Egg cookers and coal amounts for butts

GreenDrake · 02-28-2011, 07:22 PM

Hi guys, just getting up the courage to do some long cooks on the Kamado Joe and since it is pretty much identical to the BGE, I thought I would ask you fellas about lump coal amounts.

I want to do a butt this weekend and want to trust the Kamado without being present, I have a sausage party to go to at Grampa's farm, doing 1800 lbs of sausages this year.

Can I trust that this baby will hold and take care of my shoulder without being present to check on it? No different than an all nighter I guess. I want to be able to get it on the grill in the early morning and let it ride. I know how to maintain the temp, just not sure if I stuff the coals in there and really fill it. I generally don't put a whole lot in it when doing ribs or other six hour smokes so I am not sure if I pile it up to the ring or just over the vent holes.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help.

Midnight Smoke · 02-28-2011, 07:52 PM

I have found more than enough is better than to little. I fill my Egg to the top of the Fire-ring for a 14+ hour cook. I use larger chunks on bottom and add medium and smaller on top. Wood chunks mixed in. I am not comfortable with the set and forget. I have had a few cooks that go this way, others seem to need some sort of attention during the cook.

Groundhog66 · 02-28-2011, 08:00 PM

I agree, fill it up because you can always extinguish what is not needed.

OakPit · 02-28-2011, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groundhog66

I agree, fill it up because you can always extinguish what is not needed.

My opinion as well. I don't know about the KJ, but on a BGE I have to make a single air adjustment at the 8 hour mark. In order to make a long cook successful, make sure that the initial temperature setting has stabilized for a bit longer than normal. Make that first temp setting count. When you put a butt on, expect the temp. to drop but then rebound to where you set it. Without a Stoker or Guru, I'd be around in 8-9 hours to tweak the air a bit. Fuel will not be a problem. As always, my .02

Bacon_99 · 02-28-2011, 10:00 PM

I fill to the top of the fire-box as well - and at 275 F I can usually get 18 hours easy... I find the temp stays once I get everything set - shocking how well the BGE keeps temp...

Bacon_99 · 02-28-2011, 10:01 PM

PS - I use BGE lump or Royal Oak

BigDaddyJT · 03-01-2011, 03:30 AM

I agree w/ all the above. These cookers are very efficient by design.

JT

smknhotmama · 03-01-2011, 05:26 AM

Thanks for asking....now I don't have to later

Good info as always guys thanks so much!

1_T_Scot · 03-01-2011, 06:12 AM

Yup always fill it for long cooks. I have even mounded mine slightly ove the fire ring. I can also tell I'm due for a new gasket. Check my thread. http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=101082 I'm out of town on buisness right now but when I get back Im going to put the new gasket on.

aquablue22 · 03-01-2011, 08:22 AM

Yep, I also fill it up full and layer wood chunks as i fill it up, once you get the temp set as far as air flows goes you should be able to turn your back. That's one of the things I like about the egg, you can set it up and let it run all night long, get up in the morning and it's still cruising right along.

GreenDrake · 03-01-2011, 09:15 AM

I may just give it a go, not that big a deal if it fails, just the cost of a butt I guess. I usually have my door open a little over an inch and the daisy wheel barely open and I can get it cruising right along steady for hours. then again, the fun of bbq is trial and error. I will give her a shot this saturday and post results when I get home.

02-28-2011, 07:22 PM	#1
GreenDrake is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-21-10 Location: Hayden, Idaho Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Egg cookers and coal amounts for butts Hi guys, just getting up the courage to do some long cooks on the Kamado Joe and since it is pretty much identical to the BGE, I thought I would ask you fellas about lump coal amounts. I want to do a butt this weekend and want to trust the Kamado without being present, I have a sausage party to go to at Grampa's farm, doing 1800 lbs of sausages this year. Can I trust that this baby will hold and take care of my shoulder without being present to check on it? No different than an all nighter I guess. I want to be able to get it on the grill in the early morning and let it ride. I know how to maintain the temp, just not sure if I stuff the coals in there and really fill it. I generally don't put a whole lot in it when doing ribs or other six hour smokes so I am not sure if I pile it up to the ring or just over the vent holes. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help. __________________ PNWBA - Hayden, Idaho http://www.facebook.com/BC2BBQ

