trifecta continued

char buddy

This is day two of the trifecta marathon. My butt has been on the grill since 8 last night. I went after a very low, very slow cook and got it. I went to bed 'round
midnight after watching the Williams sisters finish off Davenport and her partner in the Australian Open doubles finals. The egg was holding about 225. When I
got up this morning the dome was down to 200* and the butt was about 150*. It is now late morning and I have nudged the egg's temps up a bit, shooting for
225*. The butt just got to 160*. I am actually happy with these low temps. I have been trying for months to figure out how to hold the egg below 225* and I finally got it.
I'm cooking a 7-8 pount butt and I'm in no hurry.[p]Later today I'm prepping the ribs with Cat's sauce and heading back to the Amish market for those potato rolls and whatever else looks good. I'll probaby put
the ribs on tonight, then go play midnight volleyball. [p]BTW, I wonder if the Sports Illustrated jinx still works. If so, look for the Giants to lose. They were on this week's cover. [p]Char buddy

Bambi

char buddy,
You say you've "been trying for months to figure out how to hold the Egg temp to 225" and that now you finally figured it out? Por Favor, what is the secret, Please? I'd like to try this experiment myself but fear that the coals will die out in middle of the night.

char buddy

Bambi,[p]Hi Stranger. I am cooking on the BGE that you christened last sping at the eggfest in Washington. We're taking good care of it and it is still going strong. [p]Until recently I have had trouble with low temps. I followed advice on the forum religiously (we are a cult, right) and most folks here say start your fire, then close up the bottom vent to a 1/8 or 1/4 quarter inch slit and do the same for the vents on the daisy wheel when you get to within 50* of the target temp. My target was usually 225*, but I always got temperature creep up to 250* or even higher - even with the vents closed to those tiny slits. [p]In the past I usually set my fires from the top. I used fire cubes, chimney started coals, even a propane torch. It didn't matter, those results were always the same. Then the last few times I decided to pay attention to something Cornfed (and a few others) said a while back. I put one or two cubes beneath the grate and lit them with my propane torch. The first thing that happened was there was lots of smoke - more smoke than I got from a top light. (2) The dome temp thermometer moved up much more slowly. And (3) when I closed up the vents at 180* or so, the dome temp stayed at 200*, 225* tops. Last night I went to bed when the dome temp was 225* and I woke up to 200*. I tweaked it this morning and keep my temps down at 210* all day today until I ran out of fuel (a good 18 hours). I also did a little of an Earl Ward style set up. I emptied out the fuel box. Then I put in a fresh load of Nature's Own sugar maple lump (they tend to be large). Then I put in hickory wood lumps (one or two). Then I filled up the fuel box the lump left from the last cook. [p]The butt I'm cooking is seriously good. [p]Char buddy

Bambi

char buddy ,
What an eloquent dissertation, indeed. Should have realized it--you are one scholarly Egger. 1 or 2 cubes, beneath the grate--okay. I'm assuming lump was atop grate before you lit starter cubes. One more thing, please. How much, in terms of cupfuls, let's say, lump did you start with and how much, if any did you add during this 15 hour cook? Thanx.

char buddy

Hi Bambi.[p]
Are you guys coming to the Washingon Eggfest again this year? I didn't make it to Atlanta, but it sounds like that was a pretty good show. Were you
and the hubby at Atlanta? [p]I'm not measuring the lump. I'm just filling up the firebox like normal and lighting from the bottom (Although last night I got carried away and put fresh lump on the bottom and old lump on top). I feel like I have more control at low temps. I want to do another butt next weekend and see if the lump really will stay light over night if I set temp at 225* when I go to bed. The last two times I've done it the temp goes down 10 to 15* over night. [p]Hey thanks for the kind words about me being all scholarly and all. Seriously, don't you think somebody ought to do a BGE version of a "Smoke and Spice." Or a BGE version of Iron Chef :-)[p]Char Buddy