Grill is getting WAY TOO HOT!!!

Butt Steak

I have a large BGE. I cooked hamburgers on Sunday night and steaks last night. I watched the grill carefully and did not let the temperature get above 550*.

Both times the flames got EXTREMELY OUT OF CONTROL and were raging when I lifted the grill lid. I burned my arm pretty good!I did "burp" it to prevent the sudden rush of air.

Am I just using too much charcoal? I pretty much filled the firebox up and the charcoal was very big pieces. I really want to use the egg for high temp cooking, but this is a dangerous inferno and already has completely melted the gasket off on only my second use.

Please offer any advice you can. Thanks.

Bacchus

What brand lump are you using?

RVH

Close the bottom vent while the dome is open. This will help stem the draft flowing in from the bottom.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

it's the fat from the burgers, not the lump. don't know how many burgers were on the grill, but if you have a whole bunch, the fat can really flare up.

Butt Steak

Royal Oak. The bag has huge pieces (like the size of an orange)and both times the grill was an absolute out-of-control inferno with flames roaring out of the lid.

2Fategghead

When I grill hamburgers or steaks I use less lump. I still get a very hot fire and sometimes flames jump out but I use welders gloves and I also have a light duty welders jacket with sleeves. I can not lie sometimes I grill with no protection and I do get the hair on my knuckles and arms singed. If you are flipping a lot of burgers the flames can get pretty wild. Tim :woohoo:







Here is a pic of a griller grilling some steaks and a restaurant we sometimes go to. He is grilling on a very large indoor charcoal grill. Don't worry there is a big hood over the grill.

Bacchus

I had similar experience with another brand of lump, just curious. R.O. has never acted that way with me.
If it happened on your steak cook, then it probably is not the grease flaring up. Try using another brand of lump just to see. Maybe use slightly less of it.

ibanda

Last night was the first time I cooked a hamburgers on my new large egg! I cooked 8 hamburgers at the same time at 400°. The meat had a lot of fat (80/20) and whenever I opened the dome it would flare up pretty good. I did close the bottom vent when I had to open the lid, it helped a little. Mostly I think as said above it's the fat making the flames flare up. I was cooking with Wicked Good which I really like, Good to have a long handled spatula! Lots of smoke coming out the top vent also, the whole neighborhood could probably smell my cooking! The burgers were great though!

FlaPoolman

If it's the same lump from the burgers without a burnout then it would be the grease flaring

Rascal

Fat content will always affect how your fire reacts to what you're cooking. Have a temperature range in mind and adust the vents (upper & lower) to stabilize the Egg for what you're serving.

crenshawco

I also have a a similar experience with a certain brand of Charcoal (Frontier). I used others before with no problems and after also with no problems so I am fairly certain it had something to do with the lump.

NotabuttDave

Sunday I had 8 1/3 lb 80/20 burgers on my Large. It was the first time I had more than 2 on it.

I had the bottom at 1/2 and the dome open. I did have quite a flare, but it wasn't much of a problem. I leave them on for 4 min., flip, put the cheese on at 3 1/2 min, leave for 1/2 min and ENJOY.

(I let the egg get to 600.)

Grandpas Grub

 
You can reach 500° with a low load of lump or a high load of lump. If grease from the food hits the lump it may well ignite which is probably happening from what you are saying.

You can get a great sear by lowering the lump level and lowering the grid level (cook level) closer to the lump.

To save your gaskets on searing or when you want a high temp cook use less lump and cook a little lower in the egg.

Grease fires are just that, wear some good gloves and use a long handled tong or spatula.

I use a Adjustable Rig and Spider for searing steaks and high temp burger cooks. The spider allows me to put a grid lower in the egg and get an excellent high temperature sear. After getting these two accessories I very seldom have the dome temperature above 450° yet I easily get 800° sears on steaks.

This fire is all small pieces of previously used lump only loaded to the top of the holes in the fire box. As you will see plenty of heat.





GG

Little Steven

Butt Steak,

I would get the meat away from the lump. Less lump and raised grid. Flames won't hit the meat as readily and less fat will render.

Steve

Grandpas Grub

 
If you are getting flames coming up from the lump (without food cooking), any brand of lump, your vents are too wide open or the dome is open or both.

Heat (or flame) = fuel + oxygen. With a good load of lump the remaining variable is the oxygen available and how well the oxygen feeds the lump burn.

Adding a higher flash point element, grease from food for example, will change the dynamics and flame will result.

GG

tach18k

A few things, first are you using the daisy wheel cap, a must here! Then dont keep the lid open too long, if you do close the bottom vent, just open turn/flip the food and then close the dome. Back draft is normal at high temp, I have a hook on the end of my grate brush, keeps the hair on the arms.

FossilPeddler

Guys, he is a newbie. I agree with tach18k, and think what he is describing is flashback, and would be occurring whether or not the meat was on the grill.

I am guessing you quick got it up to temperature and then put the burgers on.

I recommend you use a smaller amount of lump, then get to desired temp and let it burn until the smoke turns from bluish to clear. That denotes all of the bad stuff burning off, and once that is done the risk of flashback is much reduced, in my experience. The smaller amount of lump will allow the fire to reach the clear smoke stage sooner.

Also, if the fire is raging, and is new and seeking out oxygen... if he closes the lower vent and then opens the dome immediately, it is REALLY going to flashback.

I cook burgers direct on the normal grid at about 350 to 400 for 90 seconds a side, that's it.

Jai-Bo

I agree w/ less lump fer hotter burn....Hotter burn = quicker cooking so less is needed. The back flash will occur burping or no, just worse if no burp....I love the smell of burning hair!!! That's 1 thing I need to invest in, is a long set of flippers!!!! :P

EGGs N@

I have also melted my gasket on my second cook…got the LG Egg way to hot while setting up. Yesterday I did 2 Beer Can birds and they turned out great. My question is with a melted gasket there was a little bit of smoke coming out of the seal; is this normal to have a little smoke escaping or should I try to replace it? if so, will customer support be of any help since it was only my second cook? Any input/help would be appreciated.

Little Steven

Jai-Bo,

Flashback does not have to occur. If you remember to open the lower vent and daisy prior to opening it won't do it. Course..you do have to remember. :(

Steve

2Fategghead

DennisH. A lot of eggheads have a gasket that may have had somewhat of a melt down. You said your chicken cook went well with a little smoke escaping but, to a degree that is normal. I would think that if you are not having trouble controlling temps and when finished shutting down your egg you should be fine. It would not hurt to speak to your dealer about it and see if they may replace it or not or give you a replacement gasket or even give you a nomex replacement gasket...Tim

danny285

it is very common for the gasket to fail on the first few cooks on the bge. almost all gaskets fail, bge seems to not care, they will replace if you call them.

Bacchus

Well I can attest to the fact that one particular brand of lump flames unbelievably, and I am experienced enough to know how to work the Vents, and it has nothing to do with grease. It did it with no meat on the grill with new lump.
To say that one thing for sure caused this guys issue is without merit.

PhilsGrill

Bottomline, if your gasket is installed correctly, there will be NO smoke escaping at any time, period. This means the dollar bill test must by used to check the dome alignment and tightness. The dollar bill should be hard to pull out all the way around.