Help with long cook.

locolongball

Well Gang, I've had the egg for a couple of weeks. I've only not cooked on the egg a couple of nights. I'm having a blast! I've deceied tonight to try my first long cook.. I've got an 7.3 pound pork shoulder, that I plan to put on later this evening. The question is; it's storming tonight in Ocala, and I'm getting some pretty good winds blowing on the egg. I live in condos so I don't really have another place to put the egg for the longer cook. I don't guess I'm really that worried about the fire going out, rather that going up on me. Do you think this is going to be a problem?

stike

LocoLongBall,
nope

locolongball

stike,[p]Thanks for the detailed info. Now I'll sleep great! :-)

Unknown

LocoLongBall,[p]If possible, turn the cooker so the intake vent is down wind and you shouldn't have any problems. [p]Dave

Sigmore

LocoLongBall, Good meeting you at the Egg Fest. With the top and bottom barely open I don't think it will really be of much concern. What Stike said.

sprinter

LocoLongBall,[p]For that 7 pound shoulder you're looking at about 10-14 hours to get it done, cooking about 250 or so. Unless you are just DYING to cook overnight, or have to have something cooked by tomorrow, you may want to put it on first thing in the AM and let it cook all day rather than have your first long cook be at a time when you cant watch it and see how the egg responds over long periods. This will give you information you will need for your overnight as you'll know what to expect. Just an idea, good luck wiht the cook, and as Old Dave said, if you are going to cook in the wind just turn the air intake away from the wind and it should be fine. For low and slow the vents are open so little anyway that it shouldnt be affected at all.[p]Troy

stike

LocoLongBall,
that's all you need to know, boss.[p]unless that wind blows the damper open, or spins the daisy, you'll be fine

locolongball

stike,[p]I know, I was just giving you a hard time. Thanks to everyone for the advice. I'll post pics later. [p]Thanks.

stike

locolongball,
well, i was just bein a wise-arse!

Unknown

LocoLongBall,
Just do what most of us do while sleeping. You don't. lol
Unless you have a guru. That is what makes it all worth the while. NO SLEEP WHILE COOKING> [p]Jerry

Clay Q

LocoLongBall,
Well, kinda all depends on if your willing to baby sit. Not that it's a bad thing. Your egg is a member of the family after all. Don't go to sleep untill after 12:00 midnight. Set a timer to wake you at 4:00 in the morning cause that's when the fire wants to dwindel if its not behaven. Sleep on the couch. Check temp with a bright flash light cause your going to have blurred vision.[p]Now, I'd be willing to do this If it's not going to rain. Not that I'm afraid of rain and lightning, but you gotta plan this to be a fun thing. Not a chore or a white knuckle, nail biter. I heard about the rain in Ocala-their toad soakers. Now, if your STILL willing, think positive, be brave, and watch the weather channel.[p]Lump of Clay[p]

Banker John

LocoLongBall,
OOOOooooh, I remember my first all nighter (cooking that is). A lesson I learned is to light the egg early and let it stabilize at the temp you desire (230 is my preference) for a good hour or two before putting the meat in.[p]For a 7.5 pounder, I'd wait until about you 11:00 before putting the meat in. Add your wood chunks just before adding the meat.[p]About 2:30, when you wake to pee (sorry for my formal english, here) check the temp and make a minor adjustment, if necessary. Back to bed to wake at the crack of 8:30 (bankers hours) to check the temp and meat again. By now, the meat, for me, would just be entering the plateau. Don't worry, it will stay at this temp for, what seems like, eternity. It's normal.[p]About noon, you may want to keep a closer eye on the polder. Pull at 199 and wrap tight in HD Aluminum foil, keeping the probe inserted and attached to the polder. Wrap again with foil. Wrap with a towel. Wrap again with foil and then a second towel. All this is overkill, but, heck, it's your first time - have fun and make a huge mess. Place in a cooler until ready to pull (about 4:30)[p]Post your address and I may show up around 5! LOL, just kidding.[p]Banker John

locolongball

Banker John,[p]Awsome! Thanks for the help. I started around 7pm. I was hoping for a late lunch..but we'll see. I'm going to try to get some pics up before I got to bed. Temp is right @ 230, holding strong. I can't believe it's even holding that temp. I barely have the bottom slide even open, maybe 3/8 of an inch, and and the daisy wheel is about 1/2 way open. (not the slide, but the wheel). However, the temp hasn't gone down at all.

Banker John

locolongball,
Boy, sounds like you are well on your way. [p]Each grill is unique on its vent settings. 3/8" sounds like a lot, compared to my medium that has the bottom open about the width of a credit card (1/16") and the top about the same as you mention. Watch the temp over the next hour or two to make sure it does not slowly creep up, meaning you may wake to a 325 cook and done meat, too soon.[p]Banker John

locolongball

Banker John,[p]Will do, thanks.

QBabe

Bryan,[p]No problem at all for the egg, but I'm not of the "set it and forget it" mindset, either. I'm one who checks my temps throughout the night, just to make sure things are going the way I want them to. I've seldom had a need to adjust throughout the night, but it does happen occasionally. [p]I'm also one who strongly believes it's good to learn the skill of how to control the fire in your cooker and one of the first things you'll learn, is not to overadjust every time the reading is a little off the 250° you're shooting for. There will be fluctuations in the dome temp throughout the cook. [p]Have fun and hope you don't end up with too much of the stormy weather. It sure was nasty up here this morning, but seems to have settled down a bit now...[p]Tonia
:~)[p]