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Unable to hit low temps on my XL BGE

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A-Baum
A-Baum Posts: 29
in EggHead Forum
Having an issue with my XL BGE that I can't figure out.  The lowest temp I can sustain on my egg is about 230-235.  If I crank the vents down any lower I'll wake up to an egg that is 150 degrees.  I can't seem to get 210-220 degrees I want to do a brisket.  Any suggestions on attaining and holding this temp?  Smaller pile of lump with the vents opened a little more?  When I do a brisket, I typically clean out the egg completely and use new, larger pieces of lump.  I typically fill it 3/4 full and when it's done I'll have less than 1/4 of the lump left.  I'd really rather not have to reload during the cook, so what am I doing wrong?
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  • Ladeback69
    Ladeback69 Posts: 4,482
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    Why do you want to go below 225?  The only time on my XL to stay that low was after i cooked a brisket over night and the fat that burned off was keeping the fire low.  A good smoking temp range is 225 to 275.  Anywhere between there is good.
    XL, WSM, Coleman Road Trip Gas Grill

    Kansas City, Mo.
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  • 4Runner
    4Runner Posts: 2,948
    edited September 2015
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    Without a temp controller I'd recommend not fighting your Egg.  If it will hold a solid and stable temp between 230 - 260 range I'd go with it.  Now, I mean if it settles in at a temp in that range and hold steady.  I'm not suggestion 30 degree swings during a cook. Anyway, I'm positive there will be no difference in a low n slow at 230 or 255....other than a slight time variation.  I will post that holding 225 without the aide of temp controller shouldn't be an issue for an Egg.  
    Joe - I'm a reformed gasser-holic aka 4Runner Columbia, SC Wonderful BGE Resource Site: http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm and http://www.nibblemethis.com/  and http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/2006/02/recipes.html
    What am I drinking now?   Woodford....neat
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    230 dome temp is higher than the temp at your cooking level. 235 is perfect but I normally go a lille hotter for brisket in my XL. 235-250 is great for me.
    Also double check to make sure your dome temp Guage is reading correct. Boiling water SB about 211-212.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
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    couple things...

    first, the amount of fuel in the egg has no effect on the temperature.  just as a full gas tank doesn't make the car go faster, a full load of lump ism't going to make a hotter fire.

    it's always air.  if the egg is too hot, it's getting too much air, always.  which means the lower vent is still too wide.

    if it goes below your target temp, then it is too closed. 

    that's really all it is.

    the difficulty for a new user is in thinking that these temp changes will happen instantly, or at least quickly.  they don't.

    too hot? close it by half.  wait.  still too hot, close it by half again.

    as others said though, theirs no magic number to 210220.  that can really drag out a cook.  pork butt approaches 2.5 hours per pound at those temps, with no commensurate increase in quality over simply cooking at 250, even 275.

    i was bound and determined to cook at 225 when i first got the egg.  partly because that was the way the recipe was written up on the nakedwhiz bge-related site.  and partly because i could.  was fun to be able to peg 225.  but why?

    again: too hold? it's getting too much air.  not hot enough, then not enough air.

    that's it.

    it isn't possible to have a fire that is running too hot which also snuffs out because it isn't getting air. so shut 'er a bit more.
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  • MrCookingNurse
    MrCookingNurse Posts: 4,665
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    My egg XL loves 195-200 but there's not much to do in that temp zone


    _______________________________________________

    XLBGE 
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  • Wowens
    Wowens Posts: 115
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    At that temp the sliver of air slow is pretty small, and the difference between 220, and shutting it off is pretty close.  It amazes me how little the vents have to be open to keep it at low temps.

    I have one of the Tip Top Temp controllers, only $30, and it kept my XL at 225 for 10 hours on labor day.  If the fire gets to low, it slightly opens up and gets it going again, then it closes down.  It's not fancy, but it works like a charm.
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  • Jstroke
    Jstroke Posts: 2,600
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    You were saying that your egg will not hold 10 at the dome at 225. Here is a surefire way to see. Load it to the top of the fire ring, light it and when the smoke clears shut it down. Now you have one that is dry and ready to go.  The next day, light one small place when it's going set your vents at two credit cards. And simply let it ride. If it goes up go to one credit card. 
    Columbus, Ohio--A Gasser filled with Matchlight and an Ugly Drum.
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  • A-Baum
    A-Baum Posts: 29
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    I will add that I'm talking about grate temp from my maverick remote therm.  I have tested it and it's within 5 degrees so it's good.  I wanted 220-225 because when I cook higher the bottom of the brisket bark seems to get hard and too crispy.  Plus I'm trying to keep the flat from drying out, and I've had little success at 240+ temps doing that.
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  • pgprescott
    pgprescott Posts: 14,544
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    I like to get my temps lower for brisket as well. I would suggest this is one time when a drip pan with liquid will help buffer the heat. A controller is really advised when trying to keep temps below 250 or for long unattended cooks at very low temps. The efficiency of the egg works against you. There is so little oxygen required to keep the egg at such low temps that it can burn itself out before the fire spreads. I also cook the brisket fat cap down for this very reason. Good luck with this one. You should be fine at 250 with a drip pan and fat down, but I feel your pain. 
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