How Much Charcoal

Patriot

Smoked a turkey yesterday and had difficulty getting the temp down to 325. Instead it hung in there at approx 360 in spite of my virtually closing the daisy wheel and leaving no more than 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch in bottom vent. I suspect the problem may have been that I filled the fire bowl with lump even though it was only going to be a 2 hour cook. If so, how do you get low temps for a long cook -say brisket where you will need a lot of lump?

Dobie

The amount of lump is irrelevant. It how big the fire is and catching the temp on the way up. You control the fires size with airflow. Once you overshoot it's hard to lower because the ceramics hold the heat well.

Florida Grillin Girl

Try shutting down the vents 50 degrees before your target temperature. Once you overshoot the temp you want, it's very hard to get it to cool down. The amount of charcoal doesn't matter. Also, maintain your target temp for an hour before you put your food on. 

JohnnyTarheel

Yeah you need to catch it on way up. 

WeberWho

You're fine with lump. I fill my lump up towards the top for low and slows (250 degrees). When lighting your egg make sure you start to adjust your vents prior to hitting your tagert temp. Easier to go up in temp than it is to bring it back down. You can shut the vent down to a toothpick size and still have sufficient air flow. Maybe the lower vent was open too much yet?

JustineCaseyFeldown

Trouble getting temp down means it was too high for too long

amount of fuel has no effect on temp. Just as cars don't go faster on a full tank. Throttle is everything

try not to go to long above your target temp. There is no reason to "get a good fire going" before settling in at your lower temp

SmokingPiney

Catch the target temp on the way up. I usually start closing off the vents in increments when I'm within 50 degrees of target. Once you overshoot, it's tough to get the temp back down. 

lousubcap

Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  You will get this sorted out in no time.  Nothing further to add to the topic.  Just have fun and don't run out of adult supervisory beverages.

Wolfpack

If you over shoot try adding a pan of ice water- can help drop temp

da87

Welcome!  Only been part of the egg addiction since June - but for what it's worth don't be afraid to almost totally close the vents. For me to hold 250 or less the bottom vent is thinner than a credit card would fit through and the daisy wheel the slightest visible opening

these are from before I fixed a gap at the gasket junction, now these settings hold 225 - 250. 

YukonRon

Welcome  to wallet genocide. You will get this temp thing dialed in. If you go over your desired temp and wish to wait, be sure you have plenty of adult beverages for the time spent. Good luck.

Patriot

Thanks for all the responses. Glad to learn that amount of lump does not matter if you catch the temp before it gets to high. Like the analogy of a full tank of gas in the car does not make you go faster!

jstewart12a

Here's a little trick I've found is pretty simple. What I do is light my lump using 1-2 of the BGE starters. Let the fire get going good and then close the lid, leaving the bottom vent wide open and no daisy wheel just yet. When it hits and out 500-600 I put the platesetter in and start to dial my lower vents in and out the daisy wheel on. It's pretty close to 250 as soon as I close the lid. It's usually light and up to temp with in 30 mins or so, I usually do whatever prep work needs to be done during that time. 

Mikee

I guess it just depends on the size of Egg. I have heated my small up to over 100* of the desired cook. Once the platesetter and the meat is in the temps are way down. The dome temps cool off quickly once the bottom vent is closed up.

JustineCaseyFeldown

Mikee said:

I guess it just depends on the size of Egg. I have heated my small up to over 100* of the desired cook. Once the platesetter and the meat is in the temps are way down. The dome temps cool off quickly once the bottom vent is closed up.

Most important is how long you are at those temps. But size of the egg relates to how much heated ceramic mass there is. More mass, heated for longer, will take a while