Cool down time.

[NCGrimbo]

(I wasn't sure if this was a competition question or a Q-Talk, so I put it here.)

After a competition, how long do you have from turn in to leaving the grounds and have you ever had to load a still hot smoker into your trailer?

[jbrink01]

That's up to you. We kill the pellet pit at 1:30 and are ready to roll as soon as awards are over. On the old offset, we let the fire die down, rake out the coals around 4, wash up, go to awards, and then leave. Still hot, but nothing burning.

[Sawdustguy]

The awards ceremony is usually 2 to 3 hours after the last turn-in at 1:30. We usually finish with the cooker by noon (butts and briskets are resting in our Cambro). We usually empty whatever ash or embers are left in the smoker into our ash can and hose it down and dump it in the ash facility then clean our ash can. They usually do not let you leave until the public has left the contest grounds and you probably have until dark to vacate.

[butts a fire]

I have not had any instances where I did not have enough time for my smokers to cool before having to load them, which is normally after the awards ceremony. My normal routine is to open all the doors and everything up as soon as I am done cooking normally around 12:30 and letting the fire burn out then load up everything after the awards ceremony.

[River City Smokehouse]

That's up to you. We kill the pellet pit at 1:30 and are ready to roll as soon as awards are over. On the old offset, we let the fire die down, rake out the coals around 4, wash up, go to awards, and then leave. Still hot, but nothing burning.
Same here. Turn it off and go home. When I use the stick burner, I always time it to let it burn out by the time awards is over. It is usually about out. I just just it up and roll.

[KC_Bobby]

With the Backwoods, I can have my smoker back down to air temp in 20 minutes - dump the coals, open the doors and drain the water.

Trying newly built cabinet/countertop set ups on casters (see pic, bad but you get the idea) this year to see if they save time setting up and tearing down. The drawers will screw shut for travel. We made two identical.

Pile up the dirty dishes in a cooler with hot/warm water and soap and let them a agitate on the way home so they are fairly clean/well not filthy when putting into the dishwasher.

That pretty much leaves the canopy to tear down and a few totes to pack. Hoping to have some time to sit back and relax a bit before the awards. The first year was too much chit to load.

[Roo-B-Q'N]

I have the backwoods as well and have no problems leaving right after awards. We tear down and wash all the dishes and pack up the RV. A bag of dirty laundry and two coolers are pulled out when we get home. Some stay around to shoot the chit, but you should have enough time to tear down and clean up between last turn in and awards.

Brian in so cal has loaded a hot WSM before, but he didn't like the results. :shock: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=33499