Burning 1/4 Cord of wood.... how long till coals?

DirtyDirty00 · 09-09-2011, 10:41 AM

Im burning 1/4 cord of wood tonight. Im not sure all at once or i might put half and then lets that burn down a bit before throwing more wood on (i dont want the flames to be too high to avoid the fire department!)

anyone have any idea on how long this will take until it has burned down to coals?

cliffcarter · 09-09-2011, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyDirty00

Im burning 1/4 cord of wood tonight. Im not sure all at once or i might put half and then lets that burn down a bit before throwing more wood on (i dont want the flames to be too high to avoid the fire department!)

anyone have any idea on how long this will take until it has burned down to coals?

Why are you burning that much wood?

cameraman · 09-09-2011, 12:13 PM

he's probably making charcoal

Groundhog66 · 09-09-2011, 12:26 PM

Impossible to guess, with the lack info given. What kind of wood? What type of vessel are you burning it in? Seasoned or green? Rounds or splits?

cowgirl · 09-09-2011, 01:31 PM

Plan on three to four hours to get a bed of hot coals deep enough for the pig.

just keep throwing the wood in until the hot coals are at least a foot deep

Good luck with it Rich. The first one is the hardest, not knowing what to expect. They get easier!

mmmmeat · 09-09-2011, 01:36 PM

Dah DAH DDUUHHH Cowgirl to the rescue!!!, how deep is that hole?? 4ft?

cowgirl · 09-09-2011, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmmeat

Dah DAH DDUUHHH Cowgirl to the rescue!!!, how deep is that hole?? 4ft?

lol Thanks! Yep this one was 4ft.. It takes a foot of hot coals, room for the hog and another foot or so of head space. It's worth the work though.

expatpig · 09-09-2011, 01:43 PM

She's got to be a mind reader! BTW, how long is a piece of string?

mmmmeat · 09-09-2011, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowgirl

lol Thanks! Yep this one was 4ft.. It takes a foot of hot coals, room for the hog and another foot or so of head space. It's worth the work though.

what's your normal cover? to you have a constant peice of something that you always cover with? i.e. a peice of sheet metal or plywood or the like?

sorry bout the lil hijack Rich. Pit Pig is somethin i've wanted to do for a while and may get my chance at christmastime!

cowgirl · 09-09-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by expatpig

She's got to be a mind reader! BTW, how long is a piece of string?

lol it's exactly long enough.

cowgirl · 09-09-2011, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmmmeat

what's your normal cover? to you have a constant peice of something that you always cover with? i.e. a peice of sheet metal or plywood or the like?

sorry bout the lil hijack Rich. Pit Pig is somethin i've wanted to do for a while and may get my chance at christmastime!

I have a sheet of metal that I use over and over. The pit is too hot for a wood cover.

Good luck with it... hope the ground isn't too hard to dig in December, you might want to dig your pit before cold weather sets in. :)

Never mind... your ground probably doesn't freeze as hard as here! :)

mmmmeat · 09-09-2011, 01:53 PM

shoot, our ground doesnt freeze, would have to get cold for that ;) i just gotta deal with the stinkin clay!!

DirtyDirty00 · 09-09-2011, 07:07 PM

Thanks everyone.

Yes cowgirl. Tonight is the night. Gonna start Burning the wood soon!

Big problem tho. My hole was 3 ft deep. With all this rain the water level has risen and I got about a foot of water in the hole. I bucketed the water out but no avail. Hour later its full again.

Well I'm gonna try and make do! I'll load it with rocks and fill the bottom with soil just above the water level. Then ill burn the wood and bury it. It will barely be below ground. Maybe 6 inches. Then we will dig a hole next to the pig and mound the dirt on the pit

scm1226 · 09-09-2011, 07:57 PM

How Long is a Chinaman

Cook · 09-09-2011, 08:41 PM

You can burn in a 55 gallon drum and use the coals as they come w/o having to wait for the entire pile of wood to burn up.

At the bottom of the drum cut out a "hole" large enough to get a flat shovel through (give it 2-4" extra width so you can move the shovel around inside). The height of the hole can be in the 8" range. About 6-12" above the shovel hole drill holes in the drum to allow rebar to be slid through...forming a grate. Keep the rebar about 3-5" apart. I can't tell you exactly how far apart to keep it as I haven't seen or used a drum in a while now. You want the gap large enough to allow your burnt coals to fall through. Fill the drum with wood and light it up. The coals will fall to the bottom and you can just scoop them out with your flat shovel.

That's the method I was raised on. Works like a dream and you can take the drum with you if the cooking is to be done away from home...quite typical where I am from.

