Maintaining temp during smoking

Unknown · April 2007

We're new to the BGE and just smoked our first butt yesterday. I was disappointed at how much time we had to spend monitoring the temp. I was trying for a steady 250, but it went anywhere from 180-350. I had to check on it at least every 30 minutes and adjust it most of the time. I can't imagine ever being able to do one overnight and getting any sleep! Is there a secret to getting a consistent temp?

bobbyb · April 2007

Amy,
Many people use the bbq guru. There is also a new one called the stoker.
Bob
[ul][li]bbq guru to control temps on long cooks[/ul]

gdenby · April 2007

Amy,[p]Being reletively new to the BGE, I'd be willing to guess that you were trying too hard to keep the temperature exactly at 250. I had one "cook from hell" early on where I had almost the exact range you did. After about 5 hours, I placed the vent and damper at about where I thought it should be (1/4" open at bottom, and just a crack at the daisy wheel.) The temperature settled in at just above 260, and stayed there for the next three hours.[p]After a bit less than a year, I can usually get the fire steady enough that it will vary no more that 15 degrees in a 4 hour period. On occassion, it will sit absolutely still for more than 6.[p]So my advice is just don't fuss with it to much. That's something it took me at least three months to do. Just sneak up on the temperature you want, shut the vents down, and be happy with 10 or 15 degrees either way. It'll just make the cook a little longer or shorter.[p]gdenby

WessB · April 2007

Amy,
You wnat to "sneak" up on your desired cooking temp...if you want 250° in this case, at roughly 200° put the daisy on and close the lower vent at least half way... (do NOT be fooled by a starter cube burning the dome can read as high as 350° when it is flaming..wait till it has burned out an the lump is catching....) as your dome temp gets closer and closer to the 250° desired just keep closing the vents a little at a time until it stops rising and you are at 250°...give it 10 or 15 minutes and if it stays there you are now " stabilized " Add your meat and leave things alone, naturally the temp will drop when you put cold meat in there, dont chase this temp around..your 250° will be back soon enough...[p]Wess

stike · April 2007

Amy,
secret to controlling the temp within 5 or 10 degrees is not to try to control the temp to within 5 or 10 degrees.[p]seriously. as the others said, sneak up on temps. let it cruise at 250 (or whatever your desired temp is) for a while before putting the meat on.[p]when you do put the meat on, temps will drop. ignore it. the fire is no different fire, and the low temp reading immediately after putting meat on is due to having the dome open, and the cold meat. it will slowly regain the original temp.[p]any adjustments after that (if required) should be so slight as to seem useless. whatever the vents are set at, if you want it lower or higher (during a low and slow) close or open no more than a quarter or less of what it is currently at (roughly). meaning, you want 250, if you see 260, do not close it half way to get a quick correction. tap it instead barely a tic more shut, and wait. give it 20 minutes/half hour to reflect the change.[p]

guava greg · April 2007

<p />Amy, It's like sailing a really big boat. If you want to go to port a few degrees you don't try to turn the wheel to get the ship there right away because it will go too far. You just move the wheel a little and it gradually moves that way. Then you're not going back and forth trying to recompensate. That's a lot like temp control on the egg. If you don't own a hard to find LUCY or a guru type gizmo you can use items that work as a guage so you can bring the egg to a specific setting that is a good place to start. Then move lower and upper vent very little from that point to zero in your temp. after a few cooks you'll be a sailor or something.[p]Hope that helps![p]Aloha,[p]Greg

Sundown · April 2007

Amy,[p]All of the below and one other thing. I control my temps with the bottom vent almost exclusively. After 8 years I can get and hold almost any temp I want.[p]Do learn to control your fire before you invest in a Guru it's a smart thing to do. Enjoy your Egg and welcome to The Cult!

Unknown · April 2007

Thanks for all the quick responses. What is the advantage to having a plate setter when smoking a butt? I used a v-rack and drip pan for an almost 8 lb butt. I noticed there didn't seem to be enough room to put anything else on there. Any suggestions if I'd want to do a chicken along with a butt next time?

mike · April 2007

Sundown,
just curious... why do you suggest to learn how to control temps before investing in guru? if i get pretty good at controling temps on a long low and slow, why would i need the guru?

guava greg · April 2007

mike, I'm not answering for Sundown, but if I just bought the Egg, I wouldn't on my budget buy an expensive gadget right away. My wife wouldn't let me anyway. Learning to control temps during cooking is a really good thing to learn. I think though after some time learning that way, I would invest in something like the guru or stoker or whatever nakedwhiz says to get so I could do extended cooks without "controlling" or checking. Occasionally I'v waken from an all night butt cook with the temp lower than I want only to control it back up again. That's when I wish I had the gadgets. But I also have had some perfect all nighters. So who knows besides the gizmos?[p]Just keep practicing and eat your mistakes.[p]Aloha,[p]Greg

Hammer · April 2007

guava greg,
Good advice! I have a Guru, but have had BGE's for 20 years. Wasn't always a Guru around. I occassionaly cook without the Guru just to keep my skills up on cooking without one.
The Guru is convenient, but nothing replaces the basic skill of having the Egg do what you want without it.
Mitch

Sundown · April 2007

mike,[p]Plain old basic skills you should know. The swamp Yankee in me doesn't allow the purchase of something I don't really need I guess. [p]Would I like a Guru? Sure. Do I need a Guru? No. [p]

Maintaining temp during smoking

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