Charity rib cook-off

[meat peeker]

I entered a rib cook-off for next weekend to benefit a local food pantry. The local backyard store supplies each team with a Big Green Egg and two racks of ribs. Here's my dilemma. I have a Lang and none of my team has Egg experience. Can anyone shed some light on heating differences and cooking times and fuel usage differences? The event is more or less for fun but I'd still like to stick the landing. :)

 

[rogerwilco]

The BGE will hold enough lump that running out of fuel will not be an issue. Control the cooker temperature with the (mostly) bottom vent: it is surprising how small an opening will give a good smoking temp, less than 1/4 inch. Be careful in the placement of smoking-wood as the way these cookers operate is by having a small amount of a large quantity of lump burning at any one time: make sure the smoking-wood is in the path of combustion.

 

[GaryHibbert]

Just in case this thought hadn't crossed your mind, you could end up getting a real deal on a Big Green Egg.  After the cookoff, all these BGEs will be "used" and just could go on sale at a screaming price.

Gary

 

[meat peeker]

The BGE will hold enough lump that running out of fuel will not be an issue. Control the cooker temperature with the (mostly) bottom vent: it is surprising how small an opening will give a good smoking temp, less than 1/4 inch. Be careful in the placement of smoking-wood as the way these cookers operate is by having a small amount of a large quantity of lump burning at any one time: make sure the smoking-wood is in the path of combustion.

So this is a load it up at the beginning and don't add throughout the smoke type system? Chunks or chips recommended? Start lump in a chimney?

 

[meat peeker]

Just in case this thought hadn't crossed your mind, you could end up getting a real deal on a Big Green Egg.  After the cookoff, all these BGEs will be "used" and just could go on sale at a screaming price.

Gary

It's have heard rumors that the winner gets a BGE. Any experience smoking on one? Do I want one? Lol.

 

[rogerwilco]

So this is a load it up at the beginning and don't add throughout the smoke type system? Chunks or chips recommended? Start lump in a chimney?

Correct on the loading. I always use chunks of wood when engaged is a lengthy cook; they last longer.

Lump can be started in a chimney but we normally just use a propane torch (or a Looftlighter) because we only want to ignite a small amount of the lump, in the beginning. As the cooker comes up to temp, the spread of the fire will even out to whatever is allowed by the available oxygen, based on how much you have opened the vents. Starting out with a hot chimney full of lump would be way too much for most smoking sessions.