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First Low and Slow... Ran out of coal

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maso
maso Posts: 240
in EggHead Forum
Hello, I just got my LBGE last Saturday and have done some chicken breasts and a pizza. The pizza was outstanding! I had today off so I thought I would try a boston butt. I put it on at 0800 at 275* dome and it seemed to run fine for a while. I was a little worried about getting done in time, so I tried to fire it up more, however with eventually vents wide open, it only cooled the egg! I pulled the butt to finish in the oven and discovered I was out of coal! I think I messed up on two points : I reused some old lump from Sunday, although I did knock it around to clean out the ash some. Maybe I didn't do that enough. I have since read that I should just start with a fresh load. My other concern is how much I put in. I filled the fire box to a flush level right around the air holes. Do people typically fill up the fire ring as well above the air holes? It seems like it tore through the coal, but it was 30* this morning. How dense to people stuff it? I didn't really pack it down much, just poured it in and leveled it off. Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
Large BGE in Moore, OK
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Comments

  • tcracing
    tcracing Posts: 378
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    Fill it up to the top of the fire ring. I've cooked one on Saturday for 14 hours and I didn't use half of the lump.
    George Foreman? Who? 
    Tim C. Panama City, Fl. 
    Large, Minimax-soon
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  • XC242
    XC242 Posts: 1,208
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    Fill it up to about an inch below the place setter.
    LBGE (still waitin' for my free T-Shirt), DIgiQ DX2 (In Blue, cause it's the fastest), Heavy Duty Kick Ash Basket, Mc Farland, WI. :glasses:  B)
    If it wasn't for my BGE I'd have no use for my backyard...
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
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    I go halfway up the fire ring on low and slow cooks. I just dump fresh lump on the old stuff after stirring.
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    No need to start with fresh lump every time. I just stir dump and light and may do a total clean 3-4 time a year. On the amount of lump, when you are planning a low n slow or a prolonged 350ish for a turbo butt you should fill the lump up into the fire ring or at least half way up the ring. Chances are you won't need that much lump but too much is way better than having too little and losing a fire mid cook.

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

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,457
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    Looks like everybody was typing at the same time and you got the same answer from all. B-)

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

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
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    Agree with @tcracing. I clean the egg before doing a l&s .... any old lump is saved in a small plastic container to be used to top off other future cooks. Your gonna be ok, there'll be a small learning curve at first ... soon you'll be an old pro. Best my friend - Tim
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
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  • anton
    anton Posts: 1,813
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    It sounds like you just didn't fill your firebox as much as is necessary,I fill my med all the way to the top of the firebox every time. From what I have read, a large should take 5-10lbs of lump to fill, depending on how much is leftover. My medium takes less than 5lbs when it is completely empty, (something like 4lbs). Make sure the airholes don't get clogged with small chunks of lump , and are free of ash, and try it again!
     Using a MBGE,woo/w stone,livin' in  Hayward California," The Heart Of The Bay "
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  • theyolksonyou
    theyolksonyou Posts: 18,458
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    +1 on using the old lump with new. Only caution that I've had issues getting to temp if I fill to the point where plate setter is touching. Leave a little space.

    welcome to the forum, a great place to learn. Ask and it will be answered.

    And, pics or it didn't happen!
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  • maso
    maso Posts: 240
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    Thanks for all the quick replies. I figured I might not have put enough in. I'll fill it all the way up Saturday; might try some ribs! I bought a two pack of butts from Sams, so I'll have another to get it right on. I also discovered that my dealer, who assembles the eggs, put the bottom vents on in reverse order (grated vent on the outside of the solid piece), so I get to fix that too! Thanks everyone!
    Large BGE in Moore, OK
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  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
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    Love that picture!   Go Hawgs.

    Cookin in Texas
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    I put 4 pieces of Ozark Oak in for a brisket...went 47 hours and still had 2 pieces left over. 8-}
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • spatat
    spatat Posts: 4
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    One thing to consider is how much fire. You only need to light a small center fire to do a low temp cook. As you burn up your fuel other pieces will catch. (This compares to lighting 3 different places for a hotter fire). Enjoy!! Steve
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  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
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    MASO

     

    How did it taste?   Were you happy with results?

    Cookin in Texas
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  • THEBuckeye
    THEBuckeye Posts: 4,231
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    Long cook?

    Filler Up
    New Albany, Ohio 

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  • SloppyJoe
    SloppyJoe Posts: 406
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    Leave it to a Buckeye to ask if it's a long cook when the title of the post says Low and Slow....   :))
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  • SloppyJoe
    SloppyJoe Posts: 406
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    By the way I love getting sloppy drunk and making fun of Buckeyes.  It's just too easy.

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  • boatbum
    boatbum Posts: 1,273
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    What is a buckeye - I don't think we have those in Texas?
    Cookin in Texas
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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
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    I fill to top of the fire ring on long cooks. This is a shot of all the leftover Rockwood lump from Saturday. It was a 14hr burn running between 250-300°

    image
    Steven
    Mini Max with Woo stone combo, LBGE, iGrill 2, Plate Setter, 
    two cotton pot holders to handle PS
    Banner, Wyoming
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  • dldawes1
    dldawes1 Posts: 2,208
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    +1 on stemc33...same results !!

    Donnie Dawes - RNNL8 BBQ - Carrollton, KY  

    TWIN XLBGEs, 1-Beautiful wife, 1 XS Yorkie

    I'm keeping serious from now on...no more joking around from me...Meatheads !! 


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  • maso
    maso Posts: 240
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    stemc33 said:
    I fill to top of the fire ring on long cooks. This is a shot of all the leftover Rockwood lump from Saturday. It was a 14hr burn running between 250-300°
    image

    Thanks for the visual reference! The butt turned out pretty dang good, all things considered. Couple guys at work were blown away by it, which makes it that much better! I'm definitely excited to keep at it!
    Large BGE in Moore, OK
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  • FarmerTom
    FarmerTom Posts: 685
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    boatbum said:
    What is a buckeye - I don't think we have those in Texas?
    It was once explained to me that a Buckeye is "A worthless air filled nut with no social or economic value."

    Tommy 

    Middle of Nowhere, Northern Kentucky
       1 M, 1 XL, a BlackStone,1 old Webber, a Border Collie, a German Shepherd and 3 of her pups, and 2 Yorkies

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  • ajd
    ajd Posts: 9
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    I know this post is old but after making all the mistakes, I figure I would add what I learned. Mistake 1 - I got the fire going really good to start. Now I get the lumps in front just hot enough to keep burning. No flames. Mistake 2 - I trusted the thermometer that came with the Egg now I have the DigiQ. I can smoke in a large for 18 hours and still have plenty left to keep cooking. 
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