Can't keep temp on my BGE - help..!

[daytripper]

Hi there & greetings from drizzly Hertfordshire, UK. I've got a Large BGE and am trying to build up my repertoire and skillz. I have run a couple of low & slow cooks on it which have been very good (as well as pizza and a few roasts), but not without trouble. I'd love to get some advice from the pros on here and (hopefully) give something back in time...

The issue I currently have on a low & slow is that the temp shifts in ways I can't control. I'm measuring the grill temp with a probe (and meat temp too of course). I dial in what seems like a decent temp, and then leave it alone as best I can, but the grill temp does a few things over a 12-hour cook; yesterday I had the usual problems:

1. In the first 7 hours, the temp steadily & slowly declines (approx 5-10 degF /hour). It seems slow, but over a long period, that's a lot of lost heat. A very slight opening of the vents brings it up again, then a slight close to level the temp, but then it starts declining again...
2. Toward the end of the cook, the temp changed quickly & erratically despite me leaving it alone: a rise of 20 degF in 10 min, a 40 deg drop in 30 min an hour later. This was with minimal adjustment of vents.
3. Bizarrely, despite being in around 240 degF, the meat temp started dropping slightly in the last 30min of the cook (195 deg down to 194)

Was cooking on BGE charcoal, in light rain, conveggtor in place & feet up. Wrapped the meat in parchment to (successfully) break the stall at 150 degF.

The issue is that while the meat turned out brilliantly, the grill needed constant monitoring, especially at the end of the cook. I want to be in a position where I can leave it for hours at a steady temp, maybe overnight - and I'm not there yet..!

Any help gratefully received..!
marc

 

[golfpro2301]

This is one of main reasons I got rid of my BGE about month after purchasing.
some things that really help with long cooks on komodo are fan system and the BgE aftermarket cap to have more precise control than with daisy wheel

also make sure probes are accurate. Do ice bath and boil test

 

[TNJAKE]

Reach out to thirdeye he's a bge guru

 

[Winterrider]

Welcome from ND
Not sure, there maybe something in here that may help. Hope so, good luck !

Kamado Cookers

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[thirdeye]

The issue I currently have on a low & slow is that the temp shifts in ways I can't control. I'm measuring the grill temp with a probe (and meat temp too of course). I dial in what seems like a decent temp, and then leave it alone as best I can, but the grill temp does a few things over a 12-hour.

The issue is that while the meat turned out brilliantly, the grill needed constant monitoring, especially at the end of the cook. I want to be in a position where I can leave it for hours at a steady temp, maybe overnight - and I'm not there yet..!

I have one eye on a fan drive system because it might solve these issues and make long cooks easier anyway (so I can cook overnight or leave the house during the day)..

Kamado grill design has not really changed in a couple of thousand years. An Egg takes quite a while to react to changes in vent settings and it's important to manage the air intake because you basically have a chimney. Charcoal will usually burn slightly different on each cook, and can vary from brand to brand.

The usual drill when lighting is to go with more charcoal than you need for a particular cook (any unused lump can be used on the next cook) and although I don't spend a lot of time arranging the lump I do put some larger pieces toward the bottom, and a small chunk or two of wood near the bottom. I layer in some chips or flavor pellets so I get a gentle smoke for the duration of the cook. For a low and slow cook I light one spot in the center of the lump, and have the lower vent open about two-fingers wide, and the top slider partially open. It's important to catch your target temp on the way up, so if I want to catch 250°, I'll start closing down vents around 200° hoping to sneak up on 250°. Sometimes it's hard to get your desired temp exactly, so if the Egg wants to run at 240°, or 260° let it. You will go crazy chasing 5° up or down. Over the next 8, 10, 15 hours the single spot grows and as it grows it finds some pellets, or a small chunk of wood. (I don't like using the 3" X 3" chunks, I spit them down. Click the photo's to enlarge.



Now for some tips that might solve your temperature swings:
1. Make sure the opening in your firebox is aligned with the lower vent. (see photo above). Even a slight skew can cause draft problems. At some point fine ash will collect between the firebox and the wall of the base (the yellow arrows) This needs to be cleaned out, and you can make a small version of the ash tool to reach that area, or take the firebox out once or twice a year. I made this from some banding material. It's flexible enough to get into that narrow area and scoop out ash.

2. Look at your cast iron charcoal grate. The holes have a chamfer (bevel) on one side. The bevel needs to be on the underneath side, which is the ash clean-out side NOT on the charcoal side. If the bevel is on the charcoal side, the holes can get blocked with ash easier.

3. Build a 'wiggle rod'. This simple tool lets you clear ash and improve airflow during a cook. I will wiggle my lump after a couple of hours, trying to enter through 3 or 4 holes. You should see a little fresh smoke exit the top vent. Anytime my fire seems sluggish, I'll wiggle the lump. And on an overnight cook I'll wiggle the lump before taking a nap.