09-09-2011, 10:41 AM	#1
DirtyDirty00 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-13-11 Location: Mamaroneck, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Burning 1/4 Cord of wood.... how long till coals? Im burning 1/4 cord of wood tonight. Im not sure all at once or i might put half and then lets that burn down a bit before throwing more wood on (i dont want the flames to be too high to avoid the fire department!) anyone have any idea on how long this will take until it has burned down to coals? __________________ Smokers: 20x48 Pits by JJ Cinder block smoker Wishlist: 22.5" WSM

09-09-2011, 12:13 PM	#3
cameraman is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-30-09 Location: Nashville, TN Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	he's probably making charcoal __________________ Dave Photography is my passion, truth my obsession. No wait, Stieglitz said that. 22.5 WSM 22.5 OTS Weber kettle Smokey Joe (RIP) a dorky little headlamp.

09-09-2011, 12:26 PM	#4
Groundhog66 Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-20-10 Location: Livermore, CA Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Impossible to guess, with the lack info given. What kind of wood? What type of vessel are you burning it in? Seasoned or green? Rounds or splits? __________________ Tim -

09-09-2011, 01:31 PM	#5
cowgirl somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-18-07 Location: Oklahoma Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Plan on three to four hours to get a bed of hot coals deep enough for the pig. just keep throwing the wood in until the hot coals are at least a foot deep Good luck with it Rich. The first one is the hardest, not knowing what to expect. They get easier! __________________ jeanie sittin' by the campfire with my Brethren friends. Lifetime member of the Society for the Preservation of Authentic Royal Magical Rare Kaskaskian Peppers (Thanks Ash :)) http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/

09-09-2011, 01:36 PM	#6
mmmmeat is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-21-09 Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Dah DAH DDUUHHH Cowgirl to the rescue!!!, how deep is that hole?? 4ft? __________________ Til next time, chew carefully, and dont let your meat loaf! GRUNTER UG GROGG MY BLOG Facebookin it! Avatar created by i really wish i remember, but they got skillZ

09-09-2011, 01:43 PM	#8
expatpig is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-20-10 Location: Cochrane, On. Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	She's got to be a mind reader! BTW, how long is a piece of string? __________________ "When I was in Canada, I had a lot of time to think."- Doug Sahm [B][COLOR=red]UDS x 5[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=red][B]Weber Performer[/B][/COLOR] [B][COLOR=red]Napoleon Apollo[/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=#ff0000][B]GOSM[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=blue][B][I]CSBBQA, KCBS, NOBS(Northern Ontario Barbecue Society)Professional Barbecue Team. USAJFKCENMA.[/I][/B][/COLOR]

09-09-2011, 01:53 PM	#12
mmmmeat is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-21-09 Location: Sierra Vista, Arizona Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	shoot, our ground doesnt freeze, would have to get cold for that ;) i just gotta deal with the stinkin clay!! __________________ Til next time, chew carefully, and dont let your meat loaf! GRUNTER UG GROGG MY BLOG Facebookin it! Avatar created by i really wish i remember, but they got skillZ

09-09-2011, 07:07 PM	#13
DirtyDirty00 is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-13-11 Location: Mamaroneck, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks everyone. Yes cowgirl. Tonight is the night. Gonna start Burning the wood soon! Big problem tho. My hole was 3 ft deep. With all this rain the water level has risen and I got about a foot of water in the hole. I bucketed the water out but no avail. Hour later its full again. Well I'm gonna try and make do! I'll load it with rocks and fill the bottom with soil just above the water level. Then ill burn the wood and bury it. It will barely be below ground. Maybe 6 inches. Then we will dig a hole next to the pig and mound the dirt on the pit __________________ Smokers: 20x48 Pits by JJ Cinder block smoker Wishlist: 22.5" WSM

09-09-2011, 07:57 PM	#14
scm1226 Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 05-14-10 Location: Bay Shore, NY Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	How Long is a Chinaman __________________ SMOKIN' IRISH BBQ

09-09-2011, 08:41 PM	#15
Cook is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-23-10 Location: Mount Pleasnt, SC Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	You can burn in a 55 gallon drum and use the coals as they come w/o having to wait for the entire pile of wood to burn up. At the bottom of the drum cut out a "hole" large enough to get a flat shovel through (give it 2-4" extra width so you can move the shovel around inside). The height of the hole can be in the 8" range. About 6-12" above the shovel hole drill holes in the drum to allow rebar to be slid through...forming a grate. Keep the rebar about 3-5" apart. I can't tell you exactly how far apart to keep it as I haven't seen or used a drum in a while now. You want the gap large enough to allow your burnt coals to fall through. Fill the drum with wood and light it up. The coals will fall to the bottom and you can just scoop them out with your flat shovel. That's the method I was raised on. Works like a dream and you can take the drum with you if the cooking is to be done away from home...quite typical where I am from. __________________ "BBQ...it's just heat & meat" - Circa 5/10/11 - Quote by Cook

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