High Elevation cooking

[Jeff_in_KC]

Howdy... been away a lot recently... anyway, I'm in Colorado and going to visit my brother. He just purchased a BSKD yesterday and is seasoning it today. We're gonna do some ribs, fatties and a small brisket tomorrow for lesson one. My question is this... he is at 7,000 feet elevation. How is that going to effect the cook/ pit temps, etc.? I've never done this at such a high elevation. What should I expect different than smoking in KC? Thanks!

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Find a post by Big Al and send him an email.

 

[BigAl]

Jeff, I responde to ur email but your email rejected me :shock: because I'm not in your address book

 

[MrG'sTeam]

I'd help out but I've never smoked a lower elevations. My house is at 6100 ft.

 

[kcquer]

Jeff, I responde to ur email but your email rejected me because I'm not in your address book

Al, he'll pick it out of his spam folder next time he logs on since he knows to look. I'm sure he appreciates your efforts.

 

[BigBelly]

Aye, the higher elevation will have an impact on your cooking temps.

Here in Elizabeth Colorado we are at 6,500 and my Dera is eating fuel like it is going out of style. You have to keep the lid slightly ajar (little rock under the lid mod) and the intake vents WIDE open! Not the the Bandera ever had good air flow. There are no trees around here so the wind is never a problem. It is like a vortex around this house!

But I have found that I go through almost double the charcoal/lump/wood then I did when I was back in MD at sea level. Get a rock under the firebox lid or keep the door slightly open and you'll be fine.

 

[Jeff_in_KC]

Hey all... thanks for the advice. BigBelly, I just realized I was in your town yesterday. My wife, daughter and I took Highway 86 east from my brother's and his wife's home in Castle Rock and met up with I-70 out by Limon! If I would have known, I would have hollered at ya! Neat looking little town Elizabeth is (Yoda mod).

Actually, we didn't have much trouble holding temps in our cook Sunday. No little rock needed. We kept the dampers open on the fire box all the way for the most part except when temps spiked and we got about two hours on a load of Kingsford. I brought a 1 cuft bag of hickory splits from Missouri with me as all he said he could find was chips. (Any idea where he can get hickory, etc. in your area, BigBelly?).

The ribs and brisket both turned out a lot better than I expected, just from not knowing what I was up against. My brother spent a lot of time on monday eating leftover ribs cold out of the fridge! We had some of his neighbors over and they loved the dinner also!

One day my brother, who registered here at the site will actually quit being shy and introduce himself. I don't even know what name he chose here! His real name is Marc so we'll see... (hint, hint, bro)

 

[BigAl]

He can get Hickory in Franktown, east of Castle Rock on the Nort East corner of 86 and Parker Road. He will have "Wood Shock" at the price, but if he cooks with Kingsford coals and chuncks the Hickory for flavor, he will be better off that using Hickory packaged "chips".

 

[Jeff_in_KC]

I think I saw that place on our way out, Al... I remember seeing chit-loads of firewood stacked up at the four way (or stop light). For some reason, I only pictured the place as a fireplace / campfire wood place. didn't even dawn on me that they'd sell wood for smokers! I'll tell my brother about it and thanks, Al!

 

[BigAl]

He sells by the arm load or cord and a cord was $480.00, 3 years ago + delivery.

 

[Jeff_in_KC]

Holy crap! Wood is high in Colorado! No wonder my bro bought a home with a gas fireplace! You can get a cord in Missouri for less than $200!

 

[BigAl]

Yep, NO good native smoking wood here, just PINE. They truck it in on 18 wheelers, no telling what it cost now due to increased fuel prices.

 

[Jeff_in_KC]

Re: RE: High Elevation cooking

Holy crap! Wood is high in Colorado! No wonder my bro bought a home with a gas fireplace! You can get a cord in Missouri for less than $200!

A buddy of mine from KC that moved to Denver several years ago said that's why there aren't any really good Q joints in Colorado... the fact that shipping in good wood would be cost prohibitive.