Low Cook Temp/White Smoke Conundrum

ugadawg5 · January 2014

I consider myself an intermediate/advanced EggHead, but here's a question I'm hoping y'all can help me with.

I believe it's common knowledge that you should only begin to cook on the egg once the smoke has turned from white to clear, mainly for health and taste reasons. In my experience, that means getting that sucker up to 400-450, then cutting off airflow with the vents to bring it down if you so choose.

Now, say I want to slow-cook ribs (only way right?) at 180-200. In my experience, it's damn near impossible to get that egg down to 180-200 again unless you've got hours to wait. The egg remains too hot.

Some folks say just get it to 230 and then let it come down, but I don't think you can burn the coal clean to the point of clear smoke when it's that low right?

What are some tricks or tips y'all recommend for getting the egg down quick other than manipulating the vents. Perhaps that's it, but I wanted to check with the pros first.

Let the BIG DAWG EAT!

- Matt

Mattman3969 · January 2014

You gotta catch the temp on the way up, way easier to increase the temp than lower it once the ceramic gets hot. If you are doin a low n slow your smoke should clear within 30mins or so which is a little less time than I consider the egg to get stabilize for low temp cooks. The way I understand it you only have the heavy VOCs on the initial lighting and because of the constant heat that is lighting the rest of the lump the VOCs are way less as new lump ignites during the burn.

henapple · January 2014

I'll set mine at 225 and wait till it burns clean. ..20-30 minutes

lousubcap · January 2014

I'm pretty much with Mattman-the key is to stop the temperature rise on the way up. You only need a small (softballed sized or so) amount of lump burning to get the chamber temp above around 200 +*F to drive off the VOC's. Best rule of thumb I know-"if the smoke smells good it is good"and just wait for that-don't let the temperature of the BGE drive the smoke smell assessment. That's how you can run at around 200*F for as long as you want and no worries with the smoke/VOC's. The nose is a great discriminator! FWIW-

RickyBobby · January 2014

Another option would be to save leftover Lump after all your individual cooks. Keep this "already burned" Lump in a seperate container and when it comes time for these low and slows you'll have Lump that has had the VOC's already burned off.

ugadawg5 · January 2014

Sounds good, thanks!

ShadowNick · January 2014

180-200 is to low in the first place. I normally take my ribs to 205, which requires atleast 250 grate. I don't think your ribs would ever be done in a reasonable amount of time with a temp of 200. I'm a Ga Tech boy, so take it with a grain of salt

Skiddymarker · January 2014

Ribs cooked in 225-300º range. I prefer to target for 250º. Start the egg, small fire in front on top, wait 30-45 minutes = clear smoke.

SmokeyPitt · January 2014

Honestly for most cooks I don't think it is necessary to overshoot your temp to get rid of the bad smoke. Like others stated, I just try to get it set where I want it then give it time to stabilize. If it smells good, it is ready to cook. The only time I intentionally overshoot it when I am making pizza. I also agree that 180-200 is just too low. The fire is going to be in a constant state of "snuffing out" and the smoke is not gonna be good.

RickyBobby · January 2014

Made a batch of Jerky and held 155 degrees for 7hrs with no bad smoke ... but I used previously burned Lump

... try it

sbunker · January 2014

I always smell the smoke. The nose knows.

pretzelb · January 2014

I'm glad you brought this up because I was pondering the same question. If you have a mix of new lump and start your cook before the entire lump is lit, then it would seem that logically you'd get a mix of bad smoke as new pieces of lump started to catch. The only alternative would be to save and use old lump (which sounds like a total mess to me) or use a fire reducing ring for all cooks that don't require the entire lump. Otherwise I can't see how new pieces starting up wouldn't contribute bad smoke to the cook.

buzd504 · January 2014

VOCs burn off with heat before the new charcoal is actually lit. Good discussion here: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1136206/what-does-voc-mean

Skiddymarker · January 2014

@pretzelb - the entire lump should never be lit. For low and slows you need enough lit to bring the temp of the fire box up to a temp the VOCs "boil" off. Cooking with lump is not like cooking with briquettes where you often want them all lit, not always, but for most cooks. Light at the front on the top. The fire will follow the air downward, give good temp control and you will use much less fuel.

UXB · January 2014

New egger here. What are VOC's?

NDG · January 2014

@skiddymarker . . . can you clarify what you mean by "Light at the front on the top" ??

SoCal_Griller · January 2014

VOC = Volatile Organic Compounds

Link provided by buzd504

http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1136206/what-does-voc-mean

Skiddymarker · January 2014

@NDG, sure. Stike comment a few years ago solved a ton of my problems. I use an electric starter, so I sit the starter towards the front of the egg, that is as close to the 6:00 o'clock position as I can get it, The handle is towards the rear of the egg. A few pieces of lump on top of the coils. Do not bury the coils into the lump, nor pile all the lump on top like you might with a chimney starter or briquettes.

After seven or eight minutes, take the starter out, drop in the setup, leave the bottom vent open completely and the daisy petals fully open. After 15 minutes or so, I set the vents to what I expect will be close to final temp and leave it for 30 to 40 minutes. Seems to work for me.

EDIT - for most cooks, I just put the starter in and top up the lump by poring out of the bag onto the coils, I don't mix and just rake the ash out when it looks to be getting full.

RickyBobby · January 2014

pretzelb said:
The only alternative would be to save and use old lump (which sounds like a total mess to me) or use a fire reducing ring for all cooks that don't require the entire lump.

Just save your bigger pieces ... not very hard to do.

NDG · January 2014

Thanks skiddy - I use an electrical starter and always bury the coil deep as possible into the middle, but I will have to try your method out next cook . . .

jhl192 · January 2014

I am liking the idea of keeping a tub of left over lump from cooks that didn't turn it all to ash. This way for long cooks I can use that tub, which probably will fill the entire firebox, and not have to worry about any bad smell. I'll give that a try and let you know. Thanks.

SPRIGS · January 2014

If I waited for thin blue smoke before putting on the meat, I would never get cooking. This always confused me in the past as I can see whitish colored smoke coming out of my egg at various times throughout my cooks. I see this when new chunks of wood begin to burn.

I think the important part is to let the VOCs burn off when the charcoal is initially lit. This can take some time depending on what brand of charcoal you are using. I have found that it takes very little time for Rockwood to burn off the nasty stuff. Like has been said - just use your nose. If the smell is good, you are OK to start cooking.

On low and slows, I generally bury a few chunks of wood in the charcoal. Light the lump, put in the platesetter and grate and let it stabilize at the temp I am shooting for. By that time - the VOCs are all gone and the smoke is smelling good. I then add 2 or 3 chunks of wood on top of the spots where I lit the lump, put platesetter back in, put the grate back in and load the meat. I notice white colored smoke right away but again, I believe that is because of the new chunks I just recently put on the charcoal as they are now starting to smolder. The smoke still smells good so I don't worry about it.

Don't know if that is the right way or not but it works for me.

Low Cook Temp/White Smoke Conundrum

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