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What am I doing wrong?

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Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I have probably learned just enough about egging to be dangerous. I have tried to use fire-bricks in the "standard pattern" and a pizza stone to help with long cooking stuff. BUT, it seems the more I open the top vent (combination top) the cooler it gets. Right now, I can't seem to get it over 300 degrees (I was trying to get 350 to 375).[p]Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?[p]Thanks
T-Bone
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  • Unknown
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    This thing must be getting hotter than the thermometer is showing--I have burned the bottom of the ribs THROUGH the pizza stone. (they were in ~ 1 hour, and the temp only got to 350 for a few minutes--most of the time, it was registering around 300.) BTW, I had checked the thermometer with boiling water before I started.
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  • Gfw
    Gfw Posts: 1,598
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    T Bone, you don't state what size egg that you are using - I have had a similiar problem on my medium BGE when the probe from the dome thermometer stuck into the object being cooked. Check it! [p]Why are you using a pizza stone with firebricks to make ribs? Lots of mass to heat up. Check out the link - only time that I use pizza stone is to make pizza - other times I use a 2nd grid. Good luck.[p]

    [ul][li]Firebricks[/ul]
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  • Unknown
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    Gfw,
    Sorry, I have the large egg. I got the idea for the stone from JSlots Ribs in the pork recipe section. I thought I could cook them faster, yet safely this way.[p]Nothing attached to the thermometer, but I think the 14" pizza stone must have concentrated the heat below the stone instead of letting it up to the thermometer.

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  • Spin
    Spin Posts: 1,375
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    T Bone,[p]There is no real "standard" firebrick/pizza stone configuration. We all use them a bit differently and often change the configuration to suit the particular cook. Also there are a few different firebricks available. [p]How large a "mass" (the firebricks and pizza stone) you install in your Egg determines how much longer it will take to heat this mass. Once heated, the dome temp will slowly rise. You do need to "cook" the mass also. Your Egg needs proper airflow through it (in the bottom - out the top) to feed oxygen to support the fire. If the mass restricts this airflow (in the middle), the heating ability of the fire will be limited.[p]A mass provides insulation between the meat and fire. This is called indirect cooking. Direct cooking is done on the grill over the fire. Depending on the required cooking time and temp, a drip pan alone can create indirect cooking. Add a liquid to the pan and you have extended the cooking time and temperature range.[p]Configurations that utilize more mass tend to be employed for a specific purpose other than indirect cooking. Pizza and bread are two examples.[p]The ideal is to use only enough mass to produce the desired effect. It costs lump and time to have too much mass.[p]Spin[p][p]
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  • Tim M
    Tim M Posts: 2,410
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    T-Bone,[p]You don't have the ribs "on" the stone - do you? No, OK I thought not. (if you do, you better vist my web site or GFW's web site to look at pictures). I think you need to tell us a little more about your set up, times used so far and temps. [p]Tim
    [ul][li]-Tim's Cookbook-[/ul]
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  • Spin
    Spin Posts: 1,375
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    T-Bone,[p]I believe that JSlot uses a 12" pizza stone on the lower grill of his setup. A 14" stone would definitely limit maximum cooking temps in the dome.[p]Spin

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  • Unknown
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    Tim M,
    Thanks (BOTH Tim M and Spin) for your input.
    Tim, I check out your site. It answered a lot of my questions. It will definitely be on my bookmark list.[p]No, the ribs were not on the pizza stone, but ended up fairly close to it(inch and a half or so). My biggest problem was that I was in a hurry to get it set up and cooking while still trying to figure things out. I hope I have learned my lesson.[p]Amazingly enough, though, the ribs that burned on the stone side, were still tasty and fairly tender on the other side--I just had to cut off the "coal" part. The ribs that didn't burn were good--not as tender and moist as I was expecting, but considering the abuse I put them though, they were real good--at least that's what our guests said. Then again, if I were invited over to eat ribs (for free), I wouldn't say anything bad either.[p]Thanks again for your help.
    (I can't wait to try again)
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