Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Butt Fire?

ramblinpeck
ramblinpeck Posts: 2
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Hi all, first post here, but have been lurking for a bit. Had my BGE for a couple months now, best wedding gift I got, my groomsmen rock.

Onto the question. This is the second time I've done pulled pork, and I think I'm doing something wrong with the fire. I'm coming right up on the 12 hour mark and even though it was rolling steady a couple hours ago it was almost out when I got up to check.

I couldn't revive the fire so have to open it up (damn!) and throw another starter in to kick it up and then throw the meat back on. When I did this I noticed that it looked like the center of the fire had burned out, but the sides really had not. There was still plenty of charcoacl left, and it was able to light relatively easy. Not a huge deal, but my dome temp was dropping below 200 quick and I'm glad I caught it when I did.

I've read both that I should be lighting from the center as well as from the side of the firebox. Would appricate any advice on what I might be doing wrong.

Comments

  • Eggtucky
    Eggtucky Posts: 2,746
    I light in 3-4 places for long cooks, 6-9-12-3. I only light the center as the 5th place when I'm wanting to go higher temps and shorter cooks...also stabilize for an hour before starting long cooks..never hada fire go out once well lit and stabilized...
  • Sundown
    Sundown Posts: 2,980
    Ditto Eggtuckys suggestion. Only I light in the center and 12, 4 and 8 and find that's enough.

    You can l;ight in the center but you need to give the coals a little "jiggle" to kind of settle them in before you head off to bed. I've never had a fire go out yet. You may want to go take a look at the Naked Whiz site ( http://www.nakedwhiz.com/elder.htm )and read ALL of the piece Elder Ward did a few years ago. It's a standard and should be read in its entirety to get the best results. Good luck and don't be a stranger.
  • I light my lump at 9, 12 and 3 o'clock positions. The burn generally moves towards the incoming air flow which is in front. You need to make a giggle wire also. You stick it through the air inlet opening and stick the wire up through the air lump grate coals. It helps clear any ash buildup and can help the lump settle closer together. Regardless it didn't take me long to realize long cooks need to be checked on every 2 to 3 hours. Murphy's Law holds true with cooking on BGEs also.
  • thirdeye
    thirdeye Posts: 7,428
    Wigglerod3.jpg

    An easy fix for the center burn is using a wiggle rod. I may or may not need it during the first 8 to 10 hours, but a wiggle is great insurance when you head to bed. Just be gentle, and do this in several holes.

    ANY time you have fire issues that require re-starting, the best bail out is to move your meat into a 250° oven. This will allow you to work at your own pace at the cooker, and will give it plenty of time to get it right before the meat goes back on. If you are within a couple of hours of finishing anyway, just do an oven finish.
    Happy Trails
    ~thirdeye~

    Barbecue is not rocket surgery
  • bubba tim
    bubba tim Posts: 3,216
    Ever thought about including the wiggle with the 3rdhand? for a little extra $$?
    SEE YOU IN FLORIDA, March 14th and 15th 2014 http://www.sunshinestateeggfest.com You must master temp, smoke, and time to achive moisture, taste, and texture! Visit www.bubbatim.com for BRISKET HELP
  • Beanie-Bean
    Beanie-Bean Posts: 3,092
    Congrats, and welcome to the EggNation!

    I've adopted Mad Max's technique of only lighting at the 12 o'clock position for low-and-slow. It has worked well for me since I've started using that technique, and I can't believe the amount of lump left over after the cook! I'll light the lump with a MAPP gas torch (actually MAPP/Pro now...) and let it got for about 20-30 minutes with the plate setter inverted on top so that that sparks don't go all over the place. This is with the lid open, too. After I see that the fire is going well, I attach the DigiQ to the lower vent and put the metal top on with the slider closed, and the petals just barely cracked.

    Haven't done a low-and-slow manually since I got the DigiQ, except for one time when the power went out. It's worth the cost, and you'll really appreciate it when it's freezing cold outside and you don't have to go outside to check the fire...