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indirect grilling temps

sgtmillet
sgtmillet Posts: 2
edited November -0001 in EggHead Forum
I'm worried about achieving my desired temp when using the plate setter. When I grill ribs, I want 325 degrees. I get this temp and then put on the plate setter. Should I wait for the temp to get back to 325? It seems that my ribs cook too fast when I do this. Also, I usually use smoke chips, so waiting for 325 to return would mean burning off all my chips. Any advise? I ahve the same problem when I do pizza on a baking stone.
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Comments

  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
    Sgt.,

    Get the Platesetter and your pizza stone in while the egg is coming to temp.

    Also wood chunks will last a lot longer that a mess of chips.
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  • sgtmillet
    sgtmillet Posts: 2
    understood, but put the chips or chunks in while coming up to temp too?
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  • tjv
    tjv Posts: 3,846
    Only thing to add to ripnem is most of us around here do not grill ribs, we slow smoke them at 250 degrees give or take 10% temp variance.

    You might do a forum search for ribs or pizza, gotta be lots of post on each subject. good luck, t
    www.ceramicgrillstore.com ACGP, Inc.
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  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
    sgtmillet

    Two different answers for you questions...
    1) If you desire to slow cook your ribs and smoke them, then stabilize the Egg at 325 without the plate setter (the trick is to ensure your top setting and bottom settings don't change after the next step).. now, put your chips or chunks in, plate setter, grill rack and the meat -- close the lid and DON'T TOUCH the upper and lower settings... It may take an hour, but it will come back to temp - in the meantime, the ribs are getting the smoke while at their coolest temps.
    2) As for the pizza - put place setter and pizza stone in as fire comes up to temp. Let the Egg stabilize for 30-45 minutes at your cooking temp. When you add the pizza, drop a few chips on the coals - they go a long way so don't use too many.

    hope this helps
    Kent Madison MS
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  • gtalvola
    gtalvola Posts: 42
    I often put my ribs in at 200 or so and let the dome temperature slowly creep up to 300-350 when making ribs. There's no rule that says they have to stay at the same temperature for the whole cook, and in fact you may get better smoke ring by starting them out in a colder Egg. Creeping to 350 over time will get your ribs done quicker than maintaining them at 250 for the whole cook, and they will turn out great.

    A couple other tips: Often, some portion of the rib slabs will be overly thick with meat, so I like to slice off that thicker portion and lay it next to the ribs to cook separately. Also, to check when my ribs are done, I use my Thermapen to check the temperature of the ribs in the thickest part of the meat. When it measures 185 or higher in the thickest parts of the rib racks then they are probably done, at which point you can check the tenderness by picking them up and trying to bend them. They should bend and break apart easily. Sometimes some racks will finish before others.

    I also spray with apple juice occasionally during the cook.
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  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    BBQMaven wrote:
    1) If you desire to slow cook your ribs and smoke them, then stabilize the Egg at 325 without the plate setter (the trick is to ensure your top setting and bottom settings don't change after the next step).. now, put your chips or chunks in, plate setter, grill rack and the meat -- close the lid and DON'T TOUCH the upper and lower settings... It may take an hour, but it will come back to temp - in the meantime, the ribs are getting the smoke while at their coolest temps.
    2) As for the pizza - put place setter and pizza stone in as fire comes up to temp. Let the Egg stabilize for 30-45 minutes at your cooking temp. When you add the pizza, drop a few chips on the coals - they go a long way so don't use too many.

    Interesting, that in scenario #1 I've understood (or maybe misunderstood is a better way of putting it) to put everything in except the meat and let everything come up to temperature, then add the meat. I tried my first low & slow cook on Sunday and put pizza stone & drip pan at the bottom of the AR while everything was coming up to temperature (trying for 250°). Had things stabilized at about 260° for about 20-30 minutes before adding the meat, but 1.5 hours later the temp was sitting at 210° and I ended up chasing temperatures. Sounds like maybe I should have stabilized the egg before adding anything, including indirect pieces.
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  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
    Kenny
    Sorry for the confusion.... my statement was based on the desire to impart more smoke into the meat... most believe you get more smoke flavor (and ring) when the meat is cold.... with that said, my suggestion was stabilize, then add the ceramic for indirect and the meat....

    As for the recovery time, I like to have my Egg at cooking temp for at least 45 minutes (an hour is better) before you can "trust" it to hold when you are cooking "naked" low/slow ... if your chasing temps, your Egg was not stable or your making too many adjustments too soon...it can take 30 minutes for a 1/4 inch change in top or bottom to settle...
    Kent Madison MS
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  • Ripnem
    Ripnem Posts: 5,511
    Sure. I use larger pieces and don't put them in the 'spots' that I lit. I light my eggs with a torch and for a low land slow, I light 3 spots.
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  • BBQMaven
    BBQMaven Posts: 1,041
    Chips burn up faster than chunks... remember that you don't have to "see smoke" to be putting a smoke flavor into the meat... a quick test of what "smell" is being imparted to the meat is place your hand in the exhaust coming from the top of the Egg just long enough for heat to be felt -- now smell your hand, to see if it has enough "smoke" flavor

    When I use chunks, they smoke at first but continue to impart a smoke flavor, even when I have a clean burn exhaust

    play around with it and don't be afraid to experiment.. that's half the fun
    Kent Madison MS
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  • Kenny 13
    Kenny 13 Posts: 321
    BBQMaven wrote:
    Kenny
    Sorry for the confusion.... my statement was based on the desire to impart more smoke into the meat... most believe you get more smoke flavor (and ring) when the meat is cold.... with that said, my suggestion was stabilize, then add the ceramic for indirect and the meat....

    As for the recovery time, I like to have my Egg at cooking temp for at least 45 minutes (an hour is better) before you can "trust" it to hold when you are cooking "naked" low/slow ... if your chasing temps, your Egg was not stable or your making too many adjustments too soon...it can take 30 minutes for a 1/4 inch change in top or bottom to settle...

    Thanks for the clarification Kent. That makes sense to me.
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