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Why do people go up to nuclear temps?

I cooked a couple of pizza's last week between 625-650.  At one point the temp got up near 700 and I had to bring it back down.  Checked out my egg the next day and everything was that nice pearly white color and clean again.  Plate setter was all clean too.  Everything was almost as good as new.  I hear of so many people doing clean burns at temps north of 800 and I wonder why.  Especially with all the cracked firebox's and even cracked bases......Why cook or clean burn north of 700ish? - seems such a risk.......By the way on my second pizza with no daisy wheel I was holding 650 with only about 3/4 inch open on bottom vent.  The egg could have probably gone 1200 easy........It was a 'controlled inferno' in there...

XL Egg Owner Since Dec 2013 - Louisiana

Comments

  • jhl192
    jhl192 Posts: 1,006
    I usually do my clean burns at 650-700.  I agree with you.  My car's speedometer goes to 160mph but I usually only drive about 75mph.  I figure its safer at that speed.  
    XL BGE; Medium BGE; L BGE 
  • Chris_Wang
    Chris_Wang Posts: 1,254
    It's probably not the smartest idea to dive off of a cliff that is 75 ft in the air into crashing waves below, but guys do it all the time. Bragging rights?

    Ball Ground, GA

    ATL Sports Homer

     

  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Good question.  Maybe to see if they can melt the gasket and fuse the lit shut?  That's always fun. 


    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

  • corey24
    corey24 Posts: 386

    Yeah, I noticed even at that temp the gasket starts to get a little 'tacky'......

    Those pizza's do a number on gaskets.  I do one every couple months - I call it the 2 for 1 - pizza's and clean egg all in one!!

    XL Egg Owner Since Dec 2013 - Louisiana

  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    He was afraid everything would turn out white... lol
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    edited April 2014
    Not unusual to sear steak north of 700℉ and many bake pizza 650℉-800℉. I don't necessarily do specific clean burns (because I don't like to waste lump) but, after searing a steak or baking pizza at 700℉-800℉ why not it's already close to nuclear and it cleans it up.
    700℉-800℉ is plenty hot to clean up even the worst of buildup IMHO. No need to really go any higher.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    jhl192 said:
    I usually do my clean burns at 650-700.  I agree with you.  My car's speedometer goes to 160mph but I usually only drive about 75mph.  I figure its safer at that speed.  
    The egg is sold for 1000*+ temps. Lifetime warranty and all that. There are a lot of things you can do that high. Sous vide steaks, fajita meat, pizza and leafy vegetables.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 25,880
    edited April 2014
    jhl192 said:
    I usually do my clean burns at 650-700.  I agree with you.  My car's speedometer goes to 160mph but I usually only drive about 75mph.  I figure its safer at that speed.  
    The egg is sold for 1000*+ temps. Lifetime warranty and all that. There are a lot of things you can do that high. Sous vide steaks, fajita meat, pizza and leafy vegetables.

    In addition to that, Steven, our distributor loves to tell the story when he saw a company demo when they got a large egg up to 800 dome and then openned it and dumped a 5 gallon bucket of ice and water inside to prove it wouldn't crack! These eggs are a lot tougher than some people seem to think! Now the factory gasket...that's another matter! LOL
    Re-gasketing America one yard at a time.
  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    edited April 2014
    @RRP‌... If anything would crack the ceramics I would think the thermal shock alone from the ice water would do it. What normally causes ceramic to crack if not thermal shock wheather it be hot or cold shock (besides the obvious egg drop soup on the ground). I see a lot of cracked stories so I'm just curious if it's preventable at all? And I agree that's why we have the Lifetime Warranty.
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
  • MJH
    MJH Posts: 102
    Because a crackling dark crust on a ribeye that is still medium rare in the middle is a beautiful thing. That's why I do it.
  • Wow. DIdn't know you could go that high. I need to learn how to do a post cook sear.
    Southern by birth, Italian by marriage. Ciao and Roll Tide!
  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    RRP said:
    In addition to that, Steven, our distributor loves to tell the story when he saw a company demo when they got a large egg up to 800 dome and then openned it and dumped a 5 gallon bucket of ice and water inside to prove it wouldn't crack! These eggs are a lot tougher than some people seem to think! Now the factory gasket...that's another matter! LOL
    stike once posted about draining a cooler full of ice water into his egg so he could pack it up after a Pats tailgate party.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut