Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Youtube | Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.
Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch
Newbie keeps effing up
Options
Vol Jack
Posts: 35
I tried my 4th cook tonight on my new LBGE.
For the 2nd time I could not keep the fire going.
I made sure the ash was cleaned.
I knew the Cowboy Charcoal was not wet..I keep it in the dry basement on a pallet.
The first cook was a breeze and grilled the best steaks I have eat off any grill. (filets)
After browsing around this site thru the very useful search box....I think I am closing my dome way too soon. As soon as I shut the dome the fire goes out.
I thought I read somewhere That as soon as you light close the dome and open the vents all the way open.
I guess I was wrong.... it was just embarrasing because this was the 2nd time I tried cooking for the Brothers family and both times it has been a disaster.
We gave up and called in pizza...
For the 2nd time I could not keep the fire going.
I made sure the ash was cleaned.
I knew the Cowboy Charcoal was not wet..I keep it in the dry basement on a pallet.
The first cook was a breeze and grilled the best steaks I have eat off any grill. (filets)
After browsing around this site thru the very useful search box....I think I am closing my dome way too soon. As soon as I shut the dome the fire goes out.
I thought I read somewhere That as soon as you light close the dome and open the vents all the way open.
I guess I was wrong.... it was just embarrasing because this was the 2nd time I tried cooking for the Brothers family and both times it has been a disaster.
We gave up and called in pizza...
Comments
-
when you shut the dome you do leave the cap off, right?happy in the hut
West Chester Pennsylvania -
When I start a fire I make sure that the bottom is wide open and the top is also. Make sure that your firebox, the bottom, is lined up with the bottom door. You will get it figured out soon. Also keep an eye on the temp as you do not want to overshoot the temperature goal. If using a plate setter, I insert it in the beginning so that it is hot when the desired temp is reached. Let sit at desired temp 20 minutes or so to burn off the bad guys from new charcoal and you should be good to go.
-
Well where's the challenge in that?
-
I use weber starter cubes, after lighting the cube I place a few pieces of lump over the top of it, kind of T pee style. Bottom vent wide open, no daisy wheel on the dome and I Leave the dome open till the starter cube is burned out and some lump is started.
I close the dome and wait for the temp to start climbing, when within 50 degrees of my target temp I put my daisy wheel on and start closing the vent to what I think they should be and/or the temp slows down from the climb up.
It's a learning curve for sure, try not to let the temp overshoot your target temp.
Now, how did you start your Egg???
Good Luck,
Bordello -
heck, i shut the dome with the vent set to whatever i want...
it won't draw any less with it on really, not until it hits that temp and bumps int the wall. -
What are you using to light the egg? firestarters, electric, other?
anyhow, with a firestick/starter, light the firestarter and let it go for at least 5 to 7 mins. ex: For 250 degrees..you start shutting things down more quickly - once the coals are burning then shut the dome.. No Cap and wide open on the bottom. If trying to get the 250-275 for low and slow, start closing down the vents by 200 degrees.. Stay on it because it can get there quickly.
For higher cooks, let it go longer but it will get up there quickly with the dome shut but wide open.
You will learn how much the openings should be for what temp with time. You will be able to dial it in within 25 degrees easily without having to touch the vents.
I use an electric I bought from Lowes for $9.00. Has it ready to shut the dome in 5 minutes and up to 750 plus degrees within 15... -
are you stirring the lump to get rid of the old ash? do you have enough lump? forget about just covering the holes, fill the firebox up
if you are lighting with the pressed sawdust starters, then shutting the dome too early can be a problem, because those things snuff out wuickly if they don't get a lot of oxygen.
lots of ways to light the egg, but if you use the starter cubes, keep the lid up and watch for a bit, making sure you have lots of flame.
if you find that you get tons of acrid white smoke pouring out just after shutting the dome, that means the starter cube is out and is only smoldering. -
I looked every where for the starter cubes....no luck.
Only place that carries them is the place I bought the Egg...which is a 45 drive away.
I have been using the napkin/veg oil trick that I found on this forum....It worked great for the two cooks that have been a success.
Gonna pick up an electric starter the next time I am in WM or Lowes.
I have also the daisy wheel on but, slid fully open.
I guess I need to take it off.
I will try again tomorrow night.
Thanks for the input guys. -
Jack, don't waste your money on the electic starter, they suck, they work, but they suck; the veggie oil napkin thing that worked for you before will keep working, just stick with it, open vent, free bird on top, make sure that thing (napkin or papertowel) is lit but good before you shut the lid and always, but always, have a frosty beverage close by, & you'll be fine, just finehappy in the hut
West Chester Pennsylvania -
yup paper towels/oil works well BUT you obviously are shutting the dome to quickly.. Leave it open until the coals start burning.
oh, and My $9 electric actually works well too and I have had it for years... lol. there is no right way or wrong..
wasting olive oil on the light is silly though -
no right/wrong way, true. However, leaving the dome open also causes the fire to go out when wind blows the paper towel out before it lights anything... my $9 electric starter has done nothing but collect dust for the last 5 or 6 years because it isn't an implement that lends itself to 'setting/forgetting', you have to pay more attention to those things, & when you take them out they're nuclear hot... the paper towel does its deed then disappears like a thought from an ADHD brain...
wasting olive oil on the light would be silly, but using stanky 'already used' fish fry'n oil that'd otherwise go in the trash can is, well, just goodhappy in the hut
West Chester Pennsylvania -
you don't need to take the daisy off. something else is going on....
are you stirring the ash from the previous cooks? if you had a great fire the first couple times, but not the past couple, i'm guessing you are just dumping in new lump without stirring the ash -
closing the dome won't cause his fire to go out.
sumthin is hincky -
I'm also a newbie...also effing up most of the time, but I think you have the answer in your original post. You are probably just shutting the dome too soon.
