high temp. burn/clean??

Unknown · July 2008

Ok, so I did I high temp burn or clean a couple of days ago, and I went out a few hours later and found my top was stuck and the gasket was fried. So, my question is how do you do these to help clean the egg and platesetter, without frying the gasket everytime. The egg and platesetter look great, but now I'm going to have to replace my gasket sometime soon. Thanks in advance for the suggestions.

gdenby · July 2008

I've only left a platesetter in, inverted, once. All other times I've done the burn with nothing in. Haven't had any problems so far, knock on wood. Maybe if the platesetter was upright, it pushed some of the gasses towards the gasket?

Stanley · July 2008

Begs the question: How high is high?

Central IL Egger · July 2008

You beat me to the punch. I've only been egging for a month or so. How Long and How High a temp is "safe" for a clean burn?

FlaPoolman · July 2008

I do 500 for 45 min to an hour. Doesent need any more that that. Use to 700 but no difference.

Grandpas Grub · July 2008

Thinking out loud...

I have noticed when I am at a higher temp 550° or above and if I have any kind of mass at gasket level I experience gasket stress or burn.

On my large I have fried the gasket 3 times. The first was on my first cook - I thought I would be cool and Trex some stakes - 750° and my gasket was toast. The second time was a month or so later, again Trexing. I thought I had passed the so called 'curing' time.

After that I haven't taken the dome past 550°. 40 cooks later I decided to season a large Dutch Oven in the egg.

450° for about an hour, the DO was very dirty and some rust. It worked great but one edge of the DO was close to the gasket and the heat from the DO, I surmize, took out the gasket once again.

I have some of the Nomex gasket material from BGE that I will be installing when I get a round-to-it.

GG

thepgaboy · July 2008

What is a good indicator of a fried gasket?

fishlessman · July 2008

i have not found a gasket that really holds up to the high heats, closest is a rutland. the rutland in the picture is not glued down as the sticky backing didnt hold up. someday ill recement it down but usually i dont even use the gasket, its sitting on the ground next to the egg right now. 1100 for an hour or so really cleans it up, that egg isnt even close to new. the firebox is a nine piece set and ive been using it that way for almost a year now.

Grandpas Grub · July 2008

That's a tough question. When I was new I was told by forum members not to worry about the gasket. Sort of upset me, my egg was new and I wanted a fresh gasket.

After time I learned they were correct. My gasket looks a mess on the large. Flat, worn, gunky, indent marks from probes, indent marks from the top gasket.

There are a lot of forum members who's gaskets have completely worn out - no gasket and they are cooking fine.

However, the important thing is I have only minimal smoke leak around the gasket and I can stabilize the egg at 225° without a powered vent system. The gasket itself looks obviously bad but there is still a good seal.

So I am in no rush to change it out as the egg cooks great.

Back to your question. The first time I lost my gasket a 10" piece on the right side about 3 o'clock pulled off the bottom rim and physically melted.

The second time, at the hing another section burned, and melted the gasket material. Obvious looking problem.

The third time the DO caused a deformation in the lower gasket, again 3 o'clock position about 4". That is still there but the egg is working great.

Below is where I tested (off egg) the gasket to see if the gasket was burning or the adhesive was burning.

GG

Fidel · July 2008

It looks a little something like this. Note the discoloration on the inside of the egg as well.

My guess is that it is the gasket burning, not the adhesive. I personally don't buy into the "gasket curing" theory. I think the burned gasket is a result of misaligned dome. This picture is a result of back-to-back-to-back pizzas at an estimated 900-1000* and the bands loosened and the dome shifted. When I opened the dome the gasket was a gooey stringy mess.

Lawn Ranger · July 2008

sounds like mine. For the past couple of years I just put it on as needed. I recently tacked it down in 4 or 5 locations with some epoxy just to hold it in place. Pretty forgiving item,..the Egg is.

Happy 4th.

Mike

Grandpas Grub · July 2008

Rod,

I am with you on the curing theory.

That is a huge mis-alignment.

That is the same look I had when I was seasoning the Dutch Oven.

I think the intense heat from the DO just overpowered the gasket material.

Looking at your picture I would think you had the pizza stone pretty close to the gasket level moreso than the dome shifting that far.

Thanks for posting the picture, it should help folks.

