Medium GreenEgg

Trek660 · June 2007

I have had my Medium GteenEgg for about 3 weeks now. I must say that I am dissappointed.
Maybe I expected too much from it. I can not get my coals to last much longer than a couple of hours at 300. I just tried using the pizza stone. I can't even get it back up to 300 as of now. Airflow is correctly aligned. I think this is a dud. I will never feel comfortable with attempting a low and slow smoke. What am I doing wrong. It should not be this complicated.
My old texas style side box smoker is blowing this thing away.

Unknown · June 2007

Help us to understand with some more details.

My guess is you are following the instructions that came with the egg. Basically the sentiment I have learned from this forum is that you should throw the manual away (I still have mine but seldom look at it) and believe what is said here. Given this guess, go back to the egg and fill the fire box with lump charcoal, all the way up to the start of the fire ring. Light that fire and you will get all the tempurature you need. You can learn to control the temperatures very tightly and it will maintain what you want for hours. You should get as much as 8 hours, I would guess, with this much of a starting load. When you are done, close the lower damper and replace the green rain cap and the fire will go out leaving whatever charcoal is left for the next cook.

If you haven't found these, read all of both:
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm
http://www.wessb.com/

Trek660 · June 2007

Thanks for the help. I guess I just keep using too little lump. If ever I should have to add more lump during a low and slow smoke. Only solution is to remove grill and grub and add coal then place grill and grub back??
Thanks

Unknown · June 2007

I don't have a med so I can't speak from personal experience but the story here on the board is that if you fill it up, and you can go even to the top of the fire ring if you need to, that you will have plenty for an 18 to 20 hr cook. That's enough for a brisket or pork butt cook.

btw, some later postings today in other threads imply that the new book is much better. I haven't seen it so I don't know for sure. What I do know is you can get the answer on this forum.

Another fine point is the most of the real gurus (I'm not one) tend to read the .net version but post on the biggreenegg.com version. Posts there show up on the .net but not vice versa. That's why you didn't get a lot of response. Just a complication we are all living with.

Basscat · June 2007

I think you've got your answer, fill that firebox with lump. You don't waste much by overfilling, as the fire dies pretty quickly when you shut 'er down, and you just need to stir out the ash, top off with a little new lump (sometimes), and you're ready to fire it up the next time. I have a Medium, and have gone 22 hours on a full load once (real full, to the top of the fire ring, had to push it down a little when putting in the platesetter...), but I have had to add lump once, after 19 hours in a cold windy December drizzle. And yes, you need to take everything out. I used my old gas grill to place the hot items in, and I always have welding gloves handy for grilling chores. Keep trying, don't give up yet, it's a great cooker.

Trek660 · June 2007

Thanks to everyone for the response and answers.
Lee

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Medium GreenEgg

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