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Temp.

This is my 8th. Time cooking on the Egg. Everything perfect so far. I just put on a 4.8 Butt on the egg. I have top and bottom air down a good bit. Scared to close more....don't want fire/heat to go out. Best I can get right noe is 285 degrees....what to do, or if I stay there how long do I cook.....until center of Butt is 180 a 190 ish?

Comments

  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    Don't mess w. the temp, altho even just a 16th of an inch vent opening, top and bottom, will keep it going. If you want pulled pork, go to at least 195F. All I can offer is a guesstimate. At 285, I'd expect about 6 1/2 - 7 hours.
  • I did a 8.5 lb butt last weekend.  I had the bottom vent open about the thickness of 3 quarters.  The top wheel about 1/3 open.  I cooked mine from 3:15am to 9:15pm and got an internal temp of 190 (18 hours).  Next time I will shoot for 200.  I believe about 2 hours per pound at 250 is what I will use as a guide next time.  Some people say cook a little hotter. 
    Columbia, SC

  • Weshells
    Weshells Posts: 8
    edited February 2013
    Doing better....I got the temp down to approx. 210 ...it's been steady for about 1hr........how long should I cook...it's 4.8 lbs. Thanks for the help.
  • gdenby
    gdenby Posts: 6,239
    I hate to say this, but it would have been better leave the temp higher. At 210, the butt will take forever. And, while the Egg will hold 210, but that is a very small fire, and if it doesn't pass from 1 piece of lump to the other, its gone. Nudge the bottom vent open just a wee bit, and check the temp again in about half an hour.
  • Ok....final attempt....at 275 now....think it will be perfect......I hope..........will recheck in couple of hours........talk to you guys/gals later, again thanks.
  • Ragtop99
    Ragtop99 Posts: 1,570
    Butts do very nicely at 275*.   You're going to have a good cook.  :)

    Cooking on an XL and Medium in Bethesda, MD.
  • dlk7
    dlk7 Posts: 1,053
    It's a bit of a learning experience to regulate the temp through the use of the upper and lower vents.  It's not hard but takes a few times to understand how your egg responds to the airflow. I have two XLs and the vent settings are different to maintain the same temp.  Generally, I dont' use the daisy wheel on cooks above 350 degrees - just use the bottom vent to stabilize.  You may want to consider a fan assist regulator like the DigiQ DX2 or one of the newer WiFi models - they work great - set and forget.  However, most people will tell you that it just takes a liittle experience (a few cooks at different temps) to figure out how your egg reacts to slight changes in the vent settings.  You may want to search on "Turbo" to see threads talking about faster smoking settings.  I found I like the low and slow better but it may all be in my mind.

    Two XL BGEs - So Happy!!!!

    Waunakee, WI

  • Butts at 300-325, the way to go. I like to start at 225ish, to get some smoke for an hour or two, then let it come up to 300. Nice daytime cook. 

    Good luck.
    Delta B.C. - Whiskey and steak, because no good story ever started with someone having a salad!
  • Pork Butt cooked from 0730 - 1700 hrs. Today......had to adjust temp. Several times. Everyone loved it. Wrapped in tin foil one hr. before removing.......so juicy and tender........it was almost to good to eat....... Thanks for the help today.
  • Looks great! I shoot for 190 internal
    Temp. Then start trying to see if the bone wiggles free(usually at 195-200). If it does, it's done. Only use time for an approximate estimation, and plan for up to 2 hours of freedom when planning meal time. If its done ahead of time you can Foil, Towel, Cooler it. I usually do 225-250.
  • Thank you....after an hour at 190, I foiled it for another hour in the Egg, then took inside....perfect.