How long should it take to get the egg's dome to 350 degrees?

Unknown

Thanks.

AZRP

Harris Buck,
That depends on a lot of factors, could be 15 minutes or 45. Just depends on how well the Egg is breathing. -RP

Unknown

AZRP,[p]Thanks AZRP. I think I'm struggling because I didn't clean it after an overnight smoke. I got a little lazy. Do you clean your egg every time after an overnight?[p]

Haggis

Harris Buck,[p]Most of us don't clean the egg very often. Except for the ash build up, that would have nothing to do with how fast it heats up.[p]A clean grid is always good - things don't stick if its clean and oiled. Refreshed lump is good - I stir it to get the ash to fall through, add some new, stir to mix with the old. The inside of the Egg itself does not need cleaning until you get concerned that the accumulation of stuff might draw the attention of the health authorities. One way to clean it is to replicate a self-cleaning oven - just burn a load of lump at 500-700 degrees for a few hours. [p]But maybe you are referring to the accumulated ash - pull it out the lower vent or, in the extreme, remove the firebox and fire ring and remove all the ash, but that is seldom necessary because lump burns with so little ash - I cook on my Eggs 6-10 times a week, casually pull out ash through the vent every few weeks, and clean the rest every 3-4 months. [p]

TigerTony

Harris Buck,
With good airflow the egg will reach 350 degrees in less then 10 minutes. But that doesn't mean it's ready to cook on.
After loading the egg with fresh lump I always wait at least 25-30 minutes before I start cooking. This gives the lump time to burn clean and for the ceramic to heat up to a stable temp.

AZRP

Harris Buck,
As Haggis said, just stir to get the ash to fall through, its all about how well it breaths. The more air the better the fire. -RP

FlaMike

Harris Buck,
I like to let the lump, wood chunks, etc settle in for about an hour before starting my cook no matter what the final temp will be. Helps to burn off any leftover drippings, burns off the bitter white smoke, and keeps a pretty steady temp throughout. Haven't cleaned it out for many months, except for an occassional shop-vac for the ash that gets behind the firebox.
Mike