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Problem getting egg hot in cold weather question

TheEGGcredibleFulk
TheEGGcredibleFulk Posts: 26
in EggHead Forum
It is pretty cool here in Georgia today (22 degrees with 17 mph winds) and I'm having a hell of a time getting my medium BGE to get hot. I'm a newbie with only 5 cooks under my belt, any advice on why I'm not getting hot?
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Comments

  • Chris8938
    Chris8938 Posts: 156
    Outside temperature really has no bearing on getting hot in the winter.  I egged a few weeks ago in -15 weather with no problems.  Sounds more like an air flow problem. 
    XL BGE, Lg BGE, MiniMax BGE, Mini BGE

    Appleton, WI 
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  • TheEGGcredibleFulk
    TheEGGcredibleFulk Posts: 26
    I'm about to check, I didn't know if for some reason the thermometer was reading wrong cause of temp outside. Thanks!!! Planning to smoke my first butt today and since that is a long slow process I figure I need to make sure my heat is good before attempting 
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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    You can always test your themo in boiling water to make sure it's in check.
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • TheEGGcredibleFulk
    TheEGGcredibleFulk Posts: 26
    saluki2007 said:
    You can always test your themo in boiling water to make sure it's in check.
    I was just reading about that when I saw your comment. 
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  • lousubcap
    lousubcap Posts: 36,904
    Welcome aboard and enjoy the journey.  Above all, have fun.
    As you are aware, the BGE fire is air flow controlled (assuming you have enough lump and got it going).  So, temperature control (aka fire volume) is a function of the amount of air flow through the bottom and out the top.  You can control by top or bottom vent or combinations of each.  Do you have excessive ash build-up?
    So, with that-get a good mass of lump burning  and then shut the dome and set your vents for the approximate final desired temp.  Minor adjustments as you go.  And remember, the feedback indicator to any adjustments is your dome thermo-and that will take a while.
    Dome thermo calibrated?      
    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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  • TheEGGcredibleFulk
    TheEGGcredibleFulk Posts: 26
    About to check dome thermos now with boiling water. I'm about to invest in. Kick ash basket that seems like it's the way to go in order to keep ash issues in line
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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    As a tip, throw away the angle metal that is on the back of the thermo inside the egg.  Don't need it.  Plus removing it allows you to "spin" the thermo so you can put your target temp at 12:00 o'clock.  That way you can just glance over and see where it's at without having to see the numbers.
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • TheEGGcredibleFulk
    TheEGGcredibleFulk Posts: 26
    saluki2007 said:
    As a tip, throw away the angle metal that is on the back of the thermo inside the egg.  Don't need it.  Plus removing it allows you to "spin" the thermo so you can put your target temp at 12:00 o'clock.  That way you can just glance over and see where it's at without having to see the numbers.
    Great advice!!! Thank you!!!
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  • saluki2007
    saluki2007 Posts: 6,354
    Oh, and the KAB is a "hot topic" around here.  I personally do not use one in my large but do in my small.
    Large and Small BGE
    Central, IL

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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Welcome! Some folks here cook butts at 225-250° with 250 being the most popular sweet spot. Others of us got tired of overnight long cooks and babysitting the temps all night (either manually or with a $$temp controller). 
    "Turbo" cooking has become fairly popular. Setting the temp at 320-350° drastically reduces the time needed to cook a butt. I stabilize my egg temp at 320 or so, put an 8 lb butt on at 9-10AM and it's done by dinner time. No overnights, easy to keep tabs on temp, no discernible difference in meat quality. 

    Egg temp is a function of air flow and lump quantity. Not enough of either and it won't get (or stay) hot. Calibrate your temp gauge, add plenty of lump (for long cooks, to the top of the fire ring is not uncommon) and make sure your fire gate isn't clogged. Use a bent coat hanger to poke up thru the holes in the grate to assure air flow.

    Good luck and let us know how the cook went.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • jtcBoynton
    jtcBoynton Posts: 2,814
    Outside temperature really has no bearing on getting hot in the winter.
    The egg will work fine in cold temps.  It will however take more heat to bring the ceramics up to temp, usually meaning a longer warm up time.  There will be larger heat loss from the ceramic during the cook, which means you will need a larger fire than when cooking in warm temps (and will burn more charcoal).  Depending on temp and how much attention you pay to it, the differences may or may not be noticeable. 
    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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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,216
    Once you get everything situated with getting up
    to temp, make sure your vent isn’t into the wind. Spin the around if you need to. It’ll be easier to control and maintain a consistent temperature throughout the duration of your cook. 
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  • Elijah
    Elijah Posts: 880
    I just make sure to give the lump a good stir. I also let it burn down every other cook or so enough to be able to clear the side holes.
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Elijah said:
    I just make sure to give the lump a good stir. I also let it burn down every other cook or so enough to be able to clear the side holes.
    I don't remember the last time I even thought to look at the holes. Pretty sure I haven't cleaned those in years. Assuming you mean the 1/2" or so holes in the firebox? Stir the old lump, add more if needed and light. Scoop out the ashes every few cooks.

