Trouble w/ low temp fire

Unknown

Just got my egg on Friday. What a great cooker. We have cooked steaks twice and I started smoking a boston butt afterward. By 12:30am the fire seemed fine so I went to bed. At 5:30am the fire was out. Restarted and everything went well. The pork was execellent but I had to cook it until 7:30 with the last 2 hours at 350 degrees. Last night I went to cook another boston butt and had the same problem (but the fire was not out as long). What is the key to making a fire hold 200 degrees for 4-5 hours without watching it?

Nature Boy

Alabama Pork,
I believe you will have better luck using 250 as a low/slow cooking temp. Cooking level temps are slightly lower usually, so 250 is not too hot. Make sure it is stabilized for over an hour or two without needing to make adjustments, and that you have a good core fire. You should be fine...though there are no guarantees! I have had a fire go out twice, but have had dozens of cooks that went smoothly overnight. Several of the more experienced folks still get up during the night to check, so that is always a possibility for you as well.[p]A 200 fire can be maintained, though it is a bit trickier, and requires more attention. [p]Hope that helps a tad.
NB[p]

Char-Woody

Nature Boy, I agree with ya...Its a learning process, but not all that difficult. I stirred up my charcoal after making jerky to empty the ash and left the top open and bottom vent open. As soon as I saw I had a rising temperature, I "dumped" in my new charcoal after laying in the damp hickory chunks, and ran 225 to 230 for 18 hours in a should butt cook. No problemo!
Once the fire gets a bite of the fresh charcoal, it runs like a diesel engine. Perks right along. You have to fuss more with a conventional ceramic grate over a diamond mesh grate tho.
C~W[p]