Disappointing cook going on!

Matt86m · August 2018

I'll post successful cooks and not so successful.

Calibrated my BGE thermometer/temp gauge this morning. Was spot on 212* (100c mark) in boiling water. Put a pork butt (about 4lbs) on a 2nd tier (1st time using it) and trying out Rockwood charcoal for the 1st time - not blaming the charcoal! After 7+ hours im only at 180*

Part way thru the cook I put 3 racks of baby backs on the standard cooking grate of my XL. Have the plate setter in, legs up, drip pan - dry. Temps have been steady at 250-275* according to the BGE dome temp gauge.

5 hours in and the ribs are stiff as can be. Was going to shorten the 3, 2, 1 method by 1/2 hour on the 2 and 3 stage. At 4 hours they finally got the color I wanted so I wrapped them in butcher paper.

Pork butt is also wrapped and being stubborn.

I put my Thermo Pro probe in thru the daisy wheel to get dome temp and it is reading 258* while the BGE temp gauge is sitting at 290*

When this cook is done Ill recheck the dome temp gauge again.

As far as the Rockwood, I posted a couple pics. Is this about the regular/normal size? Im holding the biggest chunk I found for the amount I used from the top of the bag? Just curious about this.

Any thoughts?

lousubcap · August 2018

Protein is finished when it crosses the line. If your thermo is accurate then you are just experiencing the randomness of a protein cook (or cooks). There are thermal gradients inside the BGE (just like your clock box).

Regarding Rockwood-I have found many more bags with pieces that size than something bigger. It all burns.

stlcharcoal · August 2018

That's a lot of meat and evaporation taking place.....this high humidity in the egg (which is good). 7 hrs isn't much for a pork butt. I usually go 15-17 hrs at 225F on a pork butt. It will come up at a faster rate from 180F too--pork butts don't stall like a brisket, but they do cook at different rates between certain temps. Also depends on where you put the probe of course.

Matt86m · August 2018

Thanks for the replies, it helps. The PB was on for 10 hours before it hit 203 and was soft, the ribs were on for 6+ and weren't fall off the bone - which I like but I didn't think they would take that long.

Last time I did 3,2,1 it was too done. I thought I'd go 3, 1.5, .5 but these were baby backs, last time I had St Louis - maybe that was the difference.

As far as the lump, yes it all burns but do larger chunks last longer than small ones? or is say 5 lbs of lump large or small the same and will burn the same length of time?

Matt86m · August 2018

And here is the end result, they were good. Ribs 2 ways, used Grilling Gods Sweet Backyard BBQ and Salt of the Gods, each with and w/o Sweet Baby Rays sauce. With sauce was better on both. The Rockwood is more neutral (less charcoal) flavor than Fogo . The butt pulled nicely after resting in the cooler ofr an hour or so.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/e6/ouj3ctxwmcfp.jpg

lousubcap · August 2018

Way to stay the course to the finish-line. Great cook and result.

Regarding lump- BTU's are btu's so the output of 5 lbs of lump (size independent) contains the same energy source. FWIW-

bikesAndBBQ · August 2018

A good mix of large medium and small pieces is fine and ideal in my opinion. I wouldn’t worry about the burn time of different sizes of lump. Dump it in, light it and let the egg do the work.

Matt86m · August 2018

Maybe I did too many 1st's at once. Hell, maybe not. Still love my Egg although the wife did come home from Costco with pics of a (dare I say it) new Traeger model! I'd never get rid of my XL but I have been talking about getting a Mini Max, she suggested the T so she could use it if I wasn't home. It would fit in the line up as I don't have a pellet smoker yet,,,,yet!

Disappointing cook going on!

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