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Unattended Cooking (Do you go to sleep or leave your house with BGE on deck?)

So, when I got my BGE I had to decide where to assemble it?!  My first thought was out in the backyard, maybe on our patio or throw down some pavers so it had it's own little area, just big enough for the grill.  Then I decided, I am much more likely to use it if it is convenient, so I decided on the deck just outside the kitchen.  Our patio is kind of small anyway, and the backyard option would be too long of a walk from the house when the food requires attention at the beginning and end of a cook.

So, very happily, my egg sits on my deck ready to serve!   My idea was that I could set the egg up for a 15+ hour smoke and go to sleep, head out for a bike ride, or run some errands all while my meat of choice is smoking.  The egg will faithfully hold temperature and I won't be tied to the house....

...however, a couple weeks ago when another user was asking about putting his BGE in a custom wood counter under a covered deck you all posted some pretty scary pictures of cooks gone bad where the egg caused fires to decks, counters or homes.  So, this naturally got me thinking about what I should do and what most of you do.

I would like to think I can set the egg for a 250 degree long cook and go to sleep with relative peace of mind.  The vents are barely open and the cook should be slow.  But if there is even a small chance of burning the place down I won't sleep soundly and when I'm on that bike ride I'll be constantly wondering if I'm going to arrive home and find my deck fully engulfed!  Obviously, the smart thing is to not leave any fire unattended, but there are exceptions.  A quality cast iron wood stove, for instance, can very safely put out heat while you sleep or leave the house.  It is fully enclosed and there is no chance of sparks or flare up.

So, talk me into or out of an unattended cook on my deck.
I'm afraid if I move the egg off the deck I'll use it a lot less.
But I don't want to stress too much about a long cook on my uncovered wood deck.   ?

Thanks!!
LBGE/Maryland
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Comments

  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    Personally I will not leave the house during the day while the egg is going. As for when I sleep at night I have no problem letting the egg go. I have a maverick set up so if something went wrong the temps would more than likely make my maverick alarm go off. I have done several overnights and temps have never spiked yet. I don't want to go shopping at pier 1 or ikea on the weekends anyhow so immok with it.
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669
    had a fire on the deck during an overnight, the large is off the deck on a stone patio now. i do have a smaller ceramic cooker on the deck for cooking when im there but the longer cooks get done on the patio now. maybe you need a second egg
    :D
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • There's always a small chance (of just about anything happening)! Don't make this decision on what the "majority" on this site do. Make it based on your own tolerance for risk vs. the "reward(s)" you're looking for.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Well, "spa-Peggy" is kind of like spaghetti. I'm not sure what Peggy does different, if anything. But it's the one dish she's kind of made her own.
    ____________________
    Aurora, Ontario, Canada
  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980
    As said already, when I use the egg I will never leave the house. Overnights are ok in my mind as I will just set up the Maverick and the alarms will go off if the temps get hot. Plus We have a 2 tier deck with a set of patio doors off of each tier, one tier being the bedroom. I fel very secure doing an overnight with my set up.
  • Lit
    Lit Posts: 9,053
    They sell the fire proof BBQ mats. We close on our new house today and I plan on making a wood deck with a separation from the house cause I had a table catch on fire. We are planning on doing concrete countertops in our new kitchen and found a cool kit from z counter forms that I am going to use to make a concrete top for my new egg area. Looks very easy and fairly cheap. For me the peace of mind is worth the 20 extra steps to get a little separation from the house. There was a post a couple years ago where a guys wife started the egg in the garage which luckily was not connected to the house but a spark torched the garage and I believe it was his antique Porsche and everything else in the garage.
  • Charlesmaneri
    Charlesmaneri Posts: 1,295
    I have gone to bed ,or the super market of for that matter any place else while I'm doing a low and slow cook I have no worries 
    2 Large Eggs and a Mini 2 Pit Bulls and a Pork shoulder or butt nearby and 100% SICILIAN
    Long Island N.Y.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669

    hondabbq said:
    As said already, when I use the egg I will never leave the house. Overnights are ok in my mind as I will just set up the Maverick and the alarms will go off if the temps get hot. Plus We have a 2 tier deck with a set of patio doors off of each tier, one tier being the bedroom. I fel very secure doing an overnight with my set up.
    my egg held temps thru the night with a fire under it
    :D the base cracked and sparks were dropping out thru the bottom but the low and slow went on. the egg was teetering come morning, ready to tip over, it was that close.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    My Egg stays in it's nest on a 12x12 concrete patio.  I have no problem running to the grocery to pick something up, or be at a neighbors house while I'm doing a slow and low cook.  Any other cook and I don't leave.

