It's Been a Struggle....

Tanya · February 2004

I put my Butt on around 4:oo this afternoon. Completely cleaned the egg, sorted the lump, used the chimney as Elder Ward suggests. I have struggled all night keeping the temp up. It has stayed right around 200 to 225 degrees but I have the lower vent open wide and the daisy wheel open also. I calibrated the temp gauge before I started also. I've kept it no lower than 200 but just checked (3:00 A.M.) and lump is just about burned out. Had to add more lump. Where did I go wrong on this? Thought I had plenty of lump to start. Should the lump be up to the top of the fire ring? It's going again better now that I've added lump but there was almost nothing but ashes when I added. Any ideas where I've gone wrong? Again, I've left the vents almost open all the way and it never got above 225 degrees. Could my gauge be wrong? I checked the internal temp and it was about 150. I'm kind of worried about eating this now. Have I already blown this? No polder or Redi-Chek. Thanks!

GaDawg · February 2004

Tanya,
Next time load the lump all the way to the top
of the fire ring. When you keep opening vents
and losing temp, you're running out of fuel.
I also try to hold 250 to 260 degrees not 200.
There are lots of folks who can hold those lower
temps, but I can't seem to master that. Since
you're internal temp is 150 or better, it should
be fine.
Chuck

Washog · February 2004

Tanya, You're fine, Like GaDawg said you want to raise the dome temp to 250 or so. Once the butt gets to an internal 175 you can bump the temp up to 275 to 300.

Sundown · February 2004

Tanya,
I went back and read Elder Ward's piece. It says to "fill to the top of the fire ring no further" - It also goes into some detail about how to light the lump and it does not include the use of a chimney. I don't know what you have for instructions but it doesn't sound anything like the original. If you send me you email address I'll send you the whole article - it's nearly 7 pages long. Let me know if you have Word or if I should send it as a text file. Sounds like you've had a long night but from the sound of it you'll have pulled pork! Everything here is a learning curve. Next time it'll be a lot more fun, easier and you'll still stay up all night! You done okay though kid!

Brobear · February 2004

Tanya,[p]When I first got my egg, I had a problem with temperature becuase I had the grate upside down. The holes in the grate a conical, and if it is upside down, the holes will plug up and cause poor air flow. When I finally realized this, it made all the difference in the world.

Tanya · February 2004

Thanks, ya'll make me feel better. It's 8:00 and the internal temp is 190. The dome temp has been holding good at 250 for the last two hours. Should I pull it now? By the way, the Elder Ward recipe is from the Cookbook I printed from Bill Wise, I think on the Naked Whiz website. It's a whole cookbook for BGE and I have it in a three ring binder. It does say to use the chimney and fist full of lump.

Sundown · February 2004

Tanya,
Someone's messing with a good thing on you here. Go to this link scroll down to Part III and read from there on how to start the fire. This is the original and the only one I follow. Hope it helps.

[ul][li]Elder Ward’s North Carolina Style Pulled Pork Document[/ul]

Ohio Boy in DC · February 2004

Tanya,[p]I ran out of lump as well, when on summer cooks I've got tons left...must be the colder weather...[p]Enjoy the pork...

Washog · February 2004

Tanya, What time are you wanting to eat? That Butt will pull at 190 but unless you are in a hurry to eat, I'd let it cook til it hits 200 internal. [p]If by the time you are ready to eat and the internal temp is still below 200, open everything til the dome hits 300. It won't take long after that.

Wise One · February 2004

Sundown, you are right in that it does not talk and about the use of the chimney (and neither does my copy (which was edited and corrected by Elder Ward)). I think THe Naked Whiz has some material on the use of the chimney on his site though. However, it also does NOT say "fill to the top of the fire ring". It says "fill to the top of the firebox". I normally fill mine above the firebox and have some left over. On my medium I had to do that in order to have enough to last all night. I think Elder Ward is right in that on a large you can fill to the top of the fire ring and have sufficent for the night in any temperature. [p]As far as the chimney goes, you need only to put a handful of lump in the chimney but this burning lump is dropped on top of the fully loaded firebox.

Daddyo · February 2004

Tanya,
I don't have enough experience to identify your problem, but I do know it wasn't the weather. I did a picnic roast a few weeks back in 20 degree weather that cooked for over 20 hours. When I finished that I cooked some abt's. The next day when I looked in my egg I had enough lump left over for a few more hours of cooking. I used Royal Oak lump, which doesn't burn as long as some others according to what everyone says. What brand of lump did you use? Did you fill to the top of the fire ring?

Sundown · February 2004

Wise One,[p]Over the last 5 years or so I've discovered that there at least 20 ways to do the simplest of things here. They're all the correct way - some work some don't thank goodness for the forum or we would all be cooking with gas or Kingsford!! I check in here at least once a day without fail. Learn something new from time to time too.

chuckls · February 2004

Tanya,[p]I use a really dense lump called Wicked Good Charcoal. It burns forever - well at least it doesn't burn out on a 24 hr+ cook. As a matter of fact that's what's under my two-butt cook right now. One's a polynesian injection butt and the other's the "my butt smells good" Peruvian rub (cilantro, garlic, and anchovy). This is the first time for me to try injection.[p]Chuck

usa doug · February 2004

GaDawg,
I believe you are 100% correct. I also believe one of her problems is air flow. The lump may have been stacked in the firebox too tight or she used real small pieces. When I am cooking at 300* dome temp, my intake and exaust are just barely open.

It's Been a Struggle....

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