Cannot get LBGE to higher temps

JNDATHP

I cannot get my egg up above 500 and even for lower temp cooks, it takes a long time to get to my target temp. 

I cleaned the egg and lit a half bag of Rockwood from stlcharcoal (my first time trying it and the pulled pork really did taste better than Royal Oak) at 8am. At 8:45 I put a 5 1/2 pound butt on. Wanted to try my first turbo butt. Oh, and the plate setter was in the egg. 

Used the smobot and pulled the protein a little after 1pm. Set the Smobot to 500* and waited. At a little before 4pm, where the lite blue line intersects the black line it was at 419* and I removed the daisy wheel and opened the bottom vent all the way. 

I used food2 to measure the temp by hanging it in the top. While I was composing this message, it burned up and when I checked the manual dome thermometer, it was well past 700* (pegged). So, I guess it can get up to high temps. 

What should I be doing differently? Thanks for the advice. 

stlcharcoal

You usually need to pull the chimney cap off, if you want to get above 500F......or at least slide it open.  The petals can't let enough exhaust to maintain a higher temp.  

I'll usually have the slide on the cap open all the way and then regulate with the draft door.  Then you can quickly slide the cap shut if it starts running away or you get a flare up.

There's really no reason for a temperature controller above 325.  Plus you're just asking to torch those probes.....regardless of what they're rated for.

JNDATHP

Thanks for the comments. I used the Smobot to hold the egg at 350* while cooking the butt and then removed the cap/daisy wheel when I took the protein off. I used the Smobot at this point just so I could sit inside the air conditioned house - food1 probe is the ambient outside temperature. 

Does it it matter that the plate setter is in the egg?

bikesAndBBQ

I think 500 is really high for pork shoulder. At 350 sugar burns. Even if you rub has not sugar, I don’t know if I’d cook one at 500. I agree with the above. Do not use a temperature controller for temps that high. 

stlcharcoal

JNDATHP said:

Thanks for the comments. I used the Smobot to hold the egg at 350* while cooking the butt and then removed the cap/daisy wheel when I took the protein off. I used the Smobot at this point just so I could sit inside the air conditioned house - food1 probe is the ambient outside temperature. 

Does it it matter that the plate setter is in the egg?

Plate setter legs up starts to top out around there.....especially if it's one of the new ones.  New one should be tough to get above 400--have tried it though.   

Now if youre doing a pizza with the legs down, there's more than enough airflow to get those high temps 

JNDATHP

stlcharcoal said:

JNDATHP said:

Thanks for the comments. I used the Smobot to hold the egg at 350* while cooking the butt and then removed the cap/daisy wheel when I took the protein off. I used the Smobot at this point just so I could sit inside the air conditioned house - food1 probe is the ambient outside temperature. 

Does it it matter that the plate setter is in the egg?

Plate setter legs up starts to top out around there.....especially if it's one of the new ones.  New one should be tough to get above 400--have tried it though.   

Now if youre doing a pizza with the legs down, there's more than enough airflow to get those high temps 

Platesetter. That makes sense. Restricting air flow. Thank you. 

I cooked the butt at 350* and it turned out really good.