Getting up to temp for cooking pizzas

with the lower vent wide open, a clean egg, new lump, dome closed, top vent off the egg sitting on the ground. about a half hour to 40 minutes for 900f max, add 20 minutes for 1200 f. around 900 dome temp the gasket falls off......thats with a large, ive never got those temps with other eggs. all the air holes clean, new dry lump, you need to remove the top vent completely 

yes i agree leaving the top vent off until it’s time to slow down temp rise is best.

weeknight cooks really pushed the need for me getting the temp of the egg up quickly and in 15 minutes max. 

 using one or two firestarter squares wasn’t getting it done so i use an lp weed burner.  use one square or half square for low and slows. 

i reuse lump so i need to stir whats left in there briefly and look down at the cast iron grate to make sure there are a lot of open holes. the holes in the ceramic bowl fill with ash so i hit them with a skewer. not every time. 

when i pour new lump on top i use the ash tool to knock a few coals around in the center to make sure there’s a good potential for air flow above the cast iron grate. 

just a few small intentional fire building / air flow steps and then the torch gets it roaring quickly. torch longer and in a couple spots for highest temps. 

570 sounds like a new high temp and first time over 500.  here’s the bge video. 570 is not a bad temp to cook most pizza dough so you might be in the win column already. 

link to bge hq video…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGXECioiP9k

most important is (1) how the lump is being lit and (2) how long to wait from initial light with the dome lid open and bottom vent open to the next phase (putting indirect setup and pizza stone, closing dome lid and both vents open). 

skill evolves here since the bowl fire is somewhat observational vs specifically measurable.  if the temp is too high when you put the stones / plate setter in they can break from temp shock.  

with enough tinkering you will be an expert for others. 

UTH said:

Reporting back as it was pizza day yesterday. Even after over an hour, with a freshly cleaned out egg, a huge basket of new fuel in big lumps, it was only at 570. Admittedly I did forget to take the top vent off entirely, but it was all fully open. 
Next time I'm going to try putting the EggGenius fan on the bottom vent and just have that blowing at 100% the whole time. 

Not meant for hot and long, you risk frying it, just my 0.4 nickel.

Welcome back here @TheToast.  Trust all is well on your side of the pond.

Ybabpmuts said:

fishlessman said:

this is a large with the top vent sitting on the ground.....

What happens if you put the top on the table.                                                                      Bought my egg in 2001, the table is still in the planning stages....