Looking for long smoke fire build help

Unknown

Yesterday around 5:00 I built a fire for my Butt by dumping my BGE coal into the BGE added some soaked hardwood and lit. It came up to 250 degrees and then I left bottom vent open a 1/2 to 3/4 and almost shut the D-wheel and put the Butt on. Everthing seemed fine after cheking on it every 1/2 hour and went to bed at midnight with meat temp at 145 and Egg dome temp 225. Well I woke up at 7:30 and the fire is out and Butt is at 96. So I just relit the fire and cranked it to 300 and then tuned it down. I'm guessing it should still be fine, the Butt that is. Do I need to sort through all of the coal next time? Just seemed like a pain- Or crank the fire more before tuning down- Or What.
Thanks,
The Jimster

Unknown

Most folks are going to tell you to toss the meat out. It spent way to much time at an unsafe temp. Because you don't know exactly when the fire went out and how long it stayed out, the best thing to do is to start over again.[p]The other thing you can do is invest in a guru (or other type of blower). I have a pitminder and set everything last night with 2 8lb butts. It was humming away when I woke up this morning. Bumped the temp up to get this finished, but no problems with temps.[p]Gene

tach18k

The Jimster, seeing your dome temp at 225 was an indication it was going out, once it starts to drop it is going south. I have done many pour and go cooks on overnighters, and I make sure it is above 249 before I leave it unattended.

Michael B

The Jimster,[p]You were stabilized at 250* and then it dropped to 225*? Or you saw 250* and closed the dampers down because you wanted 225*?
Either way, with a long cook you want a stable temp before you put the food in. Making changes is asking for trouble, unless you want to stay up chasing the temp all night. Seeing a dropping temp should have been a BIG warning.[p]What you want to see:
Stable temp.
Put the butt in. (The temp will drop.)
The temp comes back up to where you started and stays there.[p]Did you have all new lump or a mix of old and new?
If a mix, did you stir it to get all the ashes out and the pieces mixed or just dump the new on top?
Was the new from a new bag or the last of an old bag? Ie, were the pieces mostly large chunks OR small bits?
Did you light it in the center or in several places off center?[p]The fire needs heat and oxygen.
If all the pieces are large chunks with wide gaps between the pieces, there will likely not be enough heat for the fire to transfer from one piece of lump to the next and the fire can go out.
If all the pieces are small chips, there will likely not be enough air flow through the bits to sustain a flame and the fire can go out.
Even with a good mix, small pieces can clog the air holes in the fire grate, cutting off the air flow, and the fire can go out.
On rare occasion, people who lit just one spot in the center have experienced a fire that follows the air flow straight down to the fire grate, without spreading, and then goes out.[p]Building the charcoal bed like a puzzle, spacing for optimum airflow and heat transfer, works well. It also takes time.
Ensuring a good mix of large and small pieces of lump throughout the charcoal bed also works.
Installing the fire grate so the small sides of the holes face UP reduces the chances of clogged holes.
Using a wiggle stick before turning in further reduces the chances of the fire going out because of clogged holes.
Lighting in a few places off center pretty much eliminates occurrences of the fire “burning straight down.”[p]Another point:
Do not soak your wood chips. Soaking chips came about with gassers. To use chips for smoke in a gasser you soak the chips and then wrap them in foil so they make smoke and not just burst into flame. Chips will not flame in a stabilized Egg at smoking temps. If you want a stronger smoke flavor, add more chips or use chunks.[p]Last thought:
I’d toss that butt. T-Rex some steaks and try another butt another time.

Unknown

Michael B,
Well I'm chucking the Butt and going to get some ribs and chicken.
The fire is going great now, the charcoal was new BGE that came with the egg and size wise I'd say a good mix. I lit it in the center with my Mapp torch and let it go to 250 (8 minutes) and brought it down to 225 and put the Butt on. All was good for six-seven hours with internal meat temp at 145 when I hit the sack. Man was I bumed to see the fire out this AM. I jumped outa bed like it was Christmas morning and ran down to my tree "egg" and found a lump of cold coals.
Next time I'll take more time builing the fire and let it get to 300 before bringing it down.
Thanks for the help.
The JImster

Michael B

The Jimster,
Bad idea! Don't go above your target temp!
Start shutting the dampers down as you come up to temp and then watch it for 30 minutes or so after you have it stabilized before putting the roast in.
You will see a temp drop after the food is in. This is partly because you opened the dome and dumped all the hot air, and partly because the meat is soaking up the heat. Don't make any adjustments. The temp should creep back up.
You might want to set an alarm to check the fire once during the night. For the first few overnighters, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

BigT

The Jimster,[p]No need to "bring it down".[p]Try taking it to 275, keep it there 30 minutes, add your dry smoking wood , let the evil smoke (gray) burn off, then start your butt.[p]Pork butts are very forgiving...besides dome temp is a little higher than grid temp.[p]hth[p]Big T

Unknown

Big T,
10-4. BTW My Ribs and Beer can chicken turned out Awesome!!!
Just need Michigan State to win over those Cheese Heads.
Thanks for the help.
The Jimster