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Rutland Gaskets do NOT prevent freeze-ups after all

Carolina Q
Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
edited February 2016 in EggHead Forum
28° here tonight, clear skies. Had about 6" of wet, heavy snow yesterday. I cleaned off the large when the snow stopped and opened it just to make sure. All was well. Went out tonight to crank it up for tomorrow's butt. Egg said, "Not tonight, honey, I'm frigid." :lol: 

Fortunately, there was some lump in there so I just stuck the mapp torch into the lower vent and let 'er rip for a couple of  minutes (you can balance it there so you don't have to hold it - just don't walk away!). Removed the torch after the lump was going nicely and went inside to prep the beast. Came back out to check on things and the dome opened fine. Total of 10 minutes or so. Didn't really time it, but not long.

Stirred the burning lump, threw in a couple of white oak chunks, topped it off with more lump and more chunks, added the platesetter, drip pan and grid, hooked up the Guru and closed the dome. Just waiting for temp now. Never lit a low and slow fire from the bottom before. We'll see how that goes.

Bottom line... 1) Rutlands don't prevent freeze-ups after all (I was convinced they did since mine hadn't frozen once in SIX years! and 2) if you live in a cold climate, always leave some lump in the egg. 


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

Michael 
Central Connecticut 

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Comments

  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,454
    Hmmmm, 1 time in 6 years and you are now throwing out the baby with the bath water! Oh well. 
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • jeffwit
    jeffwit Posts: 1,348
    Whew, thanks for posting this. My XL with a Rutland froze closed when we had rain/freezing rain/sleet/snow. I thought I was the only one.... ;)
    Jefferson, GA
    XL BGE, MM, Things to flip meat over and stuff
    Wife, 3 kids, 5 dogs, 4 cats, 12 chickens, 2 goats, 2 pigs. 
    “Honey, we bought a farm.”
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    RRP said:
    Hmmmm, 1 time in 6 years and you are now throwing out the baby with the bath water! Oh well. 
    Umm, okay...

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • YukonRon
    YukonRon Posts: 17,261
    The important thing, you soldiered through, assessed, improvised for success over the unplanned situation.
    You sir, deserve a medal for gallantry.
    Glad for you that it worked out. I hate frozen gaskets.
    "Knowledge is Good" - Emil Faber

    XL and MM
    Louisville, Kentucky
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  • badinfluence
    badinfluence Posts: 1,774
    @RRP I don't think he was saying anything bad about the Rutland at all. Just a fact that they still can freeze shut. Think about it this way though a little heat to get it reopened is ALOT easier to deal with compared to a melted gasket keeping it sealed shut.
    1 XXL BGE,  1 LG BGE, 2 MED. BGE, 1 MINI BGE, 1 Peoria custom cooker Meat Monster.


    Clinton, Iowa
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    OMG ... must have awaken in a parallel universe!!!  Rutlands don't prevent freeze-ups and Carolina Q is using a Guru.

    Good morning Michael ... thanks for the smile this morning.  Great advice on leaving a little lump in your egg during the winter months.  Twice now this winter I've forgot that! 

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • Sea2Ski
    Sea2Ski Posts: 4,131
    +1.  I was/am/now was?  with @Carolina Q that the Rutland kept the egg from freezing shut.  I had mine freeze shut a few times before getting the Rutland. After that, not once, and it has been a few years with all kinds of weather combinations.  Maybe it takes that "perfect combination" for it to freeze. I do not know.  This is not bashing the gasket, because that is not one of the several reasons I bought it.  I bought it for the tight seal, high temp tolerance, not crushing the prob wires etc.  I love it and will get another when I get another egg.  Great product. 
    --------------------------------------------------
    Burning lump in Downingtown, PA or diesel in Cape May, NJ.
    ....just look for the smoke!
    Large and MiniMax
    --------------------------------------------------

    Caliking said:   Meat in bung is my favorite. 
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  • RedSkip
    RedSkip Posts: 1,400
    @Carolina Q Appreciate the advice, needed to use it this morning in prep for some Super Bowl ribs!  
    Large BGE - McDonald, PA
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 21,673
    RRP said:
    Hmmmm, 1 time in 6 years and you are now throwing out the baby with the bath water! Oh well. 
    @Carolina Q may be a bit ornery, but I think he is also saying 1 time in 6 years is great, but it still is possible.

