Do you guys ever have a bad cook? I did last night.
Context:
I have a Klose 20x48 with a 1/2" plate fire box. I usually light a chimney full of limp, then put it in the firebox with two sticks on top. I leave the firebox open until the fire is burning cleanly, then I close it and add another stick. I let the pit come up to temp (~250). Then I maintain the fire by pre-heating sticks and adding them at ~45 minute intervals.
Last night I had invited some friends over and had planned to cook chicken thighs for them.
I lit my pit as described above. Within one hour, the pit was at 275. I put my thighs on the pit and then I noticed that my coals were almost gone. I added another pre-heated another stick (#1). in a bit, my temp had dropped to 225. I pre-heated and added another stick (#2). My temp continued to drop to 200. I noticed that the new sticks were nearly gone in about 30 min. I pre-heated and added another stick (#3). My temp held 200.
I had planned on a 1 1/2 - 2 hour cook. At 2 hours, my thighs registered 135#. I added more wood. The firebox was nearly empty. At 2 1/2 hours I pulled the thighs and was getting 165 - 170 temps on all of them. They came out fine, but took an hour longer than I planned.
Story:
I was using hickory that I bought at Academy. My suspicion is that the wood was over-dried and it was burning more quickly than I am accustomed to. I expected two sticks plus two additional sticks after the initial light to get me through. I ended up using 8 total.
Has anyone experienced this? Do you think I am right?
David
Swine Spectator
Context:
I have a Klose 20x48 with a 1/2" plate fire box. I usually light a chimney full of limp, then put it in the firebox with two sticks on top. I leave the firebox open until the fire is burning cleanly, then I close it and add another stick. I let the pit come up to temp (~250). Then I maintain the fire by pre-heating sticks and adding them at ~45 minute intervals.
Last night I had invited some friends over and had planned to cook chicken thighs for them.
I lit my pit as described above. Within one hour, the pit was at 275. I put my thighs on the pit and then I noticed that my coals were almost gone. I added another pre-heated another stick (#1). in a bit, my temp had dropped to 225. I pre-heated and added another stick (#2). My temp continued to drop to 200. I noticed that the new sticks were nearly gone in about 30 min. I pre-heated and added another stick (#3). My temp held 200.
I had planned on a 1 1/2 - 2 hour cook. At 2 hours, my thighs registered 135#. I added more wood. The firebox was nearly empty. At 2 1/2 hours I pulled the thighs and was getting 165 - 170 temps on all of them. They came out fine, but took an hour longer than I planned.
Story:
I was using hickory that I bought at Academy. My suspicion is that the wood was over-dried and it was burning more quickly than I am accustomed to. I expected two sticks plus two additional sticks after the initial light to get me through. I ended up using 8 total.
Has anyone experienced this? Do you think I am right?
David
Swine Spectator
