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Lump vs Temp

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Curbs
Curbs Posts: 11
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Ok, lookin for a little science class here.

I can see there are two ways to get to a certain temp in the dome.

One would be a large pile of lit coals with a small O2 flow to them. (Lot's of coals, but vents almost closed.)

The other would be with a smaller amount of lit coals with a large O2 supply. (Less coals, but vents wide open.)

My question:

If I threw two identical pieces of meat on two eggs with the same dome temperatures, but one had a full firebox barely glowing and the other had a small pile of super hot coals roaring, how would the cooks be different?

I expect a difference in infrared energy, and also a difference in moisture with regards to air flow. But how does this translate into real-world results?

(And if anyone has a second egg I could borrow... well I'd be glad to test this on my own.) :whistle:
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Comments

  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    They won't.. However the egg with the smaller amount of lump obviously won't last as long..

    Just fill the firebox, cook and shut it down. The next night fire up the lump again and cook, shut it down. The next night you might need to add some lump, but not much, cook and shut it down..

    You get the idea.. Now stop over thinking and start cooking :woohoo:
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  • Darnoc
    Darnoc Posts: 2,661
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    There should not be any.When you reach the cooking temperature I don't think the Egg knows how much lump was in the firebox.
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    ...NT...
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    I would think if there would some difference.

    I also think there would be a difference with the difference in distance from the lump to the food.

    If there is a lava looking glow in the lump that lump is about 1000°

    GG
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    lump burns at 1100-1200 degrees.

    that's a pretty fixed temp. meaning, a 250 degree fire can't be built from a lot of lump burning at 250, or a little lump burning at 4000.

    if your dome says 250, you pretty much have the same amount of lump burning every time it says 250. some lump is less dense, and maybe then you'd have more lump involved than if you had a harder lump.

    but if you have a fire of royal oak going at 250 there's X amount of lump involved. a week later, same conditions, another fire at 250, and you pretty much have the same amount of lump going.

    you can't really light all the lump and hold it back to 250. you really just have a very small amount of lump burning at 1200, which is enough to keep the dome environment at 250
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Curbs
    Curbs Posts: 11
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    Yeah, I ALWAYS overthink stuff. :P

    I actually have been doing just what CW said, adding fresh to last nights leftovers and rolling from there.

    But I noticed tonight with a FULL firebox, I had to keep my vents almost shut completely down to maintain ~350 for a Spatchcocked chicken.

    And it actually turned out to be the juiciest one yet. I pulled it at the same temp I always do, but I figured maybe the reduction in air flow kept it moister.

    Who knows? Chalk it up to ANOTHER lucky cook!
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  • Darnoc
    Darnoc Posts: 2,661
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    I always trust the thermometer under any condition.At a given cooking level the numbers do not lie.
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  • Geo
    Geo Posts: 53
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    Other than the coal being closer to the cooking grate 250 degrees is 250 degrees. It's not about the amount of lump it's about the amount of air being fed to lump.
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  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
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    Hey Curbs,, just give me a hollar. I'm just across the bridge and have 2 larges. Always looking for a reason to fire both up together besides feeding 80 plus for SuperBowl :laugh:
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  • sirlancealot
    sirlancealot Posts: 506
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    Hello Stike,got a question. Well if you have a little bit of lump burning at 1200, to have a 250 deg. dome. the longer it burns the more the other lump is going to catch on fire and raise the temp.correct? But keeping the vent where it is keeps the temp where it is right? I got a little confused on your response.With most humbleness thanks.....
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    it's all controlled by air. the vents limit the air, so the fire can't grow....
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • sirlancealot
    sirlancealot Posts: 506
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    thanks for the response...
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  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
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    Your assumptions are wrong. The amount of lump is irrelavent unless you have only a very small amount. The air is going to decide how much of the lump is going to burn and thus what your temp will be. In other words, if you set your vents a certain way and you get 350 degrees, having more or less lump in the fire will not alter the temperature or size of the fire. The fire will always be limited by the amount of air you let it have unless you only have a few pieces of charcoal in there.
    The Naked Whiz
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