Cook chamber reduction
 

Yesterday during my cook I tried something new. I used my firebox grill grate and covered it with HD foil and made a 3" dia. hole in the far side if the grate (away from the firebox). I slid this in right above my briskets and pork butt. I was thinking that by reducing the size of the cook chamber I would have to use less fuel to keep the sucker up to temp.

It didn't seem any different. I'm thinking the reduction in draft was just enough that I hade a trade off. If the draft was the same as an open chamber, I would have acheived the same temp. (theoritically)

Long story short. The temp spikes and valleys were less with the smaller cook box. It took me significantly less time to get the chamber temp up prior to the cook. However, I think I got alot more of the "nasty's" or volatiles hanging around in the cook box longer than normal, as evidenced by the huge amount of residual smoke schmag. The stuff didn't make the meat taste bad at all, in fact didn't even get on the meat but it was a mess. (I guess it coulda been charred grease?)

All told I went through 2.5 bags of RO lump and two bags of Hickory chunks during a 14 hour cook using the minion method, with the 15th hour being at a temp of about 280 for a quick chickie cook. Too me that seems like waaaaay to much fuel. I would say my fire management skills are pretty good and I just can't figure this one out. What do you guy's think? Is this alot of fuel for that long of a cook?

BBQ Anonymous.

"Hello, my name is Pimp and my cooker is a fuel hog. "
"Hello Pimp."
"It all started when I bought this BSKD............................"

:mrgreen:
Thoughts guys????

Nothin wrong with a little experimenting. I still got a semi over the onion/garlic in the coals trick. Cant wait to try that. Cant help you with fuel consumption. Does sound a little high though. I start with Kingford then go wood. Never paid attention to how much I burn, Im still a rookie and manily concentrate on keeping my temp right.

Keep smokin Pimp!

What ya did we call the "heat shield". Theres some info on it in the Bandera 101 document on our homepage.. and probably thje roadmaps. But if you do a quick search, look for some old thread from 2004 that will have all the experimenting data in them.

Royal oak i get is in 20 lb bags.. are u saying u went thru 50lbs of fuel? :eek:

Thats ALOT!! For a bandera or bskd I would say half that should be the highend for 14 hours.

I always use a heat sheild, especially late into the cook when the ribs, fatties, and all else butt a butt or brisket is left.

I save a ton of fuel using it.

Maybe you cut off the circulation too much Pimp. But keep trying using it, it really works.

I miss Big Al.

Sounds like a lot of fuel - For a 12 to 14 hour cook, I'm right around 20#'s of old Kingsford using a Spicewine built coal basket for the Bandera. I've used the heat shield and find that it helps with temp control and fuel usage.

Actually it would be about 45 lbs of RO lump :shock: and then the hickory chunks, the ones at the evil empire. I think they are 30 lb bags. For a grand total of............wait for it........ 75 FARKIN LBS OF FUEL.:shock::shock::shock::shock: Now it was around 30 degrees out and the wind was blowin a good clip but....:mad:

I need to do some work if 25 lbs of RO lump should make it 14 hours....somethins wrong, at least that seems like a small amount of fuel in my cooker. All I can think of is a major negative draft problem.

Gonna go move my cooker....(grumble,swear)

K....my dumba** just looked and realize I have 10 lb bags of RO lump.

So it would only be like 55 lbs...like thats any better.

I think we're comparing apples and oranges. Briket's will burn a lot longer than lump, but you're still burning an awfull lot of fuel.

Good point in clarifying the burn-time between lump and briquets.