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First Slow Burn- Help Please

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BamaDC
BamaDC Posts: 10
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Doing my first slow burn this weekend (12-14 hours). When building the fire should I add some lump to the bottom, light it and get a good one going then add lump to the fire ring? OR go ahead and fill up to the fire ring and light it from the top?

Any help greatly appreciated!

Happy early 4th Everyone!
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Comments

  • B&BKnox
    B&BKnox Posts: 283
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    For my 16 hour cook, I loaded the lump 1-2 inches into the fire ring (bigger chunks on the bottom, near the grate) and added some fruit wood for smoke through out. then light as normal near the top center with an electric starter. Everything worked fine and I had a lot of lump left after 16 hours, could have gone 30 probably.
    Be Well

    Knoxville TN
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  • WokOnMedium
    WokOnMedium Posts: 1,376
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    I've never done that. Just put the bigger chunks at the bottom to ensure nothing blocks your air flow and light as usual. I see where your coming from, but I just light it in two places and as long as there is air flow and a lit piece of lump is touching another piece the smouldering will continue both downward and outward.

    Good luck and enjoy!
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  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
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    Go to the Naked Whiz site, and look for the Elder Ward pulled pork recipe. Mr. Ward provides the most meticulous and fail-safe method for building a fire. Often, one does not need to be so careful, but his method has always worked perfect for me.
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  • WokOnMedium
    WokOnMedium Posts: 1,376
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    It rings through my house when a cook is going......"keep it shut stupid!" :woohoo:
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  • Grandpas Grub
    Grandpas Grub Posts: 14,226
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    No, no, no... That can work but I wouldn't do it.

    As wokonmedium said put some larger chunks over the fire grate holes then load the lump close to the top of the fire ring. Light in 2 or 4 places and don't allow the heat to go past your target cook temperature.

    Adjust your vents BEFORE you reach your target temperature. It is hard to lower and stabilize the temperature.

    Depending on what you use to light your lump, starter cubes/oil & paper towel/alcohol, (most any starting method that uses a flammable accelerate to ignites the lump bed) there will be an initial heat up, this initial heat up will go way above your cook temperature. The temperature will then cool down to below your target, then a gradual build up again. This second build up is where you don't want the egg to go above your target cook temperature.

    GG
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  • dsmith
    dsmith Posts: 147
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    I've only done a few low-n-slows and would consider myself a "dumper". I do clean out the fire ring pretty well and simply dump lump up to and a little past the fire ring. In my experience, the fire seems to burn down more than it does out. (at least on my XL BGE) If this is your first and you are controlling the temp and not using a Stoker/Guru (which I don't own...yet, anyhow) you will find that once your fire is started the bottom vent will be open about 1/8inch or so and the daisy wheel ever so slightly cracked. That should keep you around 250F or so.

    That being said, keep a watch on it. I've had a fire go nearly out after sleeping for 5 hours on my first cook. I had to stoke it back up and everything turned out great, but I was kinda nervous.

    I'll be up off and on all night Sunday myself (which is why I'll drop the $400 or so on a Stoker or Guru in the future). Good luck!
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  • BamaDC
    BamaDC Posts: 10
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    Thanks everyone, I will be using a guru, so I think I got it. Have a great holiday weekend. Happy Egging!
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  • dsmith
    dsmith Posts: 147
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    BamaDC wrote:
    Thanks everyone, I will be using a guru

    I'm jealous. Have a great cook.
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