    My guess is he will keep using them, and isn't saying others shouldn't.

    I would rather light a candle than curse your darkness.

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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 23,179
    Best way to prevent egg freeze up:





    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,778
    @Jeepster47 - curious as to how you end up with an empty BGE.  It's gotta cool down after the cook...
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    @lousubcap ... I've been measuring lump consumption so remove the residual after the fire is out to measure it.  The lump is then dumped in a bag of "used" lump and the KAB is left empty for the next cook.  Trust me, if there is a hard way to do anything, I'll find it.

    BTW ... Bought an $8 heat gun from Harbor Freight.  I pull the cap off and stuff the nozzle of the gun down in the egg.  A plate setter or drip pan has been in the frozen eggs and that seems to deflect the hot air out towards the seal.  With the temps in the 20s, it has taken less than 30 minutes to thaw the egg out enough to open it.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,778
    Ah-those scientific experiments in the name of furthering knowledge.  That said, I enjoy your willingness to find fact within the mystique of BGE cooking.  Only thing is, you may resolve a whole lot of issues that were here-to-fore folklore.  And that can present a problem to truthers etc... That last was in jest.
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,343
    The Cen-Tex Smoker said:
    Best way to prevent egg freeze up:





    Yeah but then you are stuck living in Texas. 

    Little Rock, AR

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  • 1move
    1move Posts: 516
    Jeepster47 said:
    OMG ... must have awaken in a parallel universe!!!  Rutlands don't prevent freeze-ups and Carolina Q is using a Guru.

    Good morning Michael ... thanks for the smile this morning.  Great advice on leaving a little lump in your egg during the winter months.  Twice now this winter I've forgot that! 
    You could always get a few good pieces of lump, get the fire going on them and then throw them in onto the grate from the top/chimney opening. Done this several times as I live in Canada and we got winter 6 months out of the year.
    XLBGE, MMBGE, CyberQ
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    @1move ... I tried that once ... grabbed some hot coals out of the second egg and stuffed them into the bottom of the egg.  Didn't work for me ... don't know why.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • 1move
    1move Posts: 516
    edited February 2016
    Jeepster47 said:
    @1move ... I tried that once ... grabbed some hot coals out of the second egg and stuffed them into the bottom of the egg.  Didn't work for me ... don't know why.

    @Jeepster47    Not the bottom, stick it through the top of the egg and drop them onto your grate. Its a little ash to clean up later but a lot better than replacing the gasket.
    XLBGE, MMBGE, CyberQ
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    @1move ... I'll try it that way next time ... if I'm unlucky again.

    Washington, IL  >  Queen Creek, AZ ... Two large eggs and an adopted Mini Max

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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
    I used my torch around the egg..   Stupid Rutland. 1 year and it's frozen 6 times. 
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,778
    @henapple- if you are serious (and I have no reason to think you aren't) then you have truly upset the Rutland gods.  Dang, the weather in the 'boro can't be that bad...
    Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period. CHEETO (aka Agent Orange) makes Nixon look like a saint.  
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  • bhedges1987
    bhedges1987 Posts: 3,201
    henapple said:
    I used my torch around the egg..   Stupid Rutland. 1 year and it's frozen 6 times. 
    Do they really freeze a lot? I cook a LOT in cold temperatures. Haven't put it on yet, was waiting for my new egg to come in next week

    Kansas City, Missouri
    Large Egg
    Mini Egg

    "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us" - Gandalf


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  • LRW
    LRW Posts: 198
    edited February 2016
    I personally think any egg that sits outside will eventually freeze shut in cold weather no matter what kind of seal they have. I am no stranger to the cold where I live.
    Volant, PA 1 LBGE ,Smokeware Cap, igrill2
    My Foodtography


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