First Smoke on the Egg - Not good!

ScottyG

Sorry to be that guy, but I’m new to the egg world and could use a little advice.

I have been a pellet smoker for several years and have gotten pretty good at it. However, I always wanted to make the jump to the Egg and finally pulled the trigger.

I got my initial temp to about 230 and seemed to hold it. I threw in my brisket and for the most part the egg seemed to hold the temp fairly well for the first 4-5 hours, hovering anywhere from 230-250. 

*By the way, I’m using an electric thermometer clipped to the cooking grate.

At the 5 hour mark my temp started to dip and reached as low 212. I was going to church with the family for an hour, so I panicked and opened up the bottom vent about a quarter of an inch and left. I returned an hour later and I was at 298. 

I pulled the vent back quite a bit, worried about my brisket, but at this point, I feel like I’m in my car over steering on an icy road. I finally bring the temp down, but then when I pull the brisket out to wrap, (we’re at the 10 hour point now) the temp drops to 180 and never recovers, dying out.

I finish the brisket in the oven and it tasted like the failure I am (haha).

I’m not blaming the egg here, this is total user error, but my question is do you guys deal with massive temperature swings? And why would my temp drop so dramatically at the 5 hour mark when I never opened the lid? I was always lead to believe once you had your temp dialed in with your vents, you were good to go. 

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. 

Wolfpack

Seeing a drop that far in with stable temps is unusual- but fire is fuel and air. 

Did you check to make sure their was still a sufficient amount of lump? Assuming there was enough fuel only thing I can think of is the ash changed airflow through the lump reducing the amount of available oxygen. 

What temps were you seeing on the dome thermo? Was it also varying as much as the electronic grate probe?

ScottyG

I honestly didn’t look much at the dome temp. I’ll clean the thing out and give it another go. Pretty bummed, though. 

Dondgc

Sounds like you ran out of fuel at the end. Did you check to see if there was any lump left? 

Wolfpack

Learning curve with anything new- don’t give up. 

Send pics of your setup next time and I’m sure we can shorten the time. 

Spaightlabs

what size egg, what type of lump and how full did you fill it?

Lots of folks been egging lots longer and have had much worse results.  You got an edible product!

Cornholio

Good excuse to get another one and try again!  Any pics?

bikesAndBBQ

My large likes to settle in around 250-270. If I chase a low temp like 230, it turns into a fist fight. I think you over corrected both for high and low and that killed it. If I see I am trending up or down too much, I make little adjustments with the daisy wheel. 1/4 inch on the bottom will really swing the temperatures. You are learning. Have fun. 

ScottyG

Wow. This is an awesome community. Thanks so much for your feedback/thoughts.

Regarding question about lump: After it cooled down I noticed the middle of the of the lump had burned off, but there was still some left around the sides. At the beginning, I just dumped in the lump and lit it up. Is there a specific way to arrange the lump so it has an even burn?

I have an XL and filled it just (or at least I thought) short of the fire ring. 

Wolfpack: I will send a pic of my setup next time. Thanks for your help. BTW, I used to live in Raleigh and am a Pack fan myself. 

Thanks again for all of your help!

dharley

I agree and echo the above from @bikesAndBBQ. I have a large and 250-270 is my low and slow sweet spot. I cook all my briskets, ribs and butts at those temps and the results are spot on. If I aim for or try to maintain 225, I have trouble and poor results.

I think you over corrected and your fire went out. It sounds very familiar because I've done it. Keep swinging. Egging is an art, not a science. 

maximus1

For a low and slow, I always make sure I stir the lump well once I get it going, to me it seems like it helps control the temp.  For low and slow, i keep the top open about 1/8 of an inch, and the bottom grate maybe open a quarter.  I also like to start about 30 degrees or so higher than my target temp so when I put a cold piece of meat on, the temp drops and I will fine tune it as it tries to climb back slowly.  When I am fine tuning, I maybe move either grate 1/8 of an inch or so.  You will get it, just be patient, good luck.  M

caliking

Firstly... Welcome aboard!!!

I had a fire or two burn straight through the center of the pile and die out. Changed to lighting the pile of lump in 4 quadrants (12,3,6, and 9 o'clock) and have had no problems ever since. I like to think it made a difference.

Ozzie_Isaac

ScottyG said:

Wow. This is an awesome community. Thanks so much for your feedback/thoughts.

Regarding question about lump: After it cooled down I noticed the middle of the of the lump had burned off, but there was still some left around the sides. At the beginning, I just dumped in the lump and lit it up. Is there a specific way to arrange the lump so it has an even burn?

I have an XL and filled it just (or at least I thought) short of the fire ring. 

Wolfpack: I will send a pic of my setup next time. Thanks for your help. BTW, I used to live in Raleigh and am a Pack fan myself. 

Thanks again for all of your help!

 That was one of your issues.  Fill it up at least halfway up fire ring (I fill mine all the way to the top).

lousubcap

Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  Above all, have fun.
As you note here, many are more than willing to offer suggestions and all are likely of value.  I have nothing enlightening to offer other than remember the feedback loop for any vent adjustment can take some time as the system is responding to an air-flow change that will result in a change in fire volume.  FWIW-

jeffwit

Ozzie_Isaac said:

ScottyG said:

Wow. This is an awesome community. Thanks so much for your feedback/thoughts.

Regarding question about lump: After it cooled down I noticed the middle of the of the lump had burned off, but there was still some left around the sides. At the beginning, I just dumped in the lump and lit it up. Is there a specific way to arrange the lump so it has an even burn?

I have an XL and filled it just (or at least I thought) short of the fire ring. 

