Plate setter Question

sbunker

I will be smoking 15 lbs of pork butt tonight. Its been marinating since last night in rub and mustard. I was always under the impression that the plate setter is to be installed when I light the coals so that it rises at the same temp as the egg. Now I see other posts where people get the fire and temp right and then put the plate setter in. Thermal Shock? It sure would be a lot easier to do it after I have the fire where I want it. Thoughts? 

Mattman3969

I put the PS in when I close the dome after there are a few coals burning. No issues here in 7yrs

JohnInCarolina

You can wait to put it in, but you'll see the dome temp drop a bit. Don't panic and start fiddling with the vents. Just wait and the whole thing will come back up to temp eventually.

tjv

put the platesetter in when you light the lump but put it in legs down, plate up.  this way, it minimizes interference with air circulation in the firebox as the lump comes to temp.  Then, flip over when putting the meat on.  quickest way to stable cooking temps on long cooks. 

t

jhl192

I start my fire with the electric starter.  Once the fire takes hold I remove the electric starter and put in the platesetter.  I think that if you are only bringing the egg to 250 that the platesetter could go in after it stabilizes but I figure why take the chance.   

pretzelb

I did a cook last night and put the platesetter in at the start. I'm still learning but I think this caused it to take longer to get up to temp. But it could also be I didn't have enough lump. Or both.

SmokinDAWG82

I start with Starter cubes, let cubes burn out so fire is going then put setter in and drip pan. It comes up to temp pretty fast

calracefan

Put in at the start, let it increase in temp with the rest of the egg. I don't think it takes any longer than if you wait and through the cold hunk of ceramic in and watch your temp fall. Just my opinion !

Skiddymarker

Never noticed a real difference for low and slows. After all the cooks done, I know the vent settings and like @jhl192 once the electric starter comes out, the set-up goes in, setter, spacers, drip pan cooking grid and grid level pit probe. 

The air flow is so little there is no effect by the setter being in place. 

sbunker

Thanks,

I guess it doesn't matter. I know exactly where the vents need to go for this cook so I don't have to worry about that. I can sent them as soon as the lump is started and going and just wait before I put the food in.

Grillmagic

I have a XL and use a electric starter for 8/9 minutes with a full load of lump then pull the starter and stir the coals to where I want them with the vents wide open an no DW and put the plate setter in legs up and check in 10 minutes and start adjusting for the cook I'm doing.