Practicing temperature control

Turkey

We have a big weekend of cooking planned with four racks for assorted ribs for tonight and a 7lb Butt for monday. Figured I could use some practice at temp control so I started off the morning with a HUGE cup of JAVA and two jars of giant olives. Saw RRP smoking some last weekend or so and fugured it would be a good way to get my feet wet at low temp control.[p]I think since I started out with used lump I am needing a tad more oxygen than I would with fresh cause the bottom is wide open and the top is open a crack with the daisy wheel fully open and I am at 200°.[p]Is it too early for beer? It's noon somewhere![p]Mark

Tim M

Turkey,[p]Rule of thumb - always add some fresh lump. Unburnt lump has less fuel in it after it's been snuffed out and you just won't get the heat you need when using that saved lump only. Always add fresh to get it back up to the 1/2 or 3/4 firebox level. You can never have too much in there - it just won't burn what it doesn't need.[p]Also - if you didn't stir up the old lump, ash could be blocking the grate holes or even with a stir they could be clogged. Many of us use metal grates (iron trivets) or steel mesh to prevent those problems.[p]Lots of pictures on my web site of these things.[p]Tim[p]Tim
[ul][li]Tim's website and world of BGE[/ul]

Turkey

Tim M,[p]Thanks for the advice. I stirred the lump and got rid of all the ash. I then cleaned out underneath with the ash tool and recycled any pieces of lump larger than say a small gum ball. I now have it at 225° and holding with the bottom vent open just a tad and the wheel open about 1/4. I think it might have needed longer to get to temp due to the used lump.[p]I basically wanted to get rid of all the old lump and practice before filling humpy up with fresh lump for our ribs.[p]Raining again! Since I got my BGE it has rained every day, before that we had 28 days w/o a drop. It's like being in Seattle, I don't know how those folks do it. Give me my 90° and arid and I'll run the sprinkler system.[p]Mark