An eggceptional start but more questions

Unknown

Well I fired up the BGE 24 hours after delivery. Followed CharWoody's directions for steak and had the best 1 1/2 inch rib eyes ever. We always bought 1/2 inch ribeyes with gas b/c otherwise we would be eating chard meat waiting for the inside to be done.[p]The following day we enjoyed admittedly the best burgers the family has ever had which leads to first question.[p]1. As I posted earlier I suffer from chronic lazy syndrome and instead of adding new coal I just lit the remaining coals, about 1 inch worth. I could only get the BGE to 500 degrees (was trying to reach 700) which leads me to believe that there were not enough coals?
Do you need alot of coal to get the big temps? Despite it all the burgers were terrific.[p]2. Last night we spent an hour making JJ's rub after my wife had painstakingly cleaned our kitchen (she was forgiving as the first two attempts in the BGE were so fantastic). Spices were flying every where. We coated the spare ribs and are smelling the wonderful results in the frig now. As a novice egger we have limited eggquipment, adjustable daisy wheel etc. So all the stuff you guys have for indirect/fire stone/pizza trays, eggstra grill etc. is not in our eggquipment portfolio (by the way where do you get all that stuff). Therefore, I was going to use the direct method on Tim's site. Any suggeggstions, eggspecially re. meat dryness and getting the 250 degree temps.[p]One last piece. At a mile and a half high 6000 ft. do I need to have special considerations? By the way for all you southeasterners as I was up until last month the temp is 80 degrees and 30% humidity. Life is good.[p]Many thanggs

The Walrus

egg6000 alias michaelh,
Buy the fire bricks at a brick supplier (look under bricks in the yellow pages). I use "splits"--they are one half the thickness of full size fire bricks. Splits are 4 and 1/2 inches high, 9 inches wide and 1 and 1/2 inches thick. Purchase 4 or 5 for use in the BGE. I also use clean fire bricks as a trivet on my BGE table. the walrus

Teslamania

egg6000 alias michaelh,[p]1. Use more lump. Fill the fire box to the level of the holes as directed by BGE. Need lots of lump for high temps. [p]2. Calibrate the dome thermometer. See GFW's site. Water will boil at a different temp I guess with your high altitude. There is an adjustment. [p]3. Ribs at 250 should not be a problem. Cat does her ribs without a top! A dome top that is. Just don't overshoot the dome temp and then try to bring a hot egg down. If you do over shoot, throw on some lump and it will bring the temp back down. [p]Welcome!

JJ

egg6000 alias michaelh,
1) Always load the lump charcoal up to the top of the fire ring. This will give you both low and slo cooks as well as high temp grilling.
2) Ribs are easy. 250* diectly on the grid with no drip pany, turn every 45 min for 3.5 to 4 hrs. Sometimes a little longer. You can check by piercing with a fork. Have fun

Spin

egg6000 alias michaelh,[p]Welcome to the Egg family and forum.[p]The backside of your dome gauge has a hex nut attached. This is used to adjust the gauge reading. Stick it in hard boiling water an turn the nut until the gauge reads 212F.[p]Cooking at 250F requires an almost closed top and bottom vent. It is much easier to catch the rising temp by closing the vents than to overshoot the temp and then wait for the Egg to cool down.[p]Fun isn't it?[p]Spin

Gfw

egg6000 alias michaelh, if you are going to check your dome thermometer, click on the link. Your barometric pressure can be obtained from the Weater Channel - there is a link on the link. Life with the BGE is Good!

[ul][li]Calibrating the Dome Thermometer[/ul]

The Colonel

egg6000 alias michaelh, Ain't it cool!!! Welcome to the wonderful world of humpty eggcellence. Just watch the posts and check the recipe archives--you can cook forever.
By the way--The wife is forgiving the first couple of times. Don't push your luck.
yours in the new egg--The Colonel

Char-Woody

egg6000 alias michaelh, would it be proper, considering your location to tell ya that its all up hill from here? Or better yet, down hill?? Congrats on the breakin cook. When using up older charcoal give it a quick stir to remove the fine ash and small bits to get good air flow back thru the coals on ignition. Good habit to get into. When the ash pit gets half full or so, remove ash but leave some on the bottom for bottom insulation. Keeps it relatively cool. Use your ash tool to reach around the perimeter of the firechamber and remove ash periodically.
Cheers..C~W