Wolfpack: I will send a pic of my setup next time. Thanks for your help. BTW, I used to live in Raleigh and am a Pack fan myself. 

Thanks again for all of your help!

 That was one of your issues.  Fill it up at least halfway up fire ring (I feel mine all the way to the top).

I like to feel all the way to the top, too. 

Photo Egg

ScottyG said:

Wow. This is an awesome community. Thanks so much for your feedback/thoughts.

Regarding question about lump: After it cooled down I noticed the middle of the of the lump had burned off, but there was still some left around the sides. At the beginning, I just dumped in the lump and lit it up. Is there a specific way to arrange the lump so it has an even burn?

I have an XL and filled it just (or at least I thought) short of the fire ring. 

Wolfpack: I will send a pic of my setup next time. Thanks for your help. BTW, I used to live in Raleigh and am a Pack fan myself. 

Thanks again for all of your help!

I agree with @caliking
The XL is a different beast.
For a low and slow I start the fire in 2 places. One left and one right of center.
For normal grilling I light in 3 or 4 places as @caliking talked about above.
Center burn out happens easier with the XL, IMO, than my other sizes.But really no issues if I don't start fire in center of lump.
Let us know how your next low and slow works out.

logchief

First off Welcome, I've learned so much from these folks here.  As many have said try shooting for 250-275 for the L&S, works much better

MeTed

Welcome. As stated before it sounds like not enough fuel. I just dump mine in and fill to the top of the fire ring. Never a problem and I just did cook number 480 on my lg. Egg.Good luck and enjoy!

YukonRon

Welcome to wallet genocide.
I have an XL, and the learning curve for me was temperature stability. Over the years, I have struggled to maintain temps below 250F, but I have been able to do 225F.
Brisket cooks, as well as a few others, require a full load of lump. I light mine using one canola soaked paper towel located in the center towards the back.
I give the egg about 45 mins to an hour after temps stabilize, prior to putting the brisket on the rack.
Once in, I do not touch the egg, even though the temp drops....give it time, it will be ok. Once stablized with the brisket in it, you are good to go.
Dont chase the temp. Give it another hour or so, and if changes are necessary, just make slight adjustments to the pit or DW.
Keep cooking....you got this.

gdenby

I've never had any luck w. long cooks with the temp below 250. I have held 225 for maybe 4 hours, 180 for maybe 90 min. Fires that small have a tendency to not spred from lump piece to lump. Or, if started right in the center, burn strait down, leaving 80% of the lump sitting around the center.

For long cooks, as the ceramics heat up, one can usually close the bottom vent to no more than a hairline, and have it sit at 250. Rising to near 300 w. the vent open 1/4" is pretty much what I would expect. At least 275.

Typically, swings of 25F +/- from target temp don't change much excet the time span of the cook.

jtcBoynton

ScottyG said:

I honestly didn’t look much at the dome temp. I’ll clean the thing out and give it another go. Pretty bummed, though. 

The temp rise you saw may have been an issue with grid probe placement.  You may have still had a steady state condition but saw a fluctuating temp at the grid level.  Once you started chasing temps, all sorts of problems can occur.  There are advocates to using grid level temp probes and advocates to using dome level temp probes. Check out the discussions and then choose which you want to use.

CheeseheadinAZ

@scottyg   The egg can be just like getting a new dog. At first you want it to do something and it won’t react the way you want it to. Then over time, practice, trial and error you start to figure out how to get It to do a few things you want it to (temp) Then before you now it the two of you have a relationship that not many others (but fellow eggers) understand.  Have fun through the leanering curve and don’t be too hard on yourself. Before you know you’ll be the envy of the nieghborhood!!

SSQUAL612

ScottyG said:

Wow. This is an awesome community. Thanks so much for your feedback/thoughts.

Regarding question about lump: After it cooled down I noticed the middle of the of the lump had burned off, but there was still some left around the sides. At the beginning, I just dumped in the lump and lit it up. Is there a specific way to arrange the lump so it has an even burn?

I have an XL and filled it just (or at least I thought) short of the fire ring. 

Wolfpack: I will send a pic of my setup next time. Thanks for your help. BTW, I used to live in Raleigh and am a Pack fan myself. 

Thanks again for all of your help!

Welcome to the Jungle!  I got tired of chasing temps & invested in a Flame Boss controller...mainly for low n slow cooks.   It is an awesome community... as long as you’re not cooking 1/2” steaks.

larryd

I have a XL, L and M eggs, I find the XL to be the cruiser on maintaining temps, the L a close second and the M, well it takes more finesse. But all in all, if you start making many adjustments on any of them you’ll be chasing temps for sure.

SemolinaPilchard

@ScottyG with a hot cook the fire will spread out. A low and slow fire will always burn towards the oxygen entering the egg, with very little spreading sideways. For an indirect cook you can fill the egg all the way up to near the bottom of the plate setter. The higher the stack of lump, the less chance of the fire going out. Also, if you light if off center for a low and slow, as it burns down, it will go diagonally, and will have more lump to go through.

BikerBob

Temp adjustments are like steering a ship, it takes a long time to see change. Very small adjustments and wait to see what changed is the only way to maintain temperature. A quarter inch is a big adjustment.

I think dome temp is more applicable to cooking temp, but only because this is what I use. I lock in 250 dome and use something to bump the lower air vent if change is needed. Wait at least an hour after an adjustment during a L & S to determine what happened. Also remember an oven turns off and on throughout a cook so temp is never maintained exactly. The egg can tolerate slight changes throughout a cook without harm to the meat.