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AR Came Early!

I am cooking some Butts for my Moms birthday tomorrow.  I have never cooked a butt on the egg before but I have been doing a lot of reading and feel pretty confident. I ordered the AR last week and was not expecting it till Monday, but low an behold, it showed up on the door step today!  Saturday!  Thats service!  Now since I have the AR and have never used one of those before, I thought I would double down on new adventures and break in the rig as well.  
The reason for this post is to make sure I have the rig set up properly:

I have the round ceramic stone on the lowest level of the AR and no spider.  I then placed the BGE grid on top of the AR.  I read the instructions from Tom but want to make sure I got it right, it seems pretty high in the dome.

Does that sound right?

Im smoking two butts about 8 pounds each, a little dizzy pig and thats it.  I plan on putting the butts on tonight @250 dome and will have my iGrill monitoring grill level temp and internal temp of one of the butts.  I am checking my thermo as I right this.  Cleaned the egg out and filled it to the top of the fire ring with fresh lump.

Wish me luck!



Simi Valley, California
LBGE, PBC, Annova, SMOBot

Comments

  • jtippers
    jtippers Posts: 512
    edited December 2013
    The round stone normally sits on the spider. Do you have it?

    I normally put whatever I'm cooking at the felt level... But that's just what I have gotten used to doing.
    SBGE December 2012 •  XLBGE December 2013 •  Yoder YS640 July
    Location: Jasper, Georgia

  • Yes I do have the spider.  The papers that came with the AR suggested taking the spider out as it was not necessary for butts.  But (NPI) I guess there is more than one way to skin a cat.  I wonder if higher in the dome makes for a better bark?

    Thanks for the input, appreciate it.
    Simi Valley, California
    LBGE, PBC, Annova, SMOBot
  • jtippers
    jtippers Posts: 512
    The AR is kinda like an erector set... Lots of options and your imagination is the limit. After I got to thinking about it... I did a reverse seared on a Tri tip not long ago with the stone on the spider and the factory grid sitting on top of the AR. It turned out great:
    SBGE December 2012 •  XLBGE December 2013 •  Yoder YS640 July
    Location: Jasper, Georgia

  • jtippers
    jtippers Posts: 512
    edited December 2013
    BTW, congrats on the purchase. Apart from my thermapen, the AR is probably my favorite accessorie. I'm sure you will love it!
    SBGE December 2012 •  XLBGE December 2013 •  Yoder YS640 July
    Location: Jasper, Georgia

  • Thanks jtippers!  Yeah that tri-tip set up sounds interesting.  I have been cooking it at the felt level, it will be nice having other options to play with.


    Simi Valley, California
    LBGE, PBC, Annova, SMOBot
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    Yes, the round stone can go on rig's lower notches with crossbars or slide guide.  Having the stone above the fire ring will improve airflow.  We recommend putting everything on the rig when possible, makes getting at the lump easy, if needed.  If you are worried about headroom above the two butts and have the R&B Combo, set the slide guide or crossbars at the rig's upper notches with oval grid.  

    Make sure the bge thermometer is not sticking the butts.  Enjoy the cook.  

    tom  
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
  • jtippers
    jtippers Posts: 512
    @tjv - You just taught me another trick. I didn't think about the round stone on the AR... But it makes perfect sense when you explain it like that. Thanks!
    SBGE December 2012 •  XLBGE December 2013 •  Yoder YS640 July
    Location: Jasper, Georgia

  • Thanks Tom,  Good reminder about the thermometer.  I bought the customer combo with the oval grid.  I only have one set of cross bars which are being used for the round stone.  But I think that if I just make sure the thermo is not in the butts I'll be OK.


    Simi Valley, California
    LBGE, PBC, Annova, SMOBot
  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,830
    Thanks Tom,  Good reminder about the thermometer.  I bought the customer combo with the oval grid.  I only have one set of cross bars which are being used for the round stone.  But I think that if I just make sure the thermo is not in the butts I'll be OK.



    jtippers said:
    @tjv - You just taught me another trick. I didn't think about the round stone on the AR... But it makes perfect sense when you explain it like that. Thanks!
    glad to assist, thanks for the support.

    tom
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.