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Going through lump fast

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Comments

  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    edited June 2012
    Couple thoughts and ideas for you.

    First, on low and slo cooks, light the lump in one spot.  I usually light it a little forward of center and get a good burn going down in the lump.  Once it's lit, bottom and top vent wide open.  When the temp approaches 175ish degrees on the dome thermometer, I start closing the upper daisy and lower slider vents.  Maybe 3/4" open slider and 1/4 moon open daisy.  Once the temp busts through 200ish, I back both vents down more until the temp is stabilized where I need it.   One thing I don't do, which I think you do, is have the lower and upper vents disproportionately open/closed. I try to work them in tandem,  both wide open, both moderately open and finally both minimally open to maintain temp. 

    Second, the oval stone is bigger than the flat disk on the platesetter.  Add the platesetter legs, the platesetter is bigger (more mass) than the oval stone.   On the rig, the oval stone provides 360 degrees of air flow, so you have options on how to control that airflow vertically.  Feel free to move it up a level on the rig if you want to open up the area for heat rising out of the fire ring.  

    Third,  one thing you ( and others) don't want to do is set the oval stone directly on the fire ring.  Lowest notch setting is as low as it goes.....which you said you did.  Might move it up to the middle of the rig. 

    Fourth, best I can tell from conversations here, you'll burn more lump by not using the stock bge lump grate.  If the bottom slider and top daisy are not in sync, it is possible for the heated air to go searching for a way out as it can't get out the daisy fast enough.  You've seen this with smoke coming out the slider.  By keeping reasonably equal settings, slider and daisy, you want to create a natural draw through the cooker and thus constant temps. Generally for me, the daisy is slightly less open than the slider but then I have leaks around the felt line too.  This is not a perfect science as wind, humidity and beers can play a part on slider and daisy adjustments.  

    Fifth, you may be working too hard to make sure the lump is properly piled in the firebox.  By hand placing, you could actually be using less lump when compared to us who just dump the bag in the firebox.  You get the big pieces but miss the little pieces that fill the voids and cracks but still burn.

    Sixth,  might pull the firebox and see if it needs a cleaning.  Ash does build up behind the firebox.  

    Seventh,  since you are in NY, might try to get a bag of Wicked Good, as it's the grand champion for long lump burns.  See how it does.

    My recommendation:  Get a new bag of lump, can be same lump but from some place different where you bought the current stuff.  Use the BGE lump grate. Don't hand pile the lump, just put couple big pieces on the lump grate, then dump it to the top of the fire ring.  Light it one center spot.  Put the rig in with the oval stone on the lowest notch setting.  Adjust the slider and daisy in tandem to 250 dome.  See how it goes.......

    tom
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835
    I also have a Hi-Q grate and haven't noticed any increase in the amount of lump burned.

    I used to take a lot of time to arrange my charcoal when loading the BGE but that became tiresome very quickly. Now I just dump it in and it works just as well.
    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
  • Sundown
    Sundown Posts: 2,980
    Try some Wicked Good Lump. I have 2 ten pound shoulders on right now and when I opened the dome to put in the meat temperature probe it didn't look to me like I had burned that much. Gave it a quick stir just to be sure and, nope, I was right. Didn't burn all that much.

    For some of you it may be a little more expensive but, the burn time is awesome and more than makes up for the cost. I',m so happy with WG I've been using it for nearly 13 years almost exclusively for a reason.
  • robnybbq
    robnybbq Posts: 1,911
    I have not found the Wicked good locally yet.  Royal Oak from Wally world or BGE is all I have seen locally.  My friend has another brand of ceramic cooker and uses the Royal Oak and does not have this problem but he does not know much about the egg compared to his cooker.

    Where I had the oval stone only air could come form the 2 sides as the stone was basically on the fire ring.

    To try the next low and slow

    - I will load the firebox again.
    - I will light only one spot with the torch - my guess holding the torch in the same spot for ~15 seconds should do it.
    - I will put the oval stone up a notch and not on the lowest ring of the AR.
    - I will adjust the bottom vent and DW at the same time.
    - Pray it works.

    Thanks all - Now I need to decide on what to make next (A little porked out for the moment).  I needs some beef ideas for a ~5 hour smoke.

