The Pitfalls of Cooking with Too Little Fuel

News2u

Yesterday I learned the hard way not to lump too much meat in with my lump, cuz doing so comes with a major pitfall ... literally ... in degrees. Two and 1/2 hours into a rib cook, knowing the amount of lump I started with was sketchy, I threw on a nice sized bird and walked away. Well, the ribs probably would have been fine alone. But by adding the cold chicken, the pit temp went into a shock and no matter how much the blower blew, the DigiQ couldn't revive the patient. Didn't check status for 2 hours before pit temp was barely holding at 127°. Thank goodness for a convection oven, even if the ribs were a tad greasy. 

Moral of the story, when you're low on lump get off your lazy, Labor Day ass and get some more before striking the match...or at least match the scale of the cook to your fuel supply.

Theophan

I've cooked one rack of ribs for me and my wife many times, and the temperature stayed amazingly steady even though I stabilized the temp, and then added wood, plate setter, and a rack of ribs.  I foolishly thought the same thing would happen when, for the first time, I cooked 3 racks of ribs yesterday.  Nope.  The temperature dropped WAY down when I added 3 TIMES more cold meat than I had before, and I had to open the vents a lot wider to get the Egg back to a decent temp.  (I don't use a blower.)

I had plenty of fuel, though.  I often don't add more lump if I'm grilling something hot and fast and it looks like I have enough from the previous cook, but I've never started a low and slow cook without filling it up to the top of the fire box, and sometimes a little higher.  I ran out of lump one time several years ago, and I'm with you: that was a lesson learned.  

dougcrann

As a general rule I always clean the Egg out completely before a long cook so I know the ash build up won't be a problem and also so I know I have enough fuel. I always add a few chunks prior to lighting it, just to be safe. 
I was cooking burgers a few years back and thought the small pile was going to be enough...it was...but the Egg never made it over 275* 

News2u

Duly noted.

Jstroke

Two things I learned very quickly. Anything less than the top of the firebox is not enough and less than five bags of lump on hand and I tend to get nervous. I keep plenty of meat, gin, and lump on hand. With those three everything else can be dealt with.

Hungry Joe

That is one of the reasons I always fill my egg at least half way into the firebox on every cook. I never ran out of fuel and always have consistent setting and temperatures.

NPHuskerFL

Were you out of lump period or just in the egg?  Why not add real quick and keep truckin?

henapple

It really depends on the quality of the lump. 

Hungry Joe

^^^^ I totally agree to some to some extent.

News2u

I was out and took the risk...to my regret.

Jeepster47

dougcrann said:

... thought the small pile was going to be enough...it was...but the Egg never made it over 275* 

In an automobile, you can drive it at 70 mph right up until the last drop of gas is consumed.  In the egg, that analogy doesn't work. 

Warm the egg up to 350 degrees and start a cook with limited lump in the egg.  After awhile, you'll notice the temp falling off and you'll start opening up the vents.  You'll repeat the opening of the vents several times until ugly daisy is off and the bottom vent is full open, but the temp will keep falling.  Look in the egg and there will still be lump in there burning away ... it just doesn't have the ability to release enough energy to maintain the higher temps.

Thus, when you fill the egg with lump, you need enough in there to maintain temps ... and, enough to last for the entire cook.  If you don't fill it enough, you'll finish your cook in the oven ... like I did last winter.

pgprescott

There is no reason not to top the fuel off when cooking. The fuel is reused continuously. It is just as involuntary as breathing for me. You don't save anything by not adding lump prior to a cook. 

News2u

I hear that; the mistake will NOT be repeated.

SciAggie

Jstroke said:

Two things I learned very quickly. Anything less than the top of the firebox is not enough and less than five bags of lump on hand and I tend to get nervous. I keep plenty of meat, gin, and lump on hand. With those three everything else can be dealt with.

Wisdom. +1

blasting

@Jeepster47   Thanks, that was a great explanation.

News2u

dougcrann said:

As a general rule I always clean the Egg out completely before a long cook so I know the ash build up won't be a problem and also so I know I have enough fuel. I always add a few chunks prior to lighting it, just to be safe. 
I was cooking burgers a few years back and thought the small pile was going to be enough...it was...but the Egg never made it over 275* 

For the record, I thoroughly cleaned my XL before the fateful Labor Day cook, so I can't blame the fiasco on poor venting.  Plain and simple: not enough fuel to sustain the overall cook. However, the experience wasn't without its reward. It made me appreciate that much more how much better the cook tastes when it's been allowed the proper smoke time. There is no rushing the process and certainly no substitute.

fishlessman

if your running low on lump, try doing the cook raised grid direct, ive done pork butts that way and its amazing how little lump gets burned without that indirect stone pushing heat back down into the fire. i also suspect your fan device is chasing temps and forcing a bigger fire than needed.

notice how little lump was burned on this cook done direct without the fan
http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/507801/cooking-a-butt-direct

News2u

Whoa! Just checked out the link, and I am eager to put that to the test, should conditions warrant. Love how you dressed to butt too.