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Coals keep going out?

Bham_Orange
Bham_Orange Posts: 3
in EggHead Forum
I'm a beginner egghead. I've tried a 4hour smoke with ribs, and a 2 hour smoke with drum sticks. Each time, the coals went out completely during the cook. Am I not letting my egg get hot enough in the beginning? What am I doing wrong?
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Comments

  • Pridnjoy
    Pridnjoy Posts: 130
    Light it in several places, don't completely close either vent and ensure you have plenty of lump. That's about it. 
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  • SmokingPiney
    SmokingPiney Posts: 2,319
    Make sure the vent holes in the fire box aren't clogged.  I check this when I stir the old lump and load new. They can clog fairly easily. 
    Living the good life smoking and joking
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    It's all about airflow or, lack thereof. At what temp are you trying to cook and how long are you letting things stabilize before cooking. Also, what is your setup?
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
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  • PASmoke
    PASmoke Posts: 279
    Is the lump old? I had this happen once when I hadn't had time to cook for a while and we'd also had a lot of rain.....everything was just damp. Also, as @Pridnjoy said - make sure you are letting the fire get going well before you close the lid.....10/15 min should do the trick. But if you light it and close the lid too quickly it will go out. Good luck and welcome! 
    Atlanta, GA - Large BGE x 2

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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Air flow. Air flow. Air flow.  
    Southeast Florida - LBGE
    In cooking, often we implement steps for which we have no explanations other than ‘that’s what everybody else does’ or ‘that’s what I have been told.’  Dare to think for yourself.
     
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    Also, just to make sure... you do have your fire box inserted with the opening towards the front of you egg?
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
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  • Bham_Orange
    Bham_Orange Posts: 3
    Thanks for all the suggestions. I try to smoke between 225 and 250. I have only been lighting in the center which was suggested on a video for smoking. I usually let the coals burn for 20-30 minutes before closing the dome. I have been keeping the top damper closed while trying to gage temp with the screen door. This may be my problem.
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    Bham_Orange said:
    Thanks for all the suggestions. I try to smoke between 225 and 250. I have only been lighting in the center which was suggested on a video for smoking. I usually let the coals burn for 20-30 minutes before closing the dome. I have been keeping the top damper closed while trying to gage temp with the screen door. This may be my problem.
    Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
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  • stemc33
    stemc33 Posts: 3,567
    Your top vent is a very crucial part of keeping a fire. I can snuff my fire with the bottom vent greater than an inch open if the top is closed. Sometimes I forget to shut the bottom vent when I cap the top. 
    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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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    stemc33 said:
    Your top vent is a very crucial part of keeping a fire. I can snuff my fire with the bottom vent greater than an inch open if the top is closed. Sometimes I forget to shut the bottom vent when I cap the top. 
    Ha! There have been times when I've forgotten to open the bottom vent when lighting.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
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  • Bham_Orange
    Bham_Orange Posts: 3
    Thanks so much!!
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  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
    @Bham_Orange .. Hey brother, we were all beginners at some point, There is a certain learning curve on the egg. Don't get discourage.

    I can still remember how bad I messed up my very first cook, it was a Spatchcock chicken. I didn't have welding gloves or a thermometer to check temp on the chicken.

    I had no idea what I was doing.

    Today, three yrs later .. I look back and laugh. You'll get there, best thing to do is to day exactly what you did ...'Ask Questions'.
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
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  • TexanOfTheNorth
    TexanOfTheNorth Posts: 3,951
    edited August 2015
    +1 with @SoCalTim. Although I'm not sure how welding gloves are used with spatchcock chicken. :grin: 
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    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
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  • SoCalTim
    SoCalTim Posts: 2,158
    TexanOfTheNorth said:
    +1 with @SoCalTim. Although I'm not sure how welding gloves are used with spatchcock chicken. :grin: 
    lol ... I had absolutely no hand protection in my early early days of egging, boy was I green.
    I've slow smoked and eaten so much pork, I'm legally recognized as being part swine - Chatsworth Ca.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    SoCalTim said:
    TexanOfTheNorth said:
    +1 with @SoCalTim. Although I'm not sure how welding gloves are used with spatchcock chicken. :grin: 
    lol ... I had absolutely no hand protection in my early early days of egging, boy was I green.
    I HAVE hand protection... I just rarely NEED it. Welding gloves I bought 20 years before I bought my egg. I use them with the egg about 2-3 times a year.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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