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Help with overheated egg

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acertain
acertain Posts: 24
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
As I posted on my hubristic other thread, I let my temps get away from me. The egg got up to 400, and is around 300 now, with both vents closed, and the meat is in the oven.

My question is, should I just leave it in the oven, or is there some chance to recover (before 2am)? Is my fire totally out and I'm just dealing with the thermal mass of the egg, so when it does get down to temp, I'm not going to have any way to keep it going?

I'm fine just leaving it in the over overnight and returning it to the egg in the morning after relighting the fire. Good lesson for me! Or should I still try to get it in the egg tonight?

Thanks.

Andrew
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    Unless you are in the Pacific time zone or earlier, 2am has passed.

    The good and bad thing about the egg is that the ceramic's hold heat very well.

    I am afraid this is going to be a long night for you or at the least waking up checking the egg.

    You need to get the egg stabilized at your cook temp - and keep an eye on that temp for an hour or so. Bringing the temp down there is always the problem of the lump going out or taking some additional time to make sure the lump is going and the egg isn't going to run away from you again.

    After using the egg for a while I know about where the vent settings should be for several different temps.

    I have no XL experience. On my large bottom vent about 1/8" open and top petals about 1/3 open will ge me close to 250° dome.

    You could get a pan or bowl put some ice in it and place that on the grid to help lower the temp. You may have to change the pan several times and make darn sure you don't spill water inside on the lump.

    Once you get your dome temp at target or close to target make sure you are stable. Once you open the dome and put anything the egg the temp will drop - do not change the vent settings and make sure the top vent stays at the opening you have set it at.

    The egg will restabilize at the previous stable temp.

    Watch that temp to make sure it doesn't drop or climb.

    Should your lump have gone out you will have to re-light and this time don't overshoot your cook temp. Begin closing dampers down 40° or so before target temp. Then open up slowly and wait after each change. This process takes time and it is easy to over shoot and you are back in the same boat as before.

    You may want to foil the meat and set the oven at cooking temp and finish the cook there.

    Personally, I don't think you should hold the meat in the oven until morning and then back to the egg to cook especially with pork.

    You didn't say what temp the meat is and how long it has been at its current temp.

    It's late over here and I am heading to bed. There are other experienced eggers logged in and hopefully with more info they will catch the forum and help you.

    Good luck - we all have been through this same thing. It isn't fun even in the day time.

    GG
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  • acertain
    acertain Posts: 24
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    Thanks for the thoughts. I am in Pacific, so 2am hadn't passed (although now it has). I got the temp fairly stabilized around 230, but I haven't been able to get it to totally level out (bouncing between 230 and 240). I think it's close enough for me to get some rest, so I'll take a little nap.

    That Stoker's looking cheaper and cheaper all the time.... ;)

    Andrew
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