small egg slow-cook technique

Unknown

Hello,[p]Cooked my first set of ribs on the small yesterday but had an issue with temperature control. I filled the charcoal up to the lower portion of the fire-ring, and started a small fire using a Webber fire cube off to the side of the pile.
For about an hour, I was running a smooth 260*. However, I went to the store to pick up some,,err,, refreshments, and came back only to realize the temp had shot up to 350*[p]After allowing the temp to decrease by shutting the vents and closing the rain cap completely (I don't have a daisy top), I brought the heat to a managable 280*. [p]Does anyone recommend a a technique for charcoal set-up that would prevent this spike?[p]PS Ribs were still great, just want to make them even better![p]Thanks
Viv[p]

Spin

Viv,[p]I would offer a charcoal starting technique instead as your charcaol setup is nice.[p]Fire requires three things to exist; heat, fuel, and oxygen. Your Egg regulates cooking temperature by limiting the airflow (oxygen) available to support the fire. By starting the fire on the side, you may have controlled the size of the fire by limiting the amount of fuel available for it to consume. As the fire slowly burned down and into the center of the lump, the heat rose to the temperature that then the Egg controls became the limiting factor on the fire size.[p]Start the fire in the very top center of the lump pile. This will insure that the limiting factor of temperature control is the Egg vent settings.[p]Best of luck on even better ribs,
Spin

Unknown

Spin,
Thanks for the advice..Makes a lot of sense!![p]-Viv