New Egg-head first butts with temp to high. Need h

Stan The Man

Temp is at 300 and I haven't put the meat on yet. I can't get the temp down and I am afraid of coking the fire out. Can I close the bottom without killing it?

cookn biker

Yes, but don't close it. Just tap it so it's not so open. Wait for 15 min. or so and see whee the temp is.

Little Chef

Stan: Did you already add the platesetter? That will normally help drop your temps quite a bit, and like Cookin Biker said, dont close the vents completely, but you can choke them down quite a bit.

Stan The Man

Thanks I put the butts on and have the vent at the bottom about a half inch and top barely open. It is holding at 250 with target being 225.

LFGEnergy

OK, you are really getting advice (I meant to say here) from ....hhmm...not the best advise giver (and I meant ME, NOT Molly (gosh Molly, I am so very sorry for your thinking I meant you!!! I am embarrassed :unsure: :( )...but....

You just put the meat on, egg trying to compensate, and will rise as it catches up with meat temp. A half inch is a lot at the bottom for 250, IMHO. I suggest you watch for next hour, and maybe crank bottom down a bit more if you see it ramping back up. But not shut! Dont think you are stabilized yet, especially if walking away for next few hours. Also, balance above with occasional posts of folks waking at 6 AM with egg at 100 F and pork spoiled.

Good luck!

stike

put the meat on even if it is 300. the cold meat will drag the temps down, and you can choke the thing til both vents are an eigth inch open

300 all by itself isn't too hot anyway

CaptainSpaulding

Another quick note. 225° is awfully low to shoot for. My large likes 250° dome all day long with the bottom vent at about 3/16" and just a toothpick width open on the top. You don't gain much by keeping it down to 225° and it just takes a bunch longer.

Joe

cookn biker

Not sure what you mean by that comment Dave. Not very nice.

LFGEnergy

Molly!!!

When referring to "Not a great advice giver" I was referring to myself!!! I know how folks get down on newbies offering advise, and I responded accordingly.....

I also see that I placed my post incorrectly in the thread, causing the misunderstanding. My mistake.

My sincerest apologies if it came across any other way. My only concern in posting was that it was late and he had his meat on already and a half inch seemed like a lot of vent.....

Again, my sincerest apologies, I am sad and embarressed.

Dave

BigA

Stan the Man! Get a bbq guru!! go to http://www.thebbqguru.com/ this will control your temps for lo n slo cooks. it is worth every cent, IMO. you set it at 250 and it stays there thru out the whole cook. but 300 isnt to hot to start, there are cooks on this site that cook them that hot, i do mine anywhere from 235 to 250 and if it creeps up to 275 - 300 i just let it go, but after getting the guru, i dont have to worry about anything anymore!! I hope your cook turned out great! Post some photos!!

Stan The Man

Thanks - I would like to get the Diggi II but I just got the egg this week and thought I would try it low tech first. It stayed at 240 all night (11 p.m. - 7:00am) but the internal temp is only 150. I am starting to think I need to turn up the heat to serve tonight at 6 pm (it is 11:30 a.m. now)

stike

FWIW, i got the egg because it stayed at 250 anyway (w/o any controller).

you have the right idea, practice a few times and you'll get the hang of it. it is just like a dimmer switch or gas pedal. if it's too much, dial it back...

Egghead Willie

Stan - you got some great advise here. As a newbie I have now done 8 slow cooks with my next overnight tonight. Its something you have to play with and see what works for you. Hope this turns out to be a great cook and will be looking for pics.

BigA

i know a person can drive a car at 70mph with there foot too but it is nice to have cruise control sometimes, just like the guru! :laugh: :laugh:

stike

well, the egg has built in cruise control.

to each his own, but the egg is entirely capable of going overnight without any adjustment whatsoever. a controller is a luxury. newbies should know that it is not necessary.

fishlessman

ive got cruise control in the truck, it doesnt work under 30 mph, good thing i know how to use the foot :laugh: the only time i ever came close to losing a fire was a center burn and i caught it in time, those temp controllers can lose a fire the same exact way

BigA

yayayayaya - got your point :laugh: :laugh:

BigA

got your point!! :laugh:

BigA

i agree with stike and fishless, the egg is great at staying at a low temp for long periods, that is also a reason why i bought it. sorry if there was cunfusion about a guru being necassary. but they arent. i would get to know the egg completely before getting one and using it, dont put the cart in infront of the horse. :laugh:

Griffin

fishlessman wrote:

ive got cruise control in the truck, it doesnt work under 30 mph, good thing i know how to use the foot :laugh: the only time i ever came close to losing a fire was a center burn and i caught it in time, those temp controllers can lose a fire the same exact way

Forgive a newbie, but what is a center burn? I'm trying to learn all I can, but I've never heard that term before.

fishlessman

every so often the lump burns straight down the center leaving unburnt lump on the sides off the egg. its a reason to check the egg 5 or 6 hours after putting it to bed cooking a low and slow. doesnt happen often but it can catch you off guard if you dont look for it. i use a long rod and push the lump toward the center when i do my once a night check. it can happen if your cooking with the vents manually or with a control device

SmokeyPitt

Hey Stan. How's your internal temp looking now? If you need to crank up the temp to try to get it done by dinner time that is fine IMO. I cooked my last butt at 300 for the last couple of hours and it turned out great.