Vent settings

Derek9511

I picked up my xlBGE yesterday after getting it assembled I cooked some wings and they came out great. It does take longer than on the webber but the quality is second to none. Tonight I am trying Dr BBQ meatloaf. I am having trouble getting the temp down below 300 degrees. I watched it carefully comming up. I realized later that instead of starting a single fire I broke the starter block into 3 sections so I started 3 fires instead of one. I have the vents closed down I was worried I would put the fire out. About a half inch open on the bottom and half closed on the top. I am amazed that it stays going solid on 300 for almost 2 hours. Should I close them more or just start s single fire tomorrow? I want to try ribs then. Of course this tropical depression is supposed to move through tomorrow also.

lousubcap

A couple of things-BGE fire is air flow controlled (assuming you have enough lump and got it going).  So, temperature control (aka fire volume) is a function of the amount of air flow through the bottom and out the top.  You can control by top or bottom vent or combinations of each (preferred for low temp cooks).  With any BGE (I have a LBGE) the trick is to catch the temperature rise on the way up to the desired end-point.  You have a lot of ceramic mass and if it gets heated above the target temperature it takes a while to cool down.

So, with that-get a good mass of lump burning (don't know the relative descriptors for the XL) and then shut the dome and set your vents for the approximate final desired temp.  Minor adjustments as you go.  And remember, the feedback indicator to any adjustments is your dome thermo-and that will take a while.  So, patience is the name of the game at the low & slow temps.  Read all you really need to know here-

Best basic info site going- http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramic.htm 

 

gte1

1/2 inch is actually a lot for low temps. You will find for low and slow cooks, after you get the lump going, you won't have the bottom vent open much more than a couple credit card widths.

George

Derek9511

Thank you - I really thought I was going to put the fire out.  It came out fine - I know i am just learning how to work this.  I had no idea it could close that much and stay lit.  Thanks again.

Derek9511

More than this?

Phoenix824

Yep,   I ran  a Butt at 250 last night 14 hours and that was close to what I had open.    I started at 8:00 put the meat on at 8:30 temp 200.     Kept closing the vents a little until everything was stabilized at 250 by 9:30.   I checked it at 10:30 and 11:30 still running 250.    Went to bed.   Woke up at 6.    Still right on 250.   That is what my egg gave me at around 10:00 this morning

BYS1981

One thing to remember with the ribs if you are using a platesetter, or any other indirect method, shoot for higher than your target temp. Once the plate setter goes in it will take egg down some, for 250 cooks I go to abt 325.