Proper Cooking Temperatures

Unknown

Help! My name is Peter Worden. I recently read a recipe for brisket (Eggfest 2000) on the Big Green Egg website. It looks great and I can’t wait to try it![p]I was very interested in something the author of the recipe wrote under a segment entitled, Special Instructions. “When cooking indirect, the temperature at cooking level, is less than the dome temp...sometimes by 30 or more degrees. This difference is amplified when using liquid in the drip pan, as the liquid never gets above 212 degrees. I think it is important to take this into consideration, and use 250 dome temp as a minimum. 200-225 dome temp means your cooking level is probably 180-190, which is just not hot enough to get anywhere.”[p]Amen… I think this may explain a problem I have been having with my Egg. I will often slow smoke/cook things with a drip pan underneath my food. For example, I will cook beer-can chickens on a little poultry stand placed on top of a drip pan. However, I will place the drip pan directly on my single grill grate. (I do not have a second level). I will also cook Boston Butts (pork shoulders) and other roasts on a V-rack placed on top of a drip pan sitting directly on the grate. I am cooking all of these things at a temperature of 200-220 degrees. The problem is simply this. Everything is taking MUCH longer than it is supposed to. It is so frustrating! I did two 3 ¾ lb. chickens that were supposed to take about 4 hours. They took more like 7 or 8 and that was only after I increased the temperature to 250 degrees! Is the drip pan (with or without liquid) placed directly underneath my food the reason for this? Is the actual temperature at which I am cooking less than what my thermometer reads? Should I simply increase my temp to 250 degrees, even if a recipe calls for 200-220? I hope someone can please offer some words of wisdom. I have only been cooking on the Egg for about 6-8 weeks and am in need of some guidance. Thanks.[p]Hungry and tired of waiting, [p]Peter Worden [p]

WessB

Peter Worden,
Put quite simply...the recipes and posts you read hear refernece the "dome" temp, unless stated otherwise. I would suggest first off is to insure your dome thermometer is calibrated. The more room around your meat( away from drip pans or deflectors ) for the hot air to circulate, will also help cooking times. It has been proven several times that there is a difference in dome and grid temps, since many have only the dome thermometer its just easier to use that as the reference temp..200° grid temp wont do a lot of cooking.....HTH[p]Wess

Unknown

WessB,[p]Thank you for your quick response. I did in fact calibrate my dome thermometer when I bought the grill, so I know that is accurate. It sounds to me as though the drip pans are part of my problem and the other is the apparent 30 degree difference between dome temp and grid temp. Are you saying that if my dome thermometer reads 200 degrees, then my actual grid temp is probably more like 170 degrees?

WessB

Peter W,
I dont believe anyone has proven anything linear, as in grid is always 30° less...it depends on the set up and the actual temp you are cooking at...there wouldnt be as much if any difference on a higher temp cook..you should periodically re calibrate your themometer, if it gets spun around in the dome to much it can easily be wrong..you can see several indirect setups on my webpage...[p]Wess
[ul][li]WessB`s[/ul]

Bob V

It is true that on indirect the dome temp is 30-50 degrees hotter than the grill, so I shoot for 250 as a minimum (unless I'm looking for cool smoke).[p]The second question you ask is different, though. An empty drip pan on top of the inverted plate setter won't add any difference to the dome/grill temp. A drip pan filled with liquids *will* slow things down considerably, since the liquids act as a heat sink, drawing heat out of the Egg and into the liquid. [p]Bob V

Unknown

WessB,[p]Thank you very much. I'll check out your webpage.

Unknown

Bob V,[p]Thanks for your response, Bob. What is an "inverted plate setter" if I might ask?

Nature Boy

Howdy Peter.
I think I am the one who posted that recipe you mention. It is amazing how much the dome/vs/cooking level temps can vary. There are many factors....fire size, airflow, outside temp, humidity, mass (be it ceramic mass or just plain cold meat mass). With many setups, and a heavy load of meat, the temp can vary as much as 100 degrees. It really helps to monitor the cooking level, as that is the temp that really matters. An extra polder is valuable, as you can poke the tip of the probe thru the edge of your meat so it hangs out a couple inches. The dome temp reading is of limited worth.[p]Good luck. You have only been cooking on your egg 6-8 weeks, but you ask some damn good questions!
Beers
Chris

Bamabob

Isn't there a point of convergence where the dome and grill temps equalize on very long cooks?

The Naked Whiz

Peter W,
You can see photos of the plate setter, inverted and otherwise on my FAQ:[p]TNW
[ul][li]The Naked Whiz's FAQ[/ul]

JSlot

All the responses below are pointing you in the right direction, Peter. I'll add one other thing and it is VERY important. If you are using the recipes in the book that came with your Egg as a guide, STOP IMMEDIATELY!!! With the exception of the parts picture and the warranty card, that manual is useless. The times and temps are way off. Here's a link below to the cookbook that Bill Wise (aka Wise One) has put together. I suggest printing it out and putting in a binder for future reference. Any other questions, just ask 'em here.[p]Welcome!
Jim
[ul][li]Wise One's Cookbook[/ul]

Smokin Joe

JSlot, that is really cool! How does one save it without having to print it out right now? Helps me, please }> Joe

JSlot

It's easy, Joe. Just open up the cookbook file from the web site. Once it is open, right-click anywhere on the document and select "Save As". You can then save it to wherever you want and rename it, too.[p]Jim

JSlot

I was mistaken, Joe. The right click trick doesn't work in Acrobat. However, when you open up the cookbook in Adobe Acrobat, there is a "diskette" icon on the left side of the Acrobat toolbar just above the viewing window. That is the Save button. Just click on that and you are in business.[p]Jim

Smokin Joe

JSlot, Thanks!!! I violated my own rule - try it first yourself... LOL I saved it and I'm in business. Thanks for the help! Joe

Unknown

JSlot,[p]It seems all the top BGE gurus are responding to my post. Thanks a lot, Jim. Good advice for sure. BTW, I enjoyed your spare ribs segement on the introductory BGE video.

Unknown

Nature Boy,[p]Thanks for the kind words and good advice, Chris. Yes, it was your recipe! Sorry I didn't mention your name in my original post. I do use a meat thermometer, which I agree is a must. BTW, I sent you a return email earlier today.[p]Peter

Unknown

The Naked Whiz,[p]Thanks for the link. I like your web site.

JSlot

Thanks, Peter. The rib method has been tweaked over the years, but the basics are pretty much the same. The great thing about the green room is that almost everyone here contributes worthwhile info at one time or another. That's rare these days!![p]Jim