Kent

fishlessman · July 2008

some gaskets get black burnt and charred, they thin out and get hard almost flakey looking. you can just reset the dome and use it, it will last years like that. others the gasket comes loose and gets all gooey when you open the dome it makes a stringy mess or they stick together overnight and need to be cut out, those are not usuable. now there are some gaskets that leak some that are charred, it wont effect your cook if the egg leaks at the gasket, infact you can still do a low and slow with no gasket on your egg whatsoever with smoke leaking all over the place

Unknown · July 2008

i did not clean the egg for 2 years and it was gunked thick.... had some south american that i did not like... burned at 900-1000 for more than an hour really cool jet blue flames shooting out the top . the gunk turned to 'creasote' ran down the dome over the gasket and down the outside of the egg. when cooled it was like hard plastic or baked on enamel. gasket looked like bakelite. took all day [8 hrs] to scrape, grind and sand to get to clean ceramic. tried everything including goop-off to clean the outside. finally ended up using plastic 3-m scrub pad and gasoline[4 more hours]. now i clean burn often and at 600°-700°.
if you have a lot of build up avoid the high 900° burn . [or take pics :evil:

Anthony · July 2008

What is the fire box again? A nine pc set? Does it have any wholes in it?

fishlessman · July 2008

out of the egg for cleaning last year

back in for another year of service, might be more pieces now, but it still works fine

Unknown · July 2008

Please remind me what a gasket is used for?

I have the remnants of a my third (?) gasket but am too lazy/lack a good reason to replace it. Sure a little smoke escapes, but I can hold low temp cooks and my ribs/butts/whatever still turn out OK.

One thing though, I would never leave the egg with the throttle wide open for a few hours. Not only is this a good way to fry the thermometer/gasket and crack the firering/firebox, it's a fire risk as well. If stuff needs to be "cleaned" (e.g., BBQ sauce on the grid or a grungy thermal barrier) I open it up after a cook and let it run until the smoke clears (5 min?). It'll save you some lump too.

PhilsGrill · July 2008

I don't think you are supposed to do pizza's at that high a temp.

thebtls · July 2008

Personally I do all my cleaning immediately following my cooks...if there is build-up on items like the plate setter, etc, I use a brush, etc. Because I personally can't stand any build up on my grate or other items put in extra time at each use. ALso after 30 years in healthcare I just won't take the chance of built up food, grease, etc and the risks it could pose, and yes I clean all my temp probes between use and after, etc. Excessive? Not really, cautious and clean? Yes. I would never do a high temp burn off, especially seeing all the issues people have...I'd have to ask if it is worth the hastle and cost of a new gasket now? Not to me.

Unknown · July 2008

around 700 degrees, I did leave the plate setter in with legs down, and the pizza stone on top of it. I left it for about an hour and a half. Maybe I shouldn't have left the plate setter and stone in. I guess I should've just used a foil ball or something to clean the plate setter. Thanks for the advice and any more that you might have.

stike · July 2008

there are two issues... one is the adhesive coming loose, as well as the fact that the gasket can melt, too. i guess worst case would be both. hahaha

saw my first MELTED gasket (like yours) this past weekends at the NE eggfest. it wasn't a glue issue, obviously.

once saw a video where dr. BBQ raised the dome, and the gasket came loose. wasn't at crazy temps or anything. just gave way. seemed to be more about the adhesive in that case.

stike · July 2008

what do you do if you are halfway thru a case of sam adams and you need to put it back together?

thepgaboy · July 2008

Gentlemen:

While indulging in Sapphire and tonic last night it came to me...

I did a lot of time in the food service and catering business while going to school; hell it paid my tuition.

My buddy and I had a trailored smoke roaster, a big'un; we could do at least twenty shoulders on it. Nothing cleaned that badboy like a ramp up and hold to 550 for right at 1.5 hours. Then let her cool and go to work with (and this important) a pumice brick. It takes very little elbow grease and you can easily gauge how much of the "seasoning / cure" you take off. I really don't think you want to remove all the seasoning you've done. Once you have finished, bust out the shop-vac and your done!!

After cooling the whole scrub-n-vac shouldn't take more than an hour on an LBGE.

You can get them at any wholesale kitchen supply distributor that is open to the public or Home Depot may carry them.

It is the only way...

high temp. burn/clean??

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