Duration of temp w/o fire tending?

Porkchop

thinking about getting large BGE. what's the longest time a large has held temp for you w/o tending the fire? e-mail me or post. thanks for any help you can give.

Smokey

Porkchop,[p]I do over night cooks regularly. I set things up around 9pm or 10pm. once temp is stable, I go to sleep! I usually get up early the next morning (6am or so) and tend to things. I love that flexability![p]smokey

Nature Boy

Porkchop,
30 hours here.
Beers!
NB

Wise One

Porkchop, I have done 22 hours without touching a thing. 250 all the way.

Porkchop

thanks for all of that y'all! exactly what i needed to know!

Unknown

Porkchop,[p]And I second what everyone else has said. Two important points though.[p]I'd bet good money that everyone above was using "lump" charcoal, and NOT store bought poison cubes.[p]I'd bet more money that they all had the firebox slap full of lump too. [p]For the long low and slows, FILL THE FIREBOX completly up, to the very bottom of the "fire ring". [p]Did I win my bets?

Porkchop

Gamecock-4-Life, been shopping for a ceramic cooker for awhile, and i think i've had my decision made for me. all i use is lump now. i have a homemade barrel pit, and have been log-burning for a few years now. no way i'd use kingsford; too much crap in 'em. i actually get some pretty good lump at wal-mart, but i don't know what kind it is, prolly oak & hickory from the scent. been getting the picture that for the long cooks, you start up a chimney-full , then load the lump up to the fire-ring and shut her down. that right?

Unknown

Porkchop,[p]
Can't say. I don't use a chimney. No need IMHO. The EGG itself is the best chimney ever made.[p]Low and slows recipe: Open fresh bag of Lump. Dig through it, and pull out the biggest pieces you can find. Put them on the bottom, arranged, by hand. Next, put medium pieces on top of them. (I've found pouring medium pieces in at this point is just fine. No need to hand do them)[p]Then, pour smaller pieces all around the very top. Set one webber fire cube on the very top, right in the middle. Lite. I usualy leave the bottom open maybe two toothpicks width. Top about 1/4 of an inch open. That should get you real close to 250 in about 30 minutes.[p]Put meat on. Set it and forget it. LOL![p]

Porkchop

sounds good. thataway it combusts completely and burns down towards the draft door... seems it would make more sense than what i was saying...

Wise One

Gamecock-4-Life, it was lump but actually I fill it up PAST the bottom of the firering. I have filled it up almost to the top of the firering. As long as you're cooking indirect it works fine. I second your suggestion of putting the large pieces on the bottom. It tends to keep the air flowing throughthe fire better.