Using the GURU with BGE

Smokin-AJ's

Hey guys,

This weekend, I plan on hooking up my DigiQ 2 Guru to my large green egg.

Couple of questions:

1. Pit probe placement. How are you running the pit probe wire? Under the lid, or remove the egg temp gauge and put the pit probe there?

2. When using the guru, are you leaving the top damper open fully all the time or at a different position?

3. meat probe, how are you running the meat probe? or do you even use the meat probe?

Eggtucky

1. Pit Probe-I put in different places, sometimes clipped to the stem of the dome thermo, sometimes on the grate as long as protected from direct heat, sometimes clipped to meat probe if using one...as for wire, I just run it straight in the egg between the lid and the bottom.
2. daisy wheel I leave off till fire is going good then put it on and open about 1/8 inch.
3. meat probe wire I run same as pit probe wire, between gaskets, but I only use meat probe on long cooks.

HungryMan

Couple of questions:

1. Pit probe placement. How are you running the pit probe wire? Under the lid, or remove the egg temp gauge and put the pit probe there? UNDER THE LID CLIPPED TO THE BGE THERMOMETER.

2. When using the guru, are you leaving the top damper open fully all the time or at a different position? DAMPER CRACKED VERY LITTLE

3. meat probe, how are you running the meat probe? or do you even use the meat probe? RUN THE PROBE SAME WAY AS TEMP PROBE. USE IT IF YOU WANT TO COOK YOUR MET TO A KNOWN TEMP. DONT USE IT FOR RIBS, BUT USE IT FOR BUTTS.

Not yelling just typing in caps since I cant changer color.

Smokin-AJ's

Would it be a ok to run the pit probe through the cap rather than under the lid... I would not think it would be in the way. I just hate that heavy top sitting on the pit probe wiring all the time. Especially fro long cooks.

Beanie-Bean

Check out my post just above yours--I've got the DigiQ hooked up to the brisket

The top vent (slider) is shut, and the petals are cracked about halfway...maybe slightly less than that.
Visual of probe setup for DigiQ

Mike in Abita

I just got mine Friday and used it Saturday for a brisket. It did work as advertised. No temp excursions that I'm aware of. I also used my ET-73 to assure myself that everything was in cal. Guru / Maverick / Dome thermo all dead on. All four wires went through the gasket between the dome and base.

I had the Pit probe clipped to the grid. I started my fire at 3:00PM. I set it at 220 and allowed it to bring the Xl up to temp. I returned after a half hour and grid was 273. Dome was 305. I closed down the petals to about a 1/4 open on the daisy and the slider on the Guru fan ( about 1/3 close) and pit dropped to 220 and stayed right there. Monitored remotely with ET-73 and all stayed good. At 10:30 I changed mode to Ramp and went to sleep. Woke up at 6:30 and Guru was in Ramp. Meat was 182 and pit was 205. It sayed this way until 9:30 when meat hit 190. I open the lid for the first time and found a good looking hunk-o-cow that passed the fork test. Double wrapped in foil and into an cooler with a towel on the bottom and two on top. Pulled that sucker from the cooler at 1:00PM and started slicing. Internal was still 149.

All in all I am pleased with the Guru. I have one complaint and I'm sure it was due to the loose nut in front of the handle (That's me). I am going to have to play with the vent settings a little. I had a 40 deg brisket go in to a 220 grid temp XL with plenty of hickory for smoke and ended up with little to no smoke ring. I'm thinking if my daisy was a little more open it would allow more heat to escape and the fan to cycle more creating more smoke.

I could be completely wrong about this and am hoping someone with more exerience jumps in and fills in a few blanks for me. Set up was as I would normally do a low and slow. Weekend Warrior up to the firering with five or six good size pieces of hickory. It has produced a good ring in the past.

PS Brisket came out fantastic. Family raved and I gave all the credit to the egg. All I did was light it, set it, and let it do its' thing. Did clip the pit probe to the dome themo to do some ribs after the brisket came off. Same result.

HungryMan

You can, I have. It doesn't mater. I think it easier just to close the top on it. Never hurn my probes or any others that I know of.

Beanie-Bean

Mike,

On my LBGE, I light the lump and let the coals get going a bit, then I'll add in the top layer hunk of smoking wood. I generally mix in some smaller pieces with the lump, too. But I let the top chunk smoke for a little bit, then close the lid. Pit temp is set to 250, and I just put a crack in the petals--just the same way I would if I weren't using the DigiQ. I have the 10cfm Pit Viper fan, and choke it down to 1/3 for that cooker, also, and I only use a 1/4 opening when using the SBGE.

Fidel

I didn't know you had a guru Al.

Must be a nice one :evil:

Mike in Abita

I'll try that setup. I also have the 10CFM fan. All I know is my ring didn't look anywhere as good as yours. Good job.

Grandpas Grub

I place the probe wires between the gasket (dome & base). Then there is less movement/pulling when opening the dome of the egg.

Pit probe placement is close to the meat or what ever I am cooking. Hooking to the dome thermometer is fine, but remember that is not what the temp is at at food level.

I pretty much set the top vent as if I were controlling without the q2. 250° - 300° slider closed & petals about 1/3 open. 350° - 400° slider 1/4 open & petals full open.

Vent on the fan (10 cfm Viper) 1/3 to 1/4 open when cooking on my large or medium

Here is the official word from the source... http://www.thebbqguru.com/bbqGuruU.cfm

GG

HungryMan

I kinda keep it a secret. Someone talked me into buying one. I stay away from that person. He costs too much to hang around with.