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

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • BikerBob
    BikerBob Posts: 284
    Use something to stir the lump to get the ashes out and then rake the ash out of the bottom vent hole. Even if it takes more lump to cook in cold weather, a medium filled up will run well over 24 hours.
    With only five cooks, unless all of them were very long overnights, it is unlikely you have blocked any vent hole.
    If the fire is lit, you don't want to take the thing apart, but periodically, a couple of times a year, piles of ash will build up under the round holes in the fire box.  To clean these, remove all the interior ceramic and sweep out all ash.
    Cooking on the coast
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    Lots of good advice so hopefully you got it squared away. I noticed the Reformation beer in your profile pic. Are you in the Woodstock area? 

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,173
    So that is what we are calling it now.....”getting the egg hot” in cold weather.  ;)
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • TheEGGcredibleFulk
    TheEGGcredibleFulk Posts: 26
    SmokeyPitt said:
    Lots of good advice so hopefully you got it squared away. I noticed the Reformation beer in your profile pic. Are you in the Woodstock area? 
    I'm in Roswell 
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  • Teefus
    Teefus Posts: 1,260
    I'll second (third?) the comments on airflow. Whenever I start a new cook the first thing I do is throw on a pair of leather work gloves and stir the pile of leftover lump with my hands. I make sure all the ash drops through the grate and all the air holes are wide open. I did a rack of ribs last weekend with outdoor temps in the low teens and actually had trouble getting the temp low enough to suit my low and slow target. I had to live with turbo ribs  =)
    Michiana, South of the border.
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  • Miked125
    Miked125 Posts: 481
    I have run my egg in -20F, it might take a bit longer to get to temp but I have no issues once its there. I also start a small fire, close it up and let the egg slowly heat up. 
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  • billt01
    billt01 Posts: 1,903
    I have had a few cooks where the ol' Wal-Mart B&B has had issues getting up to temp (event with a fiery underbelly looking like the gates of hell under the grate.) 

    Never had a issue using Wicked Good or Rockwood..

    FWIW...
    Have:
     XLBGE / Stumps Baby XL / Couple of Stokers (Gen 1 and Gen 3) / Blackstone 36 / Maxey 3x5 water pan hog cooker
    Had:
    LBGE / Lang 60D / Cookshack SM150 / Stumps Stretch / Stumps Baby

    Fat Willies BBQ
    Ola, Ga

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  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,847
    assuming no set up issues (restrictions on airflow) use more lump and light in multiple spots.   also don't be in a hurry, it takes a little longer in cold temps, especially if you are grilling with the dome constantly open.  One last thing, from my experiences leftover lump does not run has hot as new lump.....

    t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
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  • SmokeyPitt
    SmokeyPitt Posts: 10,490
    edited January 2018
    TheEGGcredibleFulk said:
    SmokeyPitt said:
    Lots of good advice so hopefully you got it squared away. I noticed the Reformation beer in your profile pic. Are you in the Woodstock area? 
    I'm in Roswell 


    Tonight I drink Roswell beer in Woodstock. Cheers!

    Which came first the chicken or the egg?  I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. 

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  • TheEGGcredibleFulk
    TheEGGcredibleFulk Posts: 26
    SmokeyPitt said:
    TheEGGcredibleFulk said:
    SmokeyPitt said:
    Lots of good advice so hopefully you got it squared away. I noticed the Reformation beer in your profile pic. Are you in the Woodstock area? 
    I'm in Roswell 


    Tonight I drink Roswell beer in Woodstock. Cheers!
    Gate City has good beer!!!! We just got a new restaurant here in Roswell called "The Meating Place", I'm anxious to try it out.
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  • GrateEggspectations
    GrateEggspectations Posts: 11,682
    tjv said:
    assuming no set up issues (restrictions on airflow) use more lump and light in multiple spots.   also don't be in a hurry, it takes a little longer in cold temps, especially if you are grilling with the dome constantly open.  One last thing, from my experiences leftover lump does not run has hot as new lump.....

    t
    Totally agree re: leftover lump not running as hot. Anytime I use leftover lump, I always add some new, just to ensure that performance and temps are consistent from one cook to the next. 
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