4. A forced draft fan is certainly not needed.... but I use one on overnight cooks. Mine is 15 years old and the old analog style. It has a couple of knobs and a blinking light. The newer ones are digital, wi-fi or bluetooth, and some will create graphs or let you drive your smoker using a smart phone. I mostly use just the pit probe and when in use my fan cycles on for a few seconds. They control the fire very well.

Give some of these tips a try and report back.

 

[daytripper]

Fantastic stuff, thanks..!

 

[Cajun Smokes]

Kamado grill design has not really changed in a couple of thousand years. An Egg takes quite a while to react to changes in vent settings and it's important to manage the air intake because you basically have a chimney. Charcoal will usually burn slightly different on each cook, and can vary from brand to brand.

The usual drill when lighting is to go with more charcoal than you need for a particular cook (any unused lump can be used on the next cook) and although I don't spend a lot of time arranging the lump I do put some larger pieces toward the bottom, and a small chunk or two of wood near the bottom. I layer in some chips or flavor pellets so I get a gentle smoke for the duration of the cook. For a low and slow cook I light one spot in the center of the lump, and have the lower vent open about two-fingers wide, and the top slider partially open. It's important to catch your target temp on the way up, so if I want to catch 250°, I'll start closing down vents around 200° hoping to sneak up on 250°. Sometimes it's hard to get your desired temp exactly, so if the Egg wants to run at 240°, or 260° let it. You will go crazy chasing 5° up or down. Over the next 8, 10, 15 hours the single spot grows and as it grows it finds some pellets, or a small chunk of wood. (I don't like using the 3" X 3" chunks, I spit them down. Click the photo's to enlarge.
View attachment 520837
View attachment 520838

Now for some tips that might solve your temperature swings:
1. Make sure the opening in your firebox is aligned with the lower vent. (see photo above). Even a slight skew can cause draft problems. At some point fine ash will collect between the firebox and the wall of the base (the yellow arrows) This needs to be cleaned out, and you can make a small version of the ash tool to reach that area, or take the firebox out once or twice a year. I made this from some banding material. It's flexible enough to get into that narrow area and scoop out ash.
View attachment 520839
2. Look at your cast iron charcoal grate. The holes have a chamfer (bevel) on one side. The bevel needs to be on the underneath side, which is the ash clean-out side NOT on the charcoal side. If the bevel is on the charcoal side, the holes can get blocked with ash easier.
View attachment 520840
3. Build a 'wiggle rod'. This simple tool lets you clear ash and improve airflow during a cook. I will wiggle my lump after a couple of hours, trying to enter through 3 or 4 holes. You should see a little fresh smoke exit the top vent. Anytime my fire seems sluggish, I'll wiggle the lump. And on an overnight cook I'll wiggle the lump before taking a nap.
View attachment 520841
4. A forced draft fan is certainly not needed.... but I use one on overnight cooks. Mine is 15 years old and the old analog style. It has a couple of knobs and a blinking light. The newer ones are digital, wi-fi or bluetooth, and some will create graphs or let you drive your smoker using a smart phone. I mostly use just the pit probe and when in use my fan cycles on for a few seconds. They control the fire very well.

Give some of these tips a try and report back.

I don't have one of these but your tutorial is fantastic, very informative.

 

[thirdeye]

Fantastic stuff, thanks..!

I don't have one of these but your tutorial is fantastic, very informative.

Thanks guys. The early ceramic cookers like Big Green Eggs and Primos had what some describe as a cult following, but the deign has been around for 2000 years or more. Modern materials and basic accessories made them popular again. Before the turn of the century.... the 20th century that is , there were no instruction videos or CD's, just an owners manual and cookbook. So owners had to rely on word of mouth or written descriptions on the early ceramic grill forums. The BGE dealers organized 'Eggfests' where users would assemble and volunteered to cook on demo Eggs that were then offered for sale at a discount. The Eggtoberfest in Atanta is the largest Eggfest.

 

[phatbac]

Excellent and informative. love it! I have been Using my BGE for a few months and I love to learn new things about how to use it better...thanks!

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

 

[Mark_F]

To maintain temperature in my Kamado Joe I use something similar to this: The controller monitors the temperature of the Joe and the meat and adjusts the fan speed based on the temp and how fast the temp is changing. I do a whole chicken low and slow on a beer can chicken "throne" and I can let it run for 8 hours without having to monitor things once I get the top vent set. Typically I have the top vent barely open and the fan can force enough air into the Joe to keep the coals burning and the temp steady. I find it is the best way to control the temperature in your Joe. They do make these devices for other BBQs as well.