Max temp for low and slow

Ed · February 2007

In the past I've tried to do briskets and pork butts/picnics at 225F (grid). Problem is it works out that I have to start at about 3AM if I want to eat at 7PM. Not exactly my idea of fun. (right now it looks like an 8AM start on a butt may finally be ready to eat at midnight) So........how high could I raise the grid temp and still get the advantage of "low" and slow in an attempt to get a cook that lasts only 10 to 12 hours instead of 16?

Celtic Wolf · February 2007

Ed,[p] I try to keep my grate at 250 for Pork and 275 for Brisket. I am sure others will chime, but these times seem to get me to 195 in 7-9 hours for the Pork and 11-12 hours for the brisket depending on weight.[p]

Unknown · February 2007

Ed,[p]I pretty much use 240-250 dome for slo cooking[p]Howard

gman · February 2007

I pretty much cook at 250 throughout. For me it's a lot easier to hold that temperature and the outcome is still excellent.

Unknown · February 2007

Celtic Wolf,
You can't rush barbeque :-)
best regards
thorsten

stike · February 2007

Ed,
i think the LBGE has a natural 250 'groove'. seems to hold that temp easiest for me, and i've heard that from a few others.[p]i don't trouble myself too much with grate vs. dome. [p]after the plateau, toward the end, i may kick it up to speed things along. 300 max.[p]conversely, if i have a smaller butt where i'd need to get up and start a cook at 2am because it'd be done too soon at 250, i'll start it earlier but at 220-22. that drags the front-end of the cook out, and in the morning, i'll bump the vents open and get her speeded up a bit to 250. [p]there's no "authoritative" definition for a max temp that i know of, but we are talking about a "slow" fire, say 220-250, maybe 300 max. much more than 325 and you are roasting, in my opinion.

fishlessman · February 2007

Ed,
are you including any cooler time. if not you could do the same cook and put that butt in the egg between 9 and ten at night and either speed things up or slow them down toward the end of the cook to zro in on when you want to eat. my routine is to light the egg around 8 to 9 at night and put the butt in at 10. mine normally take 14 hours so they are done at noon, with some time in the cooler i could eat anywhere from 1 to 6 the next day. it would be easy to lower my temps a bit if i wanted to eat later.

Grillicious · February 2007

fishlessman, that's pretty much what I do, only a little later, since I only do the low and slow over nighters on weekends. I light her up at 10:30 - 11:00 and put the meat on at midnight. The cook is done anywhere from noon to 4:00pm, leaving plenty of cooler time. I did get burned about 3 weeks ago when a 10½lb brisket flat with 2 butts above it was done --- I mean 195* internal and fork tender --- in 9 hrs. The butts were on schedule at 12 and 14 hrs.

EggRacer · February 2007

thorsten denmark,[p]Sure you can rush it. You just call it roast! :-)

Max temp for low and slow

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