How long to let you BGE to come to temperature?

Rrainman · March 2017

I'm new to my BGE. I've done a brisket and some steaks and chicken. I get the coals going with an electric starter and let it go about 15 minutes. I then spread the coals a little bit, configure the Egg, put my BGE temperature probe on the grate and adjust the bottom vents and top vests to where I suspect they need to be. I then wait another 15 minutes, be sure I'm in my desired temp range and load up the grate.

As I type this, I have a leg of lamb going. I want the grate temp to be about 235 deg. F. I put the lamb on at 240 deg F. However, the temp has continued to rise regardless of adjustments I've been making. It sits at 282 deg F right now with the bottom vent open about 1/2" and the top op less than have of the small vent holes..

Do I need to practically shut this thing down to get such a low temp. I've felt that 1/2" is pretty low.

Thanks for any advice.

da87 · March 2017

FWIW, I've gone as narrow as two credit cards on the bottom vent and a dime on the daisy wheel to hold temp under 250

Eoin · March 2017

For a low temp cook, don't spread the coals, you don't need a big fire.

For high temp you can light in multiple spots and let it rip. For low temps, you need to be careful not to overshoot so for these I light early and let it rise slowly. 275 F cook today and stayed between 270 and 280 for 3 hours with no fuss.

Rrainman · March 2017

da87 said:

FWIW, I've gone as narrow as two credit cards on the bottom vent and a dime on the daisy wheel to hold temp under 250

Thanks for the input. Going that thin makes me feel as if I'm going to starve it all together. But I'm taking your advice.

Carolina Q · March 2017

You need to stabilize the temp at whatever your target is. Get it there and when it has stayed there with no further adjustment for at least 30 mins (some wait an hour), then you can put the meat on. Assuming the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) have burned off and the smoke smells good. If not, you need to wait longer.

For me, 250° means the bottom vent os open about 1/16" or so and the petals on the daisy about half open.

Once you get it stable at the desired temp and the smoke smells good, then you put the meat on. Not before. You are now "chasing temps" as they say. You need to catch temp on the way up because once you go too high, it can take a long time to bring it back down.

As for grid temp, I have never checked mine or cared what it was. I use dome temp only. Has always worked for me and I don't have to buy another thermometer.

Good luck!

jtcBoynton · March 2017

A half inch is way more open than I normally need for the temps you are targeting. Things will vary that cause the openings to vary - weather, how packed in the lump is, etc.

Warm up period can vary also. Some are very good at knowing the settings they need and can go with a short warmup. I normally like to get a stable temp and then wait at least a half hour to be sure a stable condition has developed. Sometimes longer. Remember you need to warm up the ceramic before a truly stable condition can be established. The air temp will get up to the target temp long before the ceramic.

SoCalTim · March 2017

Lotsa of great advice given, all I can say is that their is a learning curve on the egg and while if might be a little frustrating right now, in a year ... you will control the temp and not the other way around.

Best to you, Tim

Killit_and_Grillit · March 2017

If your temps keep rising it is probably best to shut everything down and snuff the fire. Sometimes I can get it to go down without killing it, but one feature of the Egg is once you get a temp it likes to stay there.

Last week I was trying to cook ribs about 250 and I was trying out my new BBQ Guru and wasn't paying attention and it kicked up to a little over 300. It took 2 hours to cool it down. I shut it down and managed to get a coal or two kicked back up.

Tony_T · March 2017

As said already, ½" on the bottom vent is too wide. Tighten to ¼", maybe even less.

Ladeback69 · March 2017

I am with @Carolina Q on about what he said. Light the egg, get it going for about 15 minutes. Don't stir the coals. Set it up for indirect if going low and slow, close the with the vents open. I to use a temp gauge and when it gets to 185-190 you will want to start closing vents. The bottom I set at about an 1/8" and if using the daisy wheel also about an 1/8". Let it stabilize to it hasn't moved in 30 minutes or a little more. When you put the meat on it's going to drop, don't change anything, let it ride, it will come back up. If you are shooting for 225, but it is at 235 don't sweat it or even if it is 20 degrees higher. Like others have said it's about catching it on the way up. You can close vents to bring it done, but it will take some time.

InfectedDAS · March 2017

I wait like 30min and after reading all the techniques I think I might be wrong on how I light the fire.... I always, doesn't matter if it'll be a low & slow or a fast and high, I light a Weber charcoal chimney usually filled with small pieces and then light in the center of the Egg the medium-big pieces using a paper towel dripped with oil.

When the coals in the chimney are bright I dump them on the Egg and spread everything, then put the grate and clean it, after that I put the indirect setup with the dripping pan, close the Egg and dial bottom and top according to desire temp, wait 30mins and then put wood chips and the meat.

So far so good but as all the comments I might be be burning the fuel for the long cooks though I get rid of VOCs, it's a trade.

So far the longest cook has been 20hrs, 16hrs a brisket and with the same fire 4hrs ribs.

Carolina Q · March 2017

InfectedDAS said:

I wait like 30min and after reading all the techniques I think I might be wrong on how I light the fire.... I always, doesn't matter if it'll be a low & slow or a fast and high, I light a Weber charcoal chimney usually filled with small pieces and then light in the center of the Egg the medium-big pieces using a paper towel dripped with oil.

When the coals in the chimney are bright I dump them on the Egg and spread everything, then put the grate and clean it, after that I put the indirect setup with the dripping pan, close the Egg and dial bottom and top according to desire temp, wait 30mins and then put wood chips and the meat.

So far so good but as all the comments I might be be burning the fuel for the long cooks though I get rid of VOCs, it's a trade.

So far the longest cook has been 20hrs, 16hrs a brisket and with the same fire 4hrs ribs.

You don't need FIRE to burn off VOCs, just HEAT. All of the coals do not have to be involved. Most, for lo n slo cooks, just light in one, maybe 2 spots. Dumping a chimney full of lit coals in there is a waste of lump.
.

lousubcap · March 2017

Nothing new to add but if you've done brisket I gather that would have been at a temperature in the range you are aiming for here. The vent settings vary a bit with each cook but are reasonably close. Once you close down on the lower vent, if you temp continues to go up or does not drop over a few hours you are introducing air from somewhere. Give it the dollar bill test once cooled down to make sure you have a good dome to base fit. FWIW-

Rrainman · March 2017

Well, it worked out pretty good and tender.

How long to let you BGE to come to temperature?

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