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Frustration!

Matt
Matt Posts: 143
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Gang --

My large has been seriously out of alignment for the last couple of months. I've tried everything (Celtic Wolf even came by to help one day), but to no avail.

I've spent my entire morning completely disassembling my Egg (twice!) including full tear downs of the entire hinge assembly (I couldn't even get the plastic spring brackets on when I started). Alas, to no avail -- the alignment is much (much) better than it was, but I still have a small underbite and I don't pass the dollar bill test at the hinge. Really, it shouldn't be this hard.

I think I would be willing to put up with this frustration if I felt like the food I was producing on my Egg was significantly better than what I used to make on my Weber kettle and my offset smoker, but that's just not the case (in fact, the quality of my ribs has gone down since I got my Egg).

Sorry -- I know I'm not getting much sympathy here in the Land of True Believers, but I didn't know where else to vent. Thanks for hearing me out.

Matt

Comments

  • Wise One
    Wise One Posts: 2,645
    For most things I don't think you will see a big difference between the Weber and the EGG. If you're good on one of them you'll be good on the other. I see the biggest difference in low and slow (I don't have to add lump) and on some meats that tend to dry out (like my wife's well done chicken). As for alignment, I wouldn't get hung up on the dollar bill test. I'm not sure mine even passes the silver dollar test!

    I am curious though as to why the quality of your ribs would go down from the Weber to the EGG. How do you do them?
  • Matt
    Matt Posts: 143
    Wise One --

    Thanks for the response. My ribs are pretty "standard" -- dry rub, platesetter legs up, drip pan, cook at 225-250, sauce during the last 30-60 minutes. I've found that I can't get them as smoky as I like on the Egg. When I have tried in the past to up the smoke level significantly, the bark gets too dark. It's been a real struggle.

    Matt
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Matt,

    In my opinion the small underbite and the inability to pass the dollar bill test mean nothing. I've never tried the dollar bill test in over 8 years of owning an egg.

    If the lid stays open, you can achieve and hold your target temperatures, and shut it down when done cooking then nothing else matters.

    The quality of your cooks should improve as you get used to the nuances and subtle difference between the egg and other cookers.
  • Hungry Joe
    Hungry Joe Posts: 1,566
    Call the mother ship in Atlanta. I had an issue where no matter what I did there was a gap between my top and bottom when the bands were tightened. After three weeks and 3 or 4 attempts on my own it took all of about a half hour from when I left a message to coming to the conclusion I had a bevel in my top that allowed it to lift up when the bands were tightened. I had a replacement in about ten days after that. Not saying your issue is the same as mine but I never imagined it would be resolved as fast as it was.
  • Matt
    Matt Posts: 143
    Fidel --

    Thanks -- what I can't figure out, though, is that I've had my Egg for about five years now, so it's not like I'm just beginning. That said, I cooked on a Weber kettle for 15 years and an offset smoker for 6 years before getting my Egg.

    Matt
  • Matt
    Matt Posts: 143
    Hungry Joe --

    Thanks -- maybe I'll give that a try.

    Matt
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    Well, let's try to quantify why your ribs were better on other cookers. What qualities do you seek that you are unable to achieve?

    You tell us what you are trying to get and the collective "we" can probably give you some tips to tailor your cooking prep/time/temp/method to help you get to your goal.
  • Matt
    Matt Posts: 143
    Fidel --

    From my response to Wise One: "My ribs are pretty "standard" -- dry rub, platesetter legs up, drip pan, cook at 225-250, sauce during the last 30-60 minutes. I've found that I can't get them as smoky as I like on the Egg. When I have tried in the past to up the smoke level significantly, the bark gets too dark."

    I'd be happy to hear your suggestions -- previously when I have asked for rib advice here on the forum, I have received multiple "use CWM's recipe" responses, but little else. If the CWM method worked for me (not sure what I am doing wrong), I wouldn't be asking.

    Thanks again -- look forward to hearing your thoughts.

    Matt
  • Fidel
    Fidel Posts: 10,172
    What kind of wood are you using for smoke? How much wood? Chips, chunks, or both? Do you soak them?

    You can always control the color by tenting with foil (not wrapping tightly -- just tenting) for a short period of 30-60 minutes late into the cook.

    You can also cut the color down by lowering the sugar and paprika content of your rub.

    What kind of lump do you use? Some lend more flavor than others.
  • Matt
    Matt Posts: 143
    Fidel --

    I generally smoke with hickory, oak, and/or fruit (predominantly apple) woods. I use either Royal Oak or Cowboy charcoal. I have used chips, chunks, or a combination of the two. I typically mix some unsoaked wood in with my lump and place soaked wood on top after the fire is built.

    I know what you mean about the tenting, but what I can't figure out is why I would need to do this on the Egg when it was never necessary in my other cookers.

    Thanks.

    Matt
  • Matt
    Matt Posts: 143
    All --

    Another note -- I had my Egg in pretty good shape after the rebuilds this morning and then put some baby backs on. They're cruising along at about 225 right now and the Egg is leaking like a sieve. This is the same thing that happened after the last time I did a realignment -- it looked OK (not great, but OK) but then the first time I cooked, it got significantly worse. What gives?

    Matt