Target Temp for Dutch Oven cooking

tenpenny_05

I'm doing some chile verde tonight on the egg for the first time in a cast iron dutch oven. I've only ever done it on the stove, so I know about where I need to set my temp, but I'm at a loss on what to shoot for on the egg to keep a nice simmer going for a few hours.
Thanks!

1voyager

350 - 400 degrees direct on grate. Good luck and have fun.

THEBuckeye

I've done several Chucks in a CI DO. 330 dome will give you a good simmer temp. That's what the recipe called for and that's what I've done. 

THEBuckeye

http://eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=506763&catid=1

fishlessman

whatever setup you use, get it to 300 and adjust up or down up to 25 degrees til you get a good simmer. same as a stove top, adjust the heat

Mattman3969

I usually sear in the DO around 375° with the DO direct OEM grid height.  When I need it to simmer I will put an indirect stone in place and run egg at 300°.  The stone will help to not scorch food 

nolaegghead

Water boils at 212F at sealevel, so any temp above that works, just changes the rate of boiling and water loss.

fishlessman

should also mention, once your dutch oven is in there, your gage wont read right with the steaming in there, watch the simmer and make small adjustments accordingly

Focker

fishlessman said:

whatever setup you use, get it to 300 and adjust up or down up to 25 degrees til you get a good simmer. same as a stove top, adjust the heat

That's exactly what I do, shoot for 3, watch the simmer vs dome temp, adjust up from there.

Focker

I crack the lid on my egg braises too, after reading about it in Kenji's book, bringing down the temp.  Braising can really pick up the lump flavor, so this helps in that regard.  No lid burns through the liquid too fast, too smokey IMO.  A 225 oven had a DO with cracked lid internal of 180-190 if I recall, for his chile verde riff.  Too hard of a simmer overcooks, makes it tough, fibers stringy.  Same goes for too much time.  2-3 hours max, usually start poking around at the 2 hr mark.

tenpenny_05

Thanks everybody! A lot of good information here!

tenpenny_05

Thanks again for the help. I was going to do a step by step but it got a little crazy in the kitchen for a minute. Here it is a little over an hour in. Turned out crazy good. I added a lump of cherry to the fire and it picked up a little too much smoke flavor, but still more than edible!

SmokeyPitt

Looking good. I like the idea of using the stone to help diffuse the heat. Is that a broken pizza stone? When life hands you a broken pizza stone, make a double thick half moon heat diffuser! 

tenpenny_05

SmokeyPitt said:

Looking good. I like the idea of using the stone to help diffuse the heat. Is that a broken pizza stone? When life hands you a broken pizza stone, make a double thick half moon heat diffuser! 

Its actually a Kamado Joe heat deflector from the divide and conquer system. It comes in two halves like that.

KiterTodd

That chili verde looks awesome!

blasting

@tenpenny_05  

Looks great.  A recipe would be appreciated if you don't mind sharing.