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

From a newbie to other newbies: temp control

HuevoMacho
HuevoMacho Posts: 28
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I took my first small step towards temp control zen yesterday. As so many wise eggers have said on this forum:

1. Light your lump
2. Control the vents and get to your temp gradually
3. Let the your egg sit at your target temp for a while (20 minutes at min) to let the egg's ceramic heat up
4. Presto! stabilized heat throughout your cook

The first time I cooked I used the guru to control my temp, but I didn't let the egg stabilize long enough. And that led to big dips on temp whenever I opened the lid that lasted for about 5-10 min.

This time, I manually controlled the temp (although with the guru, the results would've been the same) but let my egg sit at 400 for 20 min. My temp dips never lasted for more than 2 minutes AND after I was done grilling, I could've easily baked a chicken with the vents closed. The egg easily stayed above 350 for 1 hour and half after I closed it down. Also, my temp never varied more than 10 degrees.

Newbies, be patient with your temp ramp up and stabilization and you'll be happy with the results.

Comments

  • Rod
    Rod Posts: 61
    I setup for a pizza tonight with new load of lump (large Egg). Set a spider in with a 13" stone for indirect. Placed in adjustable rig with 14" Pizza stone at top level.

    With bottom vent wide open and top off, dome temp never said it went over 550. When I went to put pizza on I could feel heat from egg and smelled something burning. It was the seal. Got the impression that the Egg got a lot hotter than the dome temp gauge indicated.

    Several times I placed the daisy on around 525 to stabalize at 500 and temp dropped below five with daisy wide open. Is my dome temp gauge not working correctly? It's been raining quite a bit lately here in Florida and I don't have a cover for it yet.

    Thanks
  • HuevoMacho
    HuevoMacho Posts: 28
    Have you calibrated your gauge? How did you light up your lump?
  • Rod
    Rod Posts: 61
    I haven't calibrated the gauge that sits in the dome. I didn't know that we were supposted to. :blink:

    To light, I placed two of those little fire starters in the lump (not together). Lit them with a lighter and piled some lump over them.
  • HuevoMacho
    HuevoMacho Posts: 28
    You usually don't need to calibrate them out-of-the-box, but I'm paranoid and like to make extra sure. Also, it's a quick way to find out if it's off.

    The calibration technique is on the instructions that were in the box with the gauge.

    Your lighting technique sounds ok.

    If you find that your guage is reading wrong, then not enough temp might be due to lack of air coming up from under the coal. But if your seal is burning, that sounds unlikely.
  • HuevoMacho
    HuevoMacho Posts: 28
    one more thing... the dome was closed right? Have you checked how tight your egg is sealed when closed? You can try the dollar bill test around the back/front/left/right sides to make sure you've got enough seal. If the bill slips out without any tension, then maybe you've got hot air drafting out from the side of the egg.
  • Rod
    Rod Posts: 61
    Lately I've been adding some lump to my base and stiring before lighting. Seems like it's not been getting hot enough. Maybe it has and my gauge is not registering.

    Today I cleaned out all the lump and vacuumed all the ash out and started fresh. Gauge never went over 550 with both vents wide open (daisy off).

    My dealer put everything together for me and delivered. Don't recall seeing any gauge instructions. Appreciate all the help.

    Have not tried testing seal (with dollar) but have not seen any smoke coming out from seals. Will give that a try. Guess I need to replace the seal. Did not burn all the way around. Just on one side.
  • Here are some instructions to calibrate the dome thermometer. Both of mine were reading 50 degrees to low right out of the box.

    Remove the clip under the dome and pull the thermometer.

    Water boils at 212°, take off 0.5° for every 500' in elevation for where you are cooking at.

    Get a pot of boiling water, watch out for the steam, put the tip of the thermometer in the boiling water. Use a 7/16" wrench on the nut on the back of the thermometer to adjust.
  • Rod
    Rod Posts: 61
    Ok, I'll pull the gauge and calibrate. I suspect it's going to be off.
    Thank you both for responding! :)
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Rod, my guess is your dome thermometer is off. 20° off is not all that bad and 50° won't kill you. However, you need to check it and calibrate it if needed. You (everyone) should check the calibration periodically.

    The seal is commonly called the gasket (top and bottom).

    Talk to your dealer about the burnt gasket.

    Dome alignment is important gaps, up and down and or side to side should be adjusted and corrected. Gaps between the gaskets will allow the gaskets to burn out. There are other caused of gasket burn out but for now address the gap.

    Early on in my egg life I had a difficult problem with my medium egg. While trying to get my problem solved I ended up writing a detailed instructions for a dollar bill test. Here is the link to those instructions Detailed Dollar Bill Test.

    Skimming through it will give you and idea of what to do. I just took a look at the post again and I need to make some changes and simplify it some.

    Your posts above sound like you need to check your alignment.

    GG
  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
    Rod, I misread one of your posts above. You said you did not see any smoke coming out of the gasket area.

    Therefore, your dome to base may be alighted properly. It is a good idea to do a dollar bill test to make sure. Double check the area around where the gasket looks burnt.

    When you add lump, or add and mix, or put in fresh lump try to be careful that ash or small pieces of lump do not block the air holes in the fire grate or air holes in the side of the fire box. The air holes are easy plug and are generally the cause of egg not getting to temperature or stalling at a given temperature.

    Clearing the air holes with a bent coat hanger or wiggle rod will usually resolve the problem.

    There is not a lot of reason to take an egg to extreme heat levels.

    GG
  • Rod
    Rod Posts: 61
    Appreciate all of the responses!

    Well I tested my dome temp gauge this morning in boiling water and it was just a tad over 200 so it appears to be working correctly. :S It still had some condensation inside from the rains we've been having.

    Next I did GG's detailed dollar bill test and ended up with a low number of between 1 and 2 at 6 o'clock (one of least burnt areas). All other areas were around a 4 rating.

    I took some pictures and added them to a gallery incase anyone wants to take a gander.
    http://www.pbase.com/rod_ostoski/gasket

    I thought maybe the gasket might have gotten wet from the rain but the moisture would have evaporated right?

    P.S. - Forgot to mention: I had soaked some hickory chunks and tossed 3 of them into the fire before placing Pizza on stone.
  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,453
    Great job and welcome.

    However, as for
    AND after I was done grilling, I could've easily baked a chicken with the vents closed. The egg easily stayed above 350 for 1 hour and half after I closed it down.
    I hope you don't actually do that :P , because:
    [ol][li]The temp will drop substantially when you put in the cold chicken[/li]
    [li]With all the vents closed the chicken will be too smokey[/li]
    [/ol]
    canuckland
  • HuevoMacho
    HuevoMacho Posts: 28
    From your pics, it looks like your top band isn't seated as far up as it could go. That's my guess.
  • HuevoMacho
    HuevoMacho Posts: 28
    haha :) I was being dramatic!