maintaining low smoking temp. without coals going out

AL · July 2007

I am new with the Egg, but I love it. I am having trouble smoking at low temps. I try to maintain 200-220 to smoke fish but the coals go out and the wood chips quit smoking. If I open the vents up the temp rolls past the 220. I am not shutting the vents completely but I either have them to open or to closed. What is the happy medium?
Is there a book on smoking fish with the egg?
Thanks Al

Spring Chicken · July 2007

AL,
Controlling tempterature is all about getting to know your Egg. It isn't difficult but there are a lot of variables. Just follow your gut instinct about how far to open the bottom and top vents. You'll get the hang of it.[p]Just as a matter of advice though, 200° is harder to maintain than 225° or 250° and most low and slow recipes will probably be in the 225° to 250° range. [p]I've been able to maintain 115° to smoke cheese direct. But I don't think I could have maintained it for a really long cook.[p]Depending on the type of lump I'm using and how damp it is from the humidity a typical 225° setup on mine is about 1/2" on the bottom vent and the Daisy open about 1/2", but only after the fire is settled down and not producing smoke.[p]Fix you a manly beverage and get something slow to cook. Then start having fun.[p]Spring "Blow'n & Go'n But Huff'n & Puff'n" Chicken
Spring Texas USA

fishlessman · July 2007

AL,
i dont know why each egg sets up differently for certian temps, but 2 of my larges are about a half inch difference in bottom settings while holding 250 dome. its only a tap or 2 to get it down to 225, but you need to wait a quarter hour after making the adjustment to see where it will settle. one thing to note is that the grill temp is different than the dome temp and if you want to smoke fish at 200 degrees, you should monitor those temps at the grill level for these types of cooks. for low and slow pork, ribs etc a dome temp of 250 is a good place to be and any higher temp it doesnt really matter if your monitoring temps at the grill or dome level.

tach18k · July 2007

AL,
my large will run at 250 all day if the top mini vent is open about 1/8" and the bottom slider about the same. that may give you a 225 temp around the rim of the egg

Sundown · July 2007

AL,[p]You want to cold smoke fish?

thirdeye · July 2007

<p />AL,[p]I do a lot of "real smoking" on my Egg. I use a Guru for maintaining a 175° Eggtemp when I make jerky, sausage or smoke fish, but here is another idea. I made a mini-basket for one of my other smokers just for cheese and fish. Something on a smaller scale (6 to 8 inches in diameter) would work on your Egg. You would clean all of the lump out and set the basket right on the ash grate. I would start some lump, or even briquettes somewhere else, and add already burning pieces along with some chips. [p]I guess a Fosters beer can with each end cut out and a .22 would give you a prototype. LOL.[p]~thirdeye~[p]PS if you need recipe ideas, give a shout. Hot smoking fish, jerky and Buckboard bacon are actually easy with an Egg. It's cold smoking that becomes difficult. Not impossible, but difficult.

Sundown · July 2007

thirdeye,[p]Who posted the set up for cold smoking? Do you remember?

thirdeye · July 2007

<p />Sundown,[p]There have been a few. I got this photo e-mailed to me and I don't recall who sent it. I can't give credit because I don't know the source of the pic either. (if anyone knows, let me know) Using the Egg as the generator looks like a sound idea.[p]~thirdeye~

Sundown · July 2007

thirdeye,[p]Thanks that gets me where I have to go. How has the method worked for you? Smoked bluefish is one of my favorites as well as king mackerel. Back in the stone age my father smoked all manner of foods and my absolute favorite of all time was smoked butterfish.

thirdeye · July 2007

Sundown,[p]I have not cold smoked in my Eggs. Are you planning on trying this type of set-up?[p]~thirdeye~

Shoe · July 2007

I have used a 3 lb coffee can, with a 1" hole cut in the bottom and the top completely removed, to maintain 150 degrees for many hours. (That is 150 dome temperature, I didn't use a probe to get an accurate grate temperature, was just seeing how stable things were.) I removed all the charcoal from the egg, placed the coffee can 1" hole side down on the center of the coal grate, filled it with lump, and topped off with lit lump. I then throttled the air vents to where I have them for a normal 250 degrees. I bet you could play with the vents and get the grate temperature you are looking for.

maintaining low smoking temp. without coals going out

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