    _______________________________________________________________
    LBGE, Adjustable Rig, Spider, High-Que grate, maverick ET-732, Thermapen,


    Garnerville, NY
  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    Thanks all - Now I need to decide on what to make next (A little porked out for the moment).  I needs some beef ideas for a ~5 hour smoke.
    Where in NY? Upper\lower\western? 

    for a long cook beef. Chuck roast for Pulled beef. 
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
  • robnybbq
    robnybbq Posts: 1,911
    chuck roast?

    Lower NY close to the NJ border.

    _______________________________________________________________
    LBGE, Adjustable Rig, Spider, High-Que grate, maverick ET-732, Thermapen,


    Garnerville, NY
  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    chuck roast?

    Lower NY close to the NJ border.
    Some places call it pit-beef. I did one here. Became my wife's favorite cut of meat of BBQ. 
    and Hapster did one as well. Cook it longer than you think to 210!

    OK, I'm near the GW bridge. 
    If you are close to NJ, you can get wicked good at Oakland hardware (I think), and definitely at Modern Propane in Lodi NJ. 

    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
  • Shiff
    Shiff Posts: 1,835


    Some places call it pit-beef.

    I second the idea for making pulled beef from Chuck Roast. There are lots of recipes here and on the old Big Green Forum.

    I've never heard pulled beef called pit beef. In the Baltimore area, pit beef is made from a round roast and is usually more grilled than smoked. It is cooked rare and sliced very thin for sandwiches.  It isn't pulled.
    Large BGE
    Barry, Lancaster, PA
  • tazcrash
    tazcrash Posts: 1,852
    I would have sworn I read a chuck roast low and slow as pit beef, but I'm probably wrong. Go with pulled. Still tasty and tender as hell.
    Bx - > NJ ->TX!!! 
    All to get cheaper brisket! 
  • Eggbertsdad
    Eggbertsdad Posts: 804
    I just bought 2 bags of Wicked Good. It's pretty good stuff. The pieces are large and very dense. The bag of Cowboy I bought about a month ago had huge pieces as well but they were very light and produced a ton of ash. 

    I would rank Humphrey's and WG as the 2 best I've tried. I haven't tried Dragon's Breath or Ozark Oak. 
    Sarasota, FL via Boynton Beach, FL, via Sarasota, FL, via Charleston, SC, via The Outer Banks, via God's Country (East TN on Ft. Loudon Lake)
  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    Where I had the oval stone only air could come form the 2 sides as the stone was basically on the fire ring.

    Move the stone up and I'll bet this problem goes away.  On the CGS website they warn about using a stone too low in the grill. 

    I'm rooting for you to have a great next cook, but part of me wants you to try things in a step wise fashion.  I frequently violate most of the things you are going to do next time, with the exception of stone location.  I frequently cook using only the daisy wheel to control temp and the bottom vent open 4" or more.  Others do the opposite and cook w/o the DW and only control from the DW.  The egg is a lot more fun when you realize you control it and not the other way around.
    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    I just bought 2 bags of Wicked Good. It's pretty good stuff. The pieces are large and very dense. The bag of Cowboy I bought about a month ago had huge pieces as well but they were very light and produced a ton of ash. 

    I would rank Humphrey's and WG as the 2 best I've tried. I haven't tried Dragon's Breath or Ozark Oak. 
    I really like WG, I like Ozark Oak a little more (it suits my pallet a little better)  My top three favs so far are
    1. Ozark Oak and WG Weekend Warrior ( tie because they are both top notch)
    2. Natures Own sugar maple hardwood (taste is superb but much smaller pieces in comparison to other brands)
  • robnybbq
    robnybbq Posts: 1,911
    Where I had the oval stone only air could come form the 2 sides as the stone was basically on the fire ring.

    Move the stone up and I'll bet this problem goes away.  On the CGS website they warn about using a stone too low in the grill. 

    I'm rooting for you to have a great next cook, but part of me wants you to try things in a step wise fashion.  I frequently violate most of the things you are going to do next time, with the exception of stone location.  I frequently cook using only the daisy wheel to control temp and the bottom vent open 4" or more.  Others do the opposite and cook w/o the DW and only control from the DW.  The egg is a lot more fun when you realize you control it and not the other way around.
    Thanks. May try the chuck roast this weekend.  Other than that I am planning on salmon on cedar planks tomorrow but that should be a short direct cook.

    _______________________________________________________________
    LBGE, Adjustable Rig, Spider, High-Que grate, maverick ET-732, Thermapen,


    Garnerville, NY