Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

timing butts on xl

tjv
tjv Posts: 3,830
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I'm gonna help a new egg owner out tonight/morning to cook two butts on his xl. The butts are 8 and 9 pounds each. He wants to eat around 7:30 pm tomorrow night. On the large I'd estimate 12 hours at 235ish grid temp with raised grid. Cooking on the xl, is there any differnce in times, temp and such. thanks T
www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.

Comments

  • tjv,[p]I haven't done one in a few months. The last one I did was 9 lb and took close to 24 hours. It was very good though I ate it for breakfast rather than dinner. Lately it seems that a lot of people have been having TURBO butts. Most of the ones I've done on the XL have been closer to 2 hrs per Lb. [p]Mike
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    Mike in Abita , by chance you remember the temps. I know around 210ish grid, you can go 18 hours. tom

    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • tjv,[p]I cooked it at 250 dome. It was pre ET-73 days and didn't record grate temps.
  • JDub
    JDub Posts: 23
    tjv,[p]I've got an XL and have done butts twice, once before I got my DigiQ and once with the DigiQ. The first time was about 18 hrs at a dome temp that fluctuated between 225 and 260. The second time I kept the temp at cooking level steady at 225, which equated to about 235 dome. 2 butts were done in 16 hrs and the third took 18, Hope that helps.
  • JDub,[p]What was the weigh of those??[p]Mike
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    tjv,[p]I can't give accurate info on the XL since I don't have one, but last weekend I did an 8 and a 9 pounder on the large. The 8 took 21 hours and the 9 took 23 at a steady 245 dome. I would think the XL would cut the time a little bit due to better airflow, but I don't think you'll get them done in 12 hours at 235.
  • BYC
    BYC Posts: 358
    tjv,[p]Nope---I have used both and it's about the same---give or take 30-40 minutes

  • Fidel,
    Interesting you said that. "I would think the XL would cut the time a little bit due to better airflow".[p]I have always wondered if my XL has more air flow to achieve the same temp as the LGE? Maybe some one who is smarter than me has figured it out. I realize that it would take more energy to heat up my XL. Once up to temp would it take more to maintain?????[p]
    Mike

  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    tjv,
    mine take longer than yours. i go 250 dome, and allow 32 hours a pound. 225, i allow 2.5 hours per pound. [p]i no longer go lower than 250, as there's no benefit unless i want to drag out a cook. if i don't want to have to start a butt at 3 in the morning, i'll just start it at 225 and bump to 250 in the morning when i get up.[p]

    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Mike in Abita,[p]Interesting question, but not really my intended point. What I meant was that air would flow around the butts better, possibly cutting the cooking time of each individual piece. Two butts of 8# or more on a large are pretty close to one another - those same butts on an XL would have considerably more real estate around them for heat to flow.[p]I would say that it would take more energy to maintain heat in the XL. Even though there is more ceramic mass to hold heat, to maintain that heat would require more energy. I'm sure there is someone out there, maybe in NC, that has calculated lump use and compared the difference between egg sizes.[p]
  • Fidel,[p]I see your point about the air around the butts. I too am hoping either one of our N.C. specialists will speak up.
  • Haggis
    Haggis Posts: 998
    tjv,[p]I bet you aren't the one who will be getting up every 45 minutes to check on the Egg temp . . .
  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    Mike in Abita ,
    You guys are way too tech.[p]Me,
    All I know is if anyone is talking about "airflow" around a butt.............. I run. LOL[p]Happy Holidays,
    Bordello

  • Bordello,[p]Now that is funny. LOL. [p]Mike
  • JDub
    JDub Posts: 23
    Mike in Abita,[p]They were all about 8 lbs each