    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio

  • WeberWho
    WeberWho Posts: 11,008
    My neighbors house burnt down to the ground from their grill on their back deck. Lost everything. Only thing they were able to recover was their wedding pictures the fireman went and retrieved. They were very fortunate to get everyone out of the house. Too scared to put it back on my deck but would make egging much more convenient. Just not worth the risk. So I roll the egg out into the driveway.
    "The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple and it makes bacon. Let's see Michael Phelps do that" - Jim Gaffigan

    Minnesota
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    For those of you relying on a Maverick, I don't see how it's going to help. The temp probes are inside the egg and the egg is maintaining a constant temp. If an ember somehow lands on your deck and starts a deck/house fire, the temp inside your egg isn't gonna change. Or if it does, it will be long after the Mav sending unit has melted. The alarm won't sound. 

    My egg used to be an a wooden deck. No more. I moved it some time ago.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • dfrelich
    dfrelich Posts: 104
    Yup no risk is too small.  I have mine on flagstone patio about 20 feet away from the structure.
    X-Large & Large
    Frederick County, MD
  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,980

    hondabbq said:
    As said already, when I use the egg I will never leave the house. Overnights are ok in my mind as I will just set up the Maverick and the alarms will go off if the temps get hot. Plus We have a 2 tier deck with a set of patio doors off of each tier, one tier being the bedroom. I fel very secure doing an overnight with my set up.
    my egg held temps thru the night with a fire under it
    :D the base cracked and sparks were dropping out thru the bottom but the low and slow went on. the egg was teetering come morning, ready to tip over, it was that close.
    My egg is also in a challenger cart on a nest which both are made of metal, so if in your instance if my egg cracks at the bottom I feel safe. Even if it cracks on the sides the ring in the top will keep it in place.
  • LBC Dawg
    LBC Dawg Posts: 116
    I leave mine running w/ the Guru on it all the time. I'll go play golf, duck hunting, whatever. I don't sweat it
  • LBC Dawg
    LBC Dawg Posts: 116
    And mine is in a wooden table on a wooden deck. 
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    For those of you relying on a Maverick, I don't see how it's going to help. The temp probes are inside the egg and the egg is maintaining a constant temp. If an ember somehow lands on your deck and starts a deck/house fire, the temp inside your egg isn't gonna change. Or if it does, it will be long after the Mav sending unit has melted. The alarm won't sound. 

    My egg used to be an a wooden deck. No more. I moved it some time ago.

    you think my low and slow butt is just gonna keep strolling along at 250 dome fully engulfed in a fire? I imagine if my table is on fire my dome temp might rise a few degrees. Besides if my sending unit melts my receiver will not detect a signal and alarm will go off. In no way am I saying that a maverick is a fire detection system.
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669
    all i know with fire is that it wont happen to me....until it does
    :)) ask me, ask natureboy, ask little steven, ask my 80 year old neighbor that lost the skin from elbow to fingertips both arms, fires have a sneaky way about them. ask the firemarshal in your town what he thinks of bbq's on decks.
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    Great input, thanks guys.


    fishlessman....all of a sudden I want to play flipcup.  :)
    LBGE/Maryland
  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    .... maybe you need a second egg
    :D
    So this is how it starts, then?   :)
    LBGE/Maryland
  • I had a gasser catch on fire and fortunately it was not up against the house.  This was my excuse to get a wood burner and therefore the egg.  I keep my egg on a concrete patio and away from the house.  I feel comfortable leaving the house during a low and slow for a short time and overnights are no problem.  Anything other than low and slow I'm home, mainly just to check temps.
    Simi Valley, California
    LBGE, PBC, Annova, SMOBot
  • SmokingInMO
    SmokingInMO Posts: 169
    I have no temperature control device of any sort and I go to sleep with my egg going all the time.  I regulate the fire and when I wake up she is still pumping
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    grege345 said:
    For those of you relying on a Maverick, I don't see how it's going to help. The temp probes are inside the egg and the egg is maintaining a constant temp. If an ember somehow lands on your deck and starts a deck/house fire, the temp inside your egg isn't gonna change. Or if it does, it will be long after the Mav sending unit has melted. The alarm won't sound. 

