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Only 4hrs

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Cory430
Cory430 Posts: 1,073
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Is there a reason that I am only getting about 4hrs per load of lump? I am using Cowboy and I know that it doesn't have as long of a burn time as some other brands, but this still seems to be rather short. I am filling to the top of the fire box, should I go higher? It is very cold here (high of 15 today) and know that also requires more lump due to the cold temps. But this has been a pretty consistent burn time for the several cooks that I have done since getting the egg at Xmas. BTW, it is a medium size egg.
Thanks,
Cory
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  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
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    What temps have you been running & what size Egg? In my large in Fla. I get about 24 plus hours at 250 but maybe 1 1/2 to 2 hours doing pizzas 550.

    Pat
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    Thats the odd part. I am running 250 on a medium egg. I keep seeing these really long burn times from other posts and for some reason am only getting about 4hrs.
    Thanks,
    Cory
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  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
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    Check The naked whiz's site. He is the expert

    http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm

    Pat
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Cory,

    On my medium at 350° - 450° 3 to 4 hours and still some lump left over after shutting downis a walk in the park. I fill an inch or so above the fire box.

    I haven't done a low temp on my medium yet.
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  • Hammer
    Hammer Posts: 1,001
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    Cowboy could be a problem; but there sounds as if there is leakage somewhere. How is the gasket? Dome aligned properly? How wide did you have the daisy? How wide was the bottom vent?
    Hammer
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    The bottom vent has been open about 1" and the Daisy anywhere from 1/4 to full open. My temp has been very consistent and the seal is very flush. Grandpa seems to be using a little more lump. Maybe that would be a fix until I can find another brand to try and see if it is in fact the Cowboy.
    Thanks,
    Cory
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  • Longknocker
    Longknocker Posts: 62
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    I love Cowboy lump. It burns clean quickly and leaves very little ash. The downside is the burn time but you should be getting longer that 4 hrs. When I use Cowboy I fill her way up to top of fire ring.
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    That maybe the ticket. So far, I have only been going up to the top of the fire box. Filling up to the top of the fire ring would effectively almost double the amount of lump that I am using.
    Cory
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  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
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    DUHHH. Feel stupid now. :unsure: Should have caught that in your post. Longknocker is right. For long cooks I always fill to top of fire box.

    Pat
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Fill to the top of the fire box (lower part) or fire ring?
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  • Essex County
    Essex County Posts: 991
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    Cory,

    This does sound odd. I can run a full load of Cowboy in my small at 250 for at least 12 hours. Once I get the temp set, the bottom damper is open, maybe 1/8 inch and the daisy closed with the little holes a little less than half open. If you had the bottom open an inch and the top about 1/4 open (you're talking about the part of the daisy that swings, right), you should be a lot higher than 250. Have you checked for leaks? Is your thermometer calibrated? Just trying to figure this out but it seems like you should get a lot more than 4 hours out of a load of Cowboy unless you're really running hot.

    Paul
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    How long are you able to cook?
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    Well , based on previous times, I will have to refill in about 2.5 hrs and will only be about 65% of the way through the cook. At that point I will really up the amount of lump and see what happens. I will report back to let ya'll know. Thanks a ton for the advice. On the bright side, after 5.5 hours, that pig sure is looking good! :)
    Thanks again,
    Cory
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  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
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    Meant top of fire ring :whistle: Do two wrongs make a right? :blush:
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    Paul, I will calibrate the thermometer and let you know. Though there is also a therm. in the meat and it seems to indicate that all is right with the temp.
    Thanks,
    Cory
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Cory,

    2.5 hours at 250° and refill... that is hard to imagine. Even at a fill to the top of the fire pit it should be able to burn a lot longer than that (even cowboy).

    It will be interesting to see your 'after' post.

    Good Cookin,
    Kent
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    A meat probe will be way different than a dome probe and will depend on the stage (time) of the cook.

    A thermometer on the grid will have a relative relationship to the dome temp.
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    The 2.5 hrs left is because this load has already been running for about 1.5hr. Sorry if I was confusing in my post.
    Thanks,
    Cory
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    FlaPoolman wrote:
    Meant top of fire ring :whistle: Do two wrongs make a right? :blush:

    Of course - works for me! :whistle:
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    Grandpa,
    The meat probe is indicating about 150 after 5hrs, I assume that would be about normal.
    Thanks,
    Cory
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  • Essex County
    Essex County Posts: 991
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    Cory,

    What are you cooking? The meat temp could be right on, you just may be running hot.

    Paul
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    I am cooking a 6lb Butt.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Got it...

    4 hours still seems really short for the medium. I kknow broc (and others) do a lot of meat cooking on their medium's maybe they will jump in.

    To me 4 hours is a 'shockingly' low burn time even with lump filled to the top of the firebox.

    Kent
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    a 6# butt is a little small but it sounds like you are hotter than 250° dome.

    I cooked a 10# butt to 200° in 6 hours but I was a lot hotter than 250°.
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  • Essex County
    Essex County Posts: 991
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    So, using the 2 hours per pound rule of thumb, this should be about a 12 hour cook. Sure, it can go faster or slower but did you have to reload twice?? Is this cook in progress?

    I'm just trying to figure out why you're burning so much fuel. Once the egg gets to temp, you should be able to damp down and even Cowboy should burn pretty slowly. If you fill it to the bottom of the fire ring, or even a little higher, you should be able to get 12 hours easy. It's either too much air or too little fuel. The cold outside temp doesn't make a lot of difference in lump consumption because the ceramic is so dense. One more thought. One problem I have had with Cowboy and low-and-slows is it may burn right down the center and go out without completely burning. Is that what's happening?
    Paul
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    At 150 I figure that I still have about 6hrs to go. I will calibrate the thermometer the next time that I put in coal. The plateau period should tell me quite about about how she is cooking as well. If the butt just jumps straight threw the 170 range without slowing I figure that I am indeed running hot. Everything looks about right though. Would the bark be getting too black after 6hrs (at this point)?
    Thanks,
    Cory
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Paul,

    That is a good thought. I too wonder if he is getting a center vertical burn.

    Is the times you are stating for a medium?

    Kent
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  • Cory430
    Cory430 Posts: 1,073
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    Yes the cook is still in progress. Yes I figure that I will have to reload twice. And yes, I am getting somewhat of a center burn with coal. I am sure that is some of the issue as well.
    Thanks,
    Cory
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  • Essex County
    Essex County Posts: 991
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    Nope, the settings I am talking about are for a small. I have done a few 12+ hour cooks on the small. The medium should be able to go longer.
    Paul
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Cory,

    Even when I was doing the test on a fast butt cook it slowed down during the plateau.

    I have no way to judge when the bark would get too dark.

    On the fast cook I had dark bark at 135°. Thirdeye said to foil when you bark is about where you want it.


    Thirdeye has some beautiful bark color on his cooks (both pork and beef). My next tests are are going to be low & slow and then foiling to get a 'perfect (thirdeye)' looking bark.

    I don't cook to time. I use the 'rest' period for my variable time when eating at a planned time.
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