This is what has worked for me:
Make sure you push the starters down in the coals a little. I know your starters are oiled napkins...but should work the same. Build a little "tepee" of lump around the lit portion so that it can still get air. Wait until the starters are out completely, then blow on the coals like you are building a camp fire. They should glow a bit. If they are glowing, close the dome with no daisy wheel. Put your hand a few inches above the top of the dome and you will know in about 30 seconds if it is "building" or "choking". If it is building, that is when the magic happens and if you look down through the top in a couple minutes you will see some lovely red hot magma.
If the fire chokes out when you close the dome, or if you never really see any glowing coals after the starters go out...help it along with another starter.
Good luck! You will get it.Which came first the chicken or the egg? I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. -
i've been pimping that oil/napkin starter thing for a couple years now, and i shut the dome and go in the house to prep, with the dome set for whatever temp i want.
it doesn't snuff out, ever. just doesn't.
starter cubes will occasionally snuff out, but for just about every other method, shutting the dome "too early" won't be a problem.
and the daisy can be set to 250 if you want (mostly closed) and it won't go out.
really think he's got a clogged fire grate or something. -
witcha on the napkin, before that I used cubes (till I couldn't get them anymore), but I've always used them all in conjunction with a chimney. The below rusty, nasty, beat-a** chimney has probably lit the egg 8000 times, never had one go out, as soon as the napkin is lit well, shut the dome & go back inside to chop some food, come out 15ish minutes later & the flames are shoot'n out of the top)
Twist the paper towel or napkin, dip in oil, & jam in the grid in the shape of a horseshoe
hold a match under it for about 5 seconds till it's good & lit, then move the chimney on top
once its centered, shut the dome, a nice, windproof environment
happy in the hut
West Chester Pennsylvania -
St!ke- sounds like pimpin the oily rag has been working great for you. I had the fire starters snuff on me a couple of times (the BGE brand) and found it was best to wait until they stopped burning.
What kind of oil do you use? I wonder if that could be a factor. I wouldn't mind trying that method. Sounds great to be able to set your vents up for cooking temp and walk away and do something else...Which came first the chicken or the egg? I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg. -
i've used vegetable oil, olive oil, walnut oil, peanut oil... whatever is at hand.
that (above) is actually more than you need. just a drizzle. if it drips or is messy when you twist it, you are using too much oil.
light 'em...
and make a quick tee-pee over it.
clean fresh light lump (like cowboy) will be at 700 or so in 15 minutes if you don't set the vents for a lower temp -
Hey that's how I light my burn pile! Used veggie oil. Doesn't matter if the pile is wet or dry.
-
Thanks for the pics. I will not waste any more $$ on BGE starter sticks.Which came first the chicken or the egg? I egged the chicken and then I ate his leg.
-
I'm a noob too but never had that problem in 10 cooks. I still have a bunch of those starter cubes that my egg came with so I've been using those. I let them burn out and once I see several pieces of wood catch, that's when I close the dome with all vents open. When my temp is close, I'll start shutting it down.
-
the starters are good. i used them for a long time, at least three or four years. but they can choke out from low airflow.
i turned to the napkin trick when i ran out of starters (or forget to bring them) on vacation. i remembered a guy here mentioning it, and gave it a shot.
you'll be surprised how much flame a pair of those will throw. and there's no ash to speak of that blows around like with newspaper. -
I can't get fire starters in Thailand or at least I don't think I can....I have a chimney and used the paper towel and oil method....instant heat and I can't imagine this going out once you pour it into the old coals.
It's a great idea and fool proof.
Mike -
That's awesome.
-
I haven't read thru all of the replies but, make sure your lump isn't packed too tightly. You need to be able to have air flow thru the lump.
-
That’s preposterous, of course you need to take the daisy off, nothing else is going on, and you don’t have to stir the ash from previous cooks, that’s a myth. Just because he had a great fire the first couple times but not the past couple doesn’t mean he is dumping the new lump without stirring the ash, I really think you’re wrong
-
What are you smokin so early on this beautiful Friday morning? :laugh:
-
I get the chimney going outside with veggie oil. Once started, throw it into the BGE with charcoal. Control with draft to the temp I want, and take it from there.
-
you need to take the daisy off?
holy crap, maybe i have a magic egg, because mine works with the daisy on when i light it.
maybe you just don't know how to light an egg properly.
i'd be happy to walk you through it, you sound like you have limited experience. -
Categories
- All Categories
- 182.8K EggHead Forum
- 15.7K Forum List
- 459 EGGtoberfest
- 1.9K Forum Feedback
- 10.3K Off Topic
- 2.2K EGG Table Forum
- 1 Rules & Disclaimer
- 9K Cookbook
- 12 Valentines Day
- 91 Holiday Recipes
- 223 Appetizers
- 516 Baking
- 2.4K Beef
- 88 Desserts
- 164 Lamb
- 2.4K Pork
- 1.5K Poultry
- 30 Salads and Dressings
- 320 Sauces, Rubs, Marinades
- 543 Seafood
- 175 Sides
- 121 Soups, Stews, Chilis
- 36 Vegetarian
- 100 Vegetables
- 313 Health
- 293 Weight Loss Forum