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Can't keep egg at 200 degrees consistantly

jackster
jackster Posts: 3
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
I must not know how to use this egg or else the thing just sucks. I bought it 3 years ago and have used it quite a bit to cook beef brisquets, chicken and pork but the problem is, when I try to keep the thing at a steady low temperature, it goes out.

I would like to be able to smoke something at 200 degrees without having the fire go out.

Is there some kind of trick that you guys use to accomplish this?

thanks

jack
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Comments

  • smoky b
    smoky b Posts: 648
    most agree there's no need to go that low. 250 at the dome and 225 at the grid is plenty low. tough to hang at 200 for an extended period of time unless you don't mind being on the ground blowing in the bottom vent for 18 hours! ;)
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  • thegrillster
    thegrillster Posts: 348
    If you are referring to 200 dome temp then you are too low. Kick it up to 250 and stabilize it there. Your pit temp will be lower than that and you will have success at low and slow.

    Also make sure of all the essential details, good dry lump, cleaned out egg and grate, and make sure you stabilize the fire.

    If you insist on cooking that low get a digi q or stoker.

    IMHO that temp is too low for reliabilty.
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  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
    Agree with above post, another item to check is the accuracy of your thermometer.. dip the stem into boiling water to check for it reading 212... if not, adjust it... if it is three years old, may be off...
    Kent Madison MS
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  • fieroguy
    fieroguy Posts: 777
    Using my DQII, I hold 180* dome for over 4 hours when smoking BBB.
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  • No Flo Rome
    No Flo Rome Posts: 55
    if your dome temp (where the egg's thermometer is located) is 200* then your cooking level (grid)is a lower temp. try getting the dome temp a bit higher to sustain the fire and get your target cook temp close to 200*.-r
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  • jackster
    jackster Posts: 3
    not sure what DQII is ?
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  • jackster
    jackster Posts: 3
    My thermometer has been this way since I bought it and since you guys are seeing something similar, I would think it's probably fine. I can keep the temp aroun 225 consistantly but the meat cooks too fast and is not "falling off the bone" tender like it should be which is why I think I'm cooking it too fast.

    I was expecting to have super tender bbq with this thing and it has been a let down.

    jack
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  • fieroguy
    fieroguy Posts: 777
    Just Google 'DigiQ II' and you will learn more about it than you ever want to know. Many Eggers use them for low-n-slows to maintain temperatures without getting up at 3 AM to check their Egg (18-20 hour cooks).
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  • Village Idiot
    Village Idiot Posts: 6,959
    jackster wrote:
    but the meat cooks too fast and is not "falling off the bone" tender like it should be which is why I think I'm cooking it too fast.
    jack

    What type of meat, and what is the internal temperature when you pull it off? Is it brisket? Do you FTC (foil, towel, cooler)?
    __________________________________________

    Dripping Springs, Texas.
    Just west of Austintatious


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  • tach18k
    tach18k Posts: 1,607
    I can keep 225-250 all day with just the egg alone. The top little vent are about an 1/8" open and the bottom vent is about the same. Once you hit 225 from wide open drop your vent done to above sizes, let it stable for 20-30 minutes. My meat falls off the bone with this set up and for 5 hours of cooking.
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  • CBBQ
    CBBQ Posts: 610
    Another thing to consider is to make sure all the holes on the inside of the egg are clean and you have enough lump in it.
    With regards to your meat not being "fall-off-the-bone" that can be from cooking at too low of a temp. Pork butt needs to get 195-200 degrees as do other cuts on slow cooks. A 200 degree dome means 175 at the grill. You won't get the meat and fat the render at that temp.
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  • mollyshark
    mollyshark Posts: 1,519
    Even a Digi isn't going to keep temp that low. There is a difference between smoking something and cooking something. Temp below 200 is smoking. Great for cheese and interesting for preserving, but for something like a brisket? "Falling off the bone" needs moist heat like a foil wrap. Soup requires a pot. Fall off the bone is also referred to as mush. Would be good to know what the product is we are actually talking about here. Talk of a bony brisket makes me nervous.

    mShark
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  • fieroguy
    fieroguy Posts: 777
    MY DQII holds 180* dome for 5 hours, no problem.
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  • The Naked Whiz
    The Naked Whiz Posts: 7,777
    Check out the Product Reviews section of my website below for detailed reviews of the DigiQ II, CyberQ II and the ProCom 4, all from The BBQ Guru company.

    200 is mighty low for long term smoking on a ceramic cooker. It is going to take forever to get a butt to 200 degrees if you cook it at 200 degrees. And if your dome thermometer says 200, it is probably a little less down at the grid. I'd check your thermometer in boiling water and make sure it is correct. I do ribs at 250 and butts at 230 and get very good results.
    The Naked Whiz
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  • Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker
    Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker Posts: 3,743
    molly is just asking a practical question.

    you can't cook something to 190 or more if the environment it is in is only 180.
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  • Bordello
    Bordello Posts: 5,926
    Totally agree with you on my large, it's like the best egg for holding low temps. I can do with the med and small but I have to pay very close attention to get it to hold.

    Eggs are great,
    Bordello
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  • fieroguy
    fieroguy Posts: 777
    I am smoking buckboard bacon to 140*.
    When doing butts or briskets, I hold the dome to 250*.
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  • fieroguy
    fieroguy Posts: 777
    Please read the start of my post above.
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  • mollyshark
    mollyshark Posts: 1,519
    Uh, yes. Thanks.

    mShark
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