    My egg used to be an a wooden deck. No more. I moved it some time ago.

    you think my low and slow butt is just gonna keep strolling along at 250 dome fully engulfed in a fire? I imagine if my table is on fire my dome temp might rise a few degrees. Besides if my sending unit melts my receiver will not detect a signal and alarm will go off. In no way am I saying that a maverick is a fire detection system.
    That's exactly what I think. By the time the temp changes inside the egg, it will be far too late. Besides, even if it does wake you up, you will still have a FIRE! If you put the egg in a non-flammable area, you will not.

    Just curious, do you know that no signal means the alarm will sound? Couldn't find anything in a quick scan of the manual. I just turned mine on until they sync'd and then turned the sender off. Nothing happened. Not sure if that was a valid test though.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

  • jmcnutt5
    jmcnutt5 Posts: 88
    Does anybody know of any kind of mat you can put on a deck that would protect it from embers?  I use a guru so I am not worried about it on low n slow cooks, but I know when it gets up to searing temperatures you can see glowing embers in the bottom vent.  I guess with the screen, you are banking on the fact that nothing big enough can get out to cause a fire, but I would hate to be telling myself that while watching the house burn down. 
  • robnybbq
    robnybbq Posts: 1,911
    My Egg is on my wooden deck.  I have done overnights but have not gotten much sleep so I prefer not to do them anymore.  Even after cooking on the Egg and shut it down I am constantly checking for any "Glow" coming from the deck area.  I use it on the wooden deck but I do nto feel that great about it.

    I used to have the Egg down in the yard and I have a stone patio down there now but its too far away from the kitchen so if I moved it I would not use the Egg. 

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


    Garnerville, NY
  • grege345
    grege345 Posts: 3,515
    edited March 2014
    @Carolina Q every time I end a cook usin the maverick I turn the sending unit off before I walk inside. I then get the table set, the food cut, condiments etc. I am always reminded that the receiver is still on because it starts to beep. The same way it goes off if it loses signal. As for the internal temps of the egg not being affected I sorta agree. My common sense has a hard time comprehending that a 1000* fire will not effect the egg thermos. Be careful everyone
    LBGE& SBGE———————————————•———————– Pennsylvania / poconos

  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,669
    grege345 said:
    @Carolina Q every time I end a cook usin the maverick I turn the sending unit off before I walk inside. I then get the table set, the food cut, condiments etc. I am always reminded that the receiver is still on because it starts to beep. The same way it goes off if it loses signal. As for the internal temps of the egg not being affected I sorta agree. My common sense has a hard time comprehending that a 1000* fire will not effect the egg thermos. Be careful everyone
    maybe it has something to do with the newer mavericks, my old 73 doesnt beep when it losses signal and it loses signal often. i never shut the reciever off on that unit, it stays on for years til the battery dies
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
    To the OP - IMHO there is really no need for overnighters on my anything other than brisket. Do a quick search for "turbo" or "nitro" and you will find that a lot of people are cooking at higher temps and achieving excellent results. I have done one overnighter but only leave the house if I will be gone less than 45 min to 1hr. For me the chance of fire is not worth it and I really enjoy my sleep enough that if I need to I will get up really early and fire things up. Again just my opinion.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    I leave mine alone all the time. Any embers that would some how escape land on gravel hardscape.
  • Charlesmaneri
    Charlesmaneri Posts: 1,295
    as I said before I leave mine all the time but mine (bothLBGE) are on a brick patio 
    2 Large Eggs and a Mini 2 Pit Bulls and a Pork shoulder or butt nearby and 100% SICILIAN
    Long Island N.Y.
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    grege345 said:
    For those of you relying on a Maverick, I don't see how it's going to help. The temp probes are inside the egg and the egg is maintaining a constant temp. If an ember somehow lands on your deck and starts a deck/house fire, the temp inside your egg isn't gonna change. Or if it does, it will be long after the Mav sending unit has melted. The alarm won't sound. 

    My egg used to be an a wooden deck. No more. I moved it some time ago.

    you think my low and slow butt is just gonna keep strolling along at 250 dome fully engulfed in a fire? I imagine if my table is on fire my dome temp might rise a few degrees. Besides if my sending unit melts my receiver will not detect a signal and alarm will go off. In no way am I saying that a maverick is a fire detection system.
    As a matter of fact when we had our fire (resulting from a gasser) I had two eggs lit, one at 250* and one at 350*. They were both holding those temps when their handles burned off and the wheels melted down.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    Here's a pic


    image

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON