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Question on low and slows...

SulcusGroove
SulcusGroove Posts: 20
in EggHead Forum
Did my first Boston butt this weekend - turned out fantastic.  My family and friends tore it up.  The BGE really seems tailor-made for this kind of thing...  Just had a sandwich with the leftovers, some slaw and pickles...

Anyway, it was an 8 lb Boston butt, the cook took around 14 hours.  However, my fire went out at about 12 hours.  I started with a completely clean egg and fresh lump, arranged with largest pieces on the bottom, filled to the top of the firebox.  Started the lump in one spot in the center, a little towards the front.  Kept the temp at 250-275 throughout, mostly towards 275.  When the fire went out, I finished with foil in the oven.  My lump was completely burned up, just a few tiny pieces on the side left.  

So how do you folks do even longer cooks without burning up all your lump?  Should I just use more lump next time, or is there a trick I'm missing??
LBGE - Athens, Georgia
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Comments

  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,542
    How were your damper and daisy wheel dialed in?  Were you using both?  Also, are you getting any leaks anywhere?
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    Fill higher than the firebox
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • SulcusGroove
    SulcusGroove Posts: 20
    Dyal_SC said:
    How were your damper and daisy wheel dialed in?  Were you using both?  Also, are you getting any leaks anywhere?
    Using both, damper open maybe an inch, daisy wheel with the petals just barely open.  Kept it at 250-275 throughout the cook.

    @Darby-Crenshaw - yeah, I was wondering if that was the simplest answer.
    LBGE - Athens, Georgia
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  • chadpsualum
    chadpsualum Posts: 409
    On long cooks I'll fill up almost until the lump hits the platesetter and then light the fire 'deep' into the lump so my fire isn't right on the PS.  As the lump burns it will settle down.
    North Pittsburgh, PA
    1 LGE
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  • Jeepster47
    Jeepster47 Posts: 3,827
    SulcusGroove said:

    ... Using both, damper open maybe an inch, daisy wheel with the petals just barely open.  Kept it at 250-275 throughout the cook. ...
    With the bottom vent open one inch you were controlling the temp with the daisy wheel.  No problem there, several eggers do it that way, just realize which of the two "vents" you're using for temp control.

    If the fire went out after 12 hours, your fill was just barely past the fire bowl-to fire ring joint.  It takes five pounds of lump to fill a LBGE to that joint. Another five pounds will take the level to right at the bottom of the fire ring notches.  Fill the egg up to those notches for low-n-slow and you'll have about 24~25 hours of cooking at 250 degrees.  The left over lump is reusable, so put it in the egg rather than leaving it in the bag.

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

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  • JohnnyTarheel
    JohnnyTarheel Posts: 6,629
    Fill it to top of fire ring. As long as the plate setter fits properly you will be fine. The longest cook on my large was 20 hours. Still had lump left....
    Charlotte, NC - Large BGE 2014, Maverick ET 733, Thermopen, Nest, Platesetter, Woo2 and Extender w/Grid, Kick Ash Basket, Pizza Stone, SS Smokeware Cap, Blackstone 36"
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  • FLgrillinGirl
    FLgrillinGirl Posts: 27
    edited March 2016
    You need more charcoal. Fill the firebox up to the top, and then some. I still have lump leftover after a 21 hour cook at 235-250 dome.
    Happily Egging since 1996, still egging on my original large BGE, along with 6 other Big Green Eggs of assorted sizes.
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  • Dyal_SC
    Dyal_SC Posts: 6,542
    edited March 2016
    One of my grilling mentors, @vidalia1 , told me this when I bought my first egg (he actually taught the BGE 101 class using the demo egg I had purchased at the GA mtn eggfest):  A good rule of thumb is to use the bottom damper to make temp adjustments for +/- 10 deg increments.  Use the daisy wheel to make adjustments in increments of +/- 1 deg.  

    When I've gone 30+ hours on one load of fuel, the bottom damper is barely cracked and the daisy wheel is slightly more open than the bottom damper.  To make certain your fuel stays lit, light in 2 or 3 areas initially.  Always works well for me.  
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  • SulcusGroove
    SulcusGroove Posts: 20
    edited March 2016
    Thanks so much for all your comments.  I see now that I underfilled with lump.  Good thing Kroger's had Boston butts on sale - I have two more to practice on... =)  
    It still was the best tasting pulled pork I ever had.  
    LBGE - Athens, Georgia
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