Initial fire temerature prior to shutting down to cook at 240 degrees. Does it matter .....

grillman16

FIxing to cook an 8 lb. pork butt with bone.  Do I need to let my fire get to a certain temperature BEFORE I shut it down to cook the entire time at around 240 degrees?  If so, what temperature?  I expect about a 12 - 15 hour total cook at 240 degrees.  Want to make sure my fire goes as long as possible.  I will have it filled to the top of the firebox.

 

grillman16

FIxing to cook an 8 lb. pork butt with bone. Do I need to let my fire get to a certain temperature BEFORE I shut it down to cook the entire time at around 240 degrees? If so, what temperature? I expect about a 12 - 15 hour total cook at 240 degrees. Want to make sure my fire goes as long as possible. I will have it filled to the top of the firebox.

SmokeyPitt

I would suggest shooting for 250 (dome thermometer) and just let it ride.  The "sweet spot" for the egg seems to be 250 and you won't notice a difference in the final product.  Just get the egg stable at around 250 for an 45 minutes or so, then put on your meat.  The temp is gonna drop, but just walk away and come back in an hour or so and then make small adjustments.  

  

JeffM

When my egg gets close to200 I start closing the vents so that it raises slowly to 225 then slow it down some more to 240-250 with it never getting above 250 hopefully.

The Naked Whiz

Jeffm: Bingo!

CNL

I always approach the temp if at all possible. Get it close and set the top and bottom vents at your spot for 250.  Let it settle in and clear the smoke & fine PP will be waiting later.

onedbguru

Grillman16,

the one thing you DO NOT want to do is get it too hot and try to bring it down  - at that point it is easier to kill the fire and start over.  As others have stated, sssslllliiiidddde up to the temp.

BrewnChew

For me it is about knowing my egg and what I need to set the top and bottom opening sizes to get me 225 at the grate.  When I smoke overnight I usually start lighting the egg at 9pm.  I use the starter cubes and lay one on top of the chunk with a couple larger pieces tented over it.  As opposed to when I'm going to get it hot and I make a little chunk igloo and start it much lower down in the chunk bed.  In about fifteen minutes I get my plate setter, tin pan and grate on and close it down to my settings.  At 10 when I put on my butts the temp is a bit over 200 but drops to 185-190 ish.  Don't touch your openings, unless the top one closed or opened on you.  By the time I go to bed it has risen some but when I wake up, 225 on the dot.  When I do two pork butts I usually go from 10pm - 1pm (ish).  Sometimes a quick wiggle rod from the bottom about 10am when my maverick starts going south.  This usually only happens when I have a lot of small bits from the bottom of the chunk bag.

So my big piece of advice is to learn your egg during the day.  What settings work for you.  I have a large and my bottom opening is about 1/4" and my upper is about 1/4 at the center (it is a circle after all, so the crescent shape isn't 1/4 top to bottom).  Once you know that it is a piece of cake.

Good luck and enjoy, oh and my 225 grate is about 240ish dome!  Also with a full fire box of chunk you will be amazed at how much is actually left when your done.