02-28-2011, 07:52 PM	#2
Midnight Smoke somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-24-08 Location: Southern Arizona Desert Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I have found more than enough is better than to little. I fill my Egg to the top of the Fire-ring for a 14+ hour cook. I use larger chunks on bottom and add medium and smaller on top. Wood chunks mixed in. I am not comfortable with the set and forget. I have had a few cooks that go this way, others seem to need some sort of attention during the cook. __________________ ************************ * Terry ~ aka Pork Smoker * XL-BGE Hatched 06/20/2008 09:42 pm ** * Couple Weber Kettles, CharGriller, UDS * * Ultra Fast Red Thermapen * Projects Kamado Restoration Bandera Restoration

02-28-2011, 08:00 PM	#3
Groundhog66 Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-20-10 Location: Livermore, CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I agree, fill it up because you can always extinguish what is not needed. __________________ Tim -

02-28-2011, 10:00 PM	#5
Bacon_99 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-18-10 Location: The world's 2nd coldest capital... Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I fill to the top of the fire-box as well - and at 275 F I can usually get 18 hours easy... I find the temp stays once I get everything set - shocking how well the BGE keeps temp... __________________ Matt - Large BGE & Broil King Gasser - Fastest ORANGE Thermapen in the Universe

02-28-2011, 10:01 PM	#6
Bacon_99 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 01-18-10 Location: The world's 2nd coldest capital... Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	PS - I use BGE lump or Royal Oak __________________ Matt - Large BGE & Broil King Gasser - Fastest ORANGE Thermapen in the Universe

03-01-2011, 03:30 AM	#7
BigDaddyJT On the road to being a farker Join Date: 12-08-10 Location: San Jose, CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I agree w/ all the above. These cookers are very efficient by design. JT

03-01-2011, 05:26 AM	#8
smknhotmama is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-02-09 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks for asking....now I don't have to later Good info as always guys thanks so much! __________________ [LEFT][SIZE=3][FONT=Palatino Linotype][COLOR=darkred][B]~Shawn~[/B][/COLOR][/FONT][/SIZE][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Palatino Linotype][COLOR=black]Super fast Super hot [COLOR=red][B]Red[/B][/COLOR] Thermapen[/COLOR][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][FONT=Palatino Linotype][COLOR=black]Super hot Super Big [COLOR=darkgreen][B]Green[/B][/COLOR] Egg: [I][B][COLOR=darkslategray]Eggamemnon[/COLOR][/B][/I] G[/COLOR][/FONT][FONT=Palatino Linotype][COLOR=black]reek for "working slowly"[/COLOR][/FONT][/LEFT] [LEFT][URL="http://drunkdaily.blogspot.com/"][FONT=Book Antiqua]http://drunkdaily.blogspot.com/[/FONT][/URL] [/LEFT] [LEFT][URL="http://magphoto-sawyer.blogspot.com/"][FONT=Book Antiqua]http://magphoto-sawyer.blogspot.com/[/FONT][/URL][/LEFT]

03-01-2011, 06:12 AM	#9
1_T_Scot is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 06-03-08 Location: Pontiac Illinois Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Yup always fill it for long cooks. I have even mounded mine slightly ove the fire ring. I can also tell I'm due for a new gasket. Check my thread. http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...d.php?t=101082 I'm out of town on buisness right now but when I get back Im going to put the new gasket on. __________________ Certified "MOINK" ball maker. Supporting Disabled Veterans. Link Removed. Diveheart .org Large Big Green Egg - Fathers Day 2009

03-01-2011, 08:22 AM	#10
aquablue22 Babbling Farker Join Date: 11-26-08 Location: Ormond Beach, Florida Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Yep, I also fill it up full and layer wood chunks as i fill it up, once you get the temp set as far as air flows goes you should be able to turn your back. That's one of the things I like about the egg, you can set it up and let it run all night long, get up in the morning and it's still cruising right along. __________________ Weber Spirit E-310 Gasser 1 - Big Green Egg - Large 2 - 22.5 Weber Kettles 2 - 18.5 Weber Kettle Magma Newport - Gasser (on the Boat) 1 - Terracotta PIG 1 Masterbuilt Modified Smokehouse [COLOR=Green]2 - Super FAST, Super ACCURATE Green Thermapen[/COLOR]1 splashproof)

03-01-2011, 09:15 AM	#11
GreenDrake is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-21-10 Location: Hayden, Idaho Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I may just give it a go, not that big a deal if it fails, just the cost of a butt I guess. I usually have my door open a little over an inch and the daisy wheel barely open and I can get it cruising right along steady for hours. then again, the fun of bbq is trial and error. I will give her a shot this saturday and post results when I get home. __________________ PNWBA - Hayden, Idaho http://www.facebook.com/BC2BBQ

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