New egg owner needs help!

Unknown

Just got my first egg (a large one) this past weekend. It is wonderful! I'm in BBQ heaven. My first cook was a couple of steaks. They were fantastic. Sunday I smoked some ribs and cooked a pork tenderloin..again, fantastic! Truly the best I have ever had.
I've been reading the forum the last few weeks. There have been many posts about smoking a boston butt and temp. regulation. However, I'm still a little confused about temp. regulation. It is my understanding that once my egg reaches 250, I should begin to shut the vents. It seemed liked I reached that temp fairly fast on the first few cooks. Is this right? I want to do an all night smoke with the boston butt, but I'm a little worried about the temp. getting out of hand. Also, should I slide the daisy wheel or open the smaller holes on the top of the wheel when trying to regulate and stabalize a low temp for smoking?
Any advise would be great!
thanks!

Vegas Slim

Toobar, i start to shut down when my eggg gets near 200 i put diasy on top with just a little of the holes open and the slide closed all the way i also close the bottom door almost all the way they key is shut it up early as it is much easier to raise then lower the temp i am sure the others with more experience will have tips for you as well good luck and welcome!

Gloria

Toobar,
See the thread below "What happened to our pork butt". You will find some of the very best info ever from the people who respond on this forum. We are newcomers to the Egg community and we love them all 'cause they have been right there to help us onboard. Welcome.

Nature Boy

Toobar,
Congrats on the new cooker, and your instant gratification with some righteous steaks![p]Maintaining 250 is really not that difficult, just keep a close eye the first few times. I like to get a good core fire started in the middle of a full load of lump. Once my firestarter burns out, I will let it go a few minutes until a good group of coals is burning orange in the center, then I close the bottom vent to 1/8 inch, and leave the top vent wide open until I reach 225 or so. At this point I put some wood chunks into the fire, put on my grate and my indirect setup, then close the lid (still daisy off) and wait until the real thick smoke has cleared and it is cruising in on 250. Some like to put the meat on right after sticking the chunks in, but I wait until I have a thin clean smoke to start the meat. Once the meat is on, I set the daisy on, with the holes wide open (I leave the little holes wide open unless the temp gets too far out of hand...just seems to burn cleaner for me), and shut the bottom vent to a tiny slit (like a credit card width), and watch the temp for an hour or two....very slightly tapping the bottom vent open if the temp begins to drop. If you get much above 250 with the bottom vent just slitted, then tinker a bit with the daisy. I like to have the goal of going to bed with the daisy wide open.[p]Just how I do it! Hope that gives you some ideas anyways.
Have fun!
NB

Mr Beer

Toobar,
I would suggest that before you try an overnight low temp cook that you try an extended low temp cook during the day. Cook your butt during the day on a Saturday for eating on Saturday night or Sunday. The best thing about pulled pork is that it does not have to be served right away after cooking. It reheats extremely well also freezes very well. I always cook at least two of them at a time and vaccuum pack and freeze meal size packages that can be reheated during times when I don't have time to cook on the egg.[p]You will find that to maintain low temps you need to start closing down the vents after the temp gets to around 200.[p]You need to add a LOT of lump for an overnight cook (to the top of the fire box). The slide part of the slide/daisy needs to be closed and the daisy needs to be open just enough to be able to stick a toothpick in the openings. The bottom vent will be used to adjust the temp. - opening should be 1/16" to 1/2". Experience will tell you what to use (it varies depending on how much wind there is and what direction it is blowing). [p]To get a feel for how to adjust the temp. for an overnight cook resist the urge to keep changing the vents. Set it and let it go for at least an hour and see what is happening. Then adjust. Eventually you will be able to play a round of golf before you will have to make any adjustments. At that point you are ready for an overnighter. And even then you will probably end up with a fire or two go out on you - I've been doing overnight cooks at least one a month for 4 years and still have the occasional fire go out.[p]Mr Beer[p]P.S. Welcome to the forum and the wonderful world of ceramic BBQing.

Sundown

Nature Boy,[p]I've gone to bed with no daisy and the bottom vent set at, like you said, credit card width...with some tikering. I watched Cat do her ribs at Waldorf a couple of years ago and she didn't have the daisy wheel on at all. Thought that was kind of neat and I've learned to do the same.
I'll be doing PP this weekend using the Smoke Rings MickyT sent. I experimented a little this past weekend and the #1 ring - with the bottom vent wide open - sat rock steady on 250º! Didn't budge during the 2 hours I watched it. Played with the other rings and I have to say temp control is now predictable.

Nature Boy

Sundown,
I was also highly intrigued to watch Cathy do her topless cooking! I almost never use a daisy for low temp cooks during the day, but I have not been brave enough to leave the daisy totally off and go to bed. Maybe I should just confront that fear HEAD ON and give it a shot! Face the fear! Cook topless.[p]Missed you at the fest.
NB

Unknown

Mr Beer,
Thanks!! Your vent description was very descriptive and very helpful. I certainly let everyone know how things go when I make the big jump to an overnight smoke.

Sundown

Nature Boy,[p]Yeah, granddaughters had a spring "thing" at school and I haven't missed one yet. I'm hoping I can get to Atlanta no school stuff in October.
How were the squid received?
When I watched Cat do the topless trick (she'll love to hear us talking about her topless) I was intrigued too and it works. I go to bed and I don't worry. The smoke rings will make me sleep like a baby...[p]Carey

Nature Boy

Sundown,
The squid was not a huge success this year. Not sure if it was the squid, or the cook, but these were a bit on the chewy side compared to the normal tender results! Hell. Squid is easy to blame I guess! Not ready to hang up my tentacles yet, but I think I might move onto another dish for the next fest![p]Beers
NB