Lump needs more lump to keep going, regardless if it is a teepee looking thing. I think there was not enough lump to keep the fire going, and I mean yes you can put a few big piece on the bottom, but you better make sure the egg is full to the brim and not a few scattered pieces.

GenesGrill · June 2006

tach18k,
I had the lump filled to the top of the fire ring. It stoppeed burning somewhere in the area where the larger pieces of lump were. Maybe I was supposed to put smaller pieces of lump inbetween the large pieces of lump at the bottom???

Frustrated after my first overnight low & slow...........

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