Big Green Egg Temperature Control & Vent Settings

The design of the Big Green Egg allows for perfect airflow to be able to control the temperature. The bottom vent allows you full control over the amount of air going into the Egg and through the coals. The variable “daisy wheel” on the top allows you a full range of options when controlling how much airflow goes through the chamber and escapes the Egg. All the while, the ceramic Egg is correctly radiating even heat on the grate surface where you put the food. Below, I’ve explained my system for green egg temp control at different levels for when we cook pizza, grill a steak, or smoke ribs or even cheese! What follows are tips I have developed over trial and error for regulating & controlling the Big Green Egg temperature.

Learn How to Cold Smoke Cheese on the BGE – 6 lbs. of Cheese in Less Than 2 Hours!

How much Charcoal to Use?

So how much lump charcoal should you use in the Egg? It depends on what you’re cooking! In my opinion, the Big Green Egg has three functions: 1) Grill / Cook, 2) Smoke, and 3) Bake. I use different amounts of charcoal for each of the three functions.

For Grilling and Baking, I fill the charcoal chamber to about 3/4 full to the line between the two pieces of the BGE. If I’m going to sear and grill a couple of steaks, I might put in a little more charcoal and get the Egg nice and hot. When I bake Papa Murphy’s pizza (Large Pizza works great!), I put in a little less than 3/4 full because I don’t need as much.

For smoking, it depends on the smoke and the length of the cook. If I’m going to be smoking a pork shoulder for 10+ hours, then I’ll be filling up the chamber. You will need to work on your temperature control because if you have too much lump and it gets too hot, then it’ll be hard to get the dome temperature (the temperature inside the dome at the top) down because the ceramic is now quite warm. Compared to a Weber Grill, or Weber Smokey Mountain, the Big Green Egg uses much, much less charcoal. First off you use lump charcoal, and second, when you are done using the Egg, you close up the grill, and that seals things pretty well to snuff out the coals. By doing this, you can add a few pieces of charcoal to the chamber the next time you grill.

Get 10% off your first order of FOGO!

Read my review of Fogo Charcoal.

How to Light Lump Charcoal

Here are a couple of tips for lighting charcoal in the Big Green Egg. It’s essential that you need to know where in the chamber to light the charcoal. If you are going to be cooking at a high temperature (steaks, burgers, etc.) you want to burn the charcoal in the middle because you want the hottest part in the middle. If you are using the Egg as a smoker, I recommend just starting the coals in the back half.

I like to use the Big Green Egg brand fire starters, and I put one of those in the middle of the charcoal, light it and keep the lid open for about 5 minutes. Once you can see that the charcoal has started to get a little orange fire in the firebox, then shut the lid. You will need to add the daisy wheel or Smokeware cap on top very soon, but you want to let the fire start to burn and heat the egg.

I will usually let the grill continue as-is for another 5 minutes or so. You do want to balance the coals heating up with them getting too hot. This is a skill that you will eventually master but does take time. Remember, it is always easier to increase temperature than it is to reduce. Once the egg gets hot, it is nearly impossible to get the temperature down in a short period.

Tip: When cooking at high temps beware of the back flash of heat when you open the Egg. Always “burp” the Green Egg by opening the lid an inch or two to allow it to breathe. I recommend getting a Pit Mitt because of the heat, trust me. I own a Pit Mitt for opening the egg and a pair of silicone gloves as well.

Controlling Big Green Egg Temperature

Controlling the temperature is one of the most important things you do with the Green Egg. Here’s where things can get tricky but since the airflow through the Egg is fully customizable, you’ll figure out the right system that works for you. You don’t need a fancy automated temperature controller; you need to refine your technique with the tools you already own. The best way to control the temperature in the BGE is to start slow. I also recommend giving the charcoal time to light, that’s when you know your true temperature.

Vent Settings for Temperature Control

I start with nothing on the top vent of the egg and the bottom vent wide open. We’ll control the temperature with the daisy wheel or the Smokeware stainless steel cap. I use the Smokeware cap because it gives me greater control over the heat. One of the things with the daisy wheel is that sometimes when you open the egg, you lose the settings, the wheel slide from time to time. Since you have the bottom vent wide open, you will want to make sure that the charcoal doesn’t get too hot before shutting the lid. It’s always easier to raise the temperature than it is to bring it down. Using the top vent to control the heat allows you the ability to refine and fine-tune the temperature much more easily.

Use Smokeware Cap to Control Temperature

By the way, the best accessory I’ve ever purchased for my Egg is the Smokeware cap. I find temperature control is easier with the cap than with the daisy wheel. Depending on conditions, once I get the egg close to my desired temp I can usually maintain a level temp with the daisy wheel configured like this:

Big Green Egg Tip: Looking at the picture above, position the daisy wheel, so the raised letters (Big Green Egg) are at 12 o’clock. The bottom vent slider will stay put when you open the lid because it hits the raised letters of the writing. On my first cook, I didn’t see this, and the charcoal got hot and almost burned my steaks.

Temperature Control for longer cooks

Temperature control is important for longer cooks (smokes). I will smoke a pork shoulder for 10-plus hours and it’s important that the temperature stays consistent at 225 degrees. The best way to keep the temperature consistent is to use a combination of both top and bottom vents to fine-tune the airflow coming into the egg and thereby helping keep the temperature consistent. If you want to cook a steak at 600 degrees, start with the vents wide open and adjust accordingly.

Now from here, the Big Green Egg should keep a consistent temperature. If you need to adjust the temperature slightly (25 to 50 degrees) I usually use different combinations of the daisy wheel sliders. If the temperature is getting too high on you, then you can close the bottom door. It is just science, the more air you have flowing through the egg, the bigger the fire you’ll get.

Temperature Control: Bring Heat Up Slowly

I mentioned this earlier but the best way to control the temperature in the Big Green Egg is to start slow and bring the heat up slowly. I had one smoke that ran about 350 degrees because I had gotten the Big Green Egg too hot to start. I recommend you get a laser thermometer — this helps to get the actual temperature of the grate over the plate setter. If you plan on cooking pizza on the Egg, I highly recommend getting a laser thermometer. You will need it to check the temperature of the middle of the pizza stone before putting the pizza on the grill. If the temperature is too low the center of the pizza will cook slower than the outside edges.

That’s my system for lighting and controlling the Big Green Egg temperature for the three different functions. I hope you found this tutorial helpful and if you did, please share it! Let me know in the comments if you have a different system.

Do you own a Weber grill? Check out my review of the Smokenator?

Disclosure: If there is a product that I like and it has an affiliate program, then I might link to that product using an affiliate link. By using an affiliate link, it means that I might earn a commission on a product if you buy something through that link. It doesn’t cost you anything, but I just wanted you to be aware.