Wind Worries

[KenC52]

Finally stopped raining and warmed up so I decided to try my new Bandera cooker again. Loaded up 3 links of sausage, beef short ribs, and a beef chuck roast. Had a lot of trouble getting the temperature up. After 2 hours and two full chimney's of charcoal and several large chunks of almond wood the temp was still 117! I had tried opening the fire box door from a couple of inches to half way open. Nothing helped. Then as I was watching it I saw flames licking out of the opening for the door. Realized that the wind was blowing down the chimney and out the fire box door, at least to some degree. So I removed the flat metal cover from the chimney and put a 1 gallon metal can over the stack as a wind protection. I had cut halfway around the bottom of the can and folded the "flap" back as an additional wind break. It worked! Within half an hour I was over 200 degrees and have held between 225 and 255 for the past hour. The bad news is that I was so distracted by the temp I left the sausages on too long and they were SERIOUSLY over cooked! Good news is that the short ribs and roast are moving along well. I'll post photos when they are done.

 

[Pig_Farmer]

Way to think outside the (fire) box. Great recovery. Standing by for pics.

 

[Smoking Piney]

Improvise, adapt, overcome! :thumb:

 

[BillN]

You did good, chop up the sausage up and put it into some beans.

 

[KenC52]

Excellent idea Bill! Love a good pot of beans and this sausage would be a great seasoning. Thanks.

 

[KenC52]

Finished Results

OK here is the chuck roast. It had great flavor and very tender, but dry. Now I know why my mother always added a can of stock or soup mix to the slow cooker when she made a roast. Next time when I wrap it (at 160 degrees) I will put it in a disposable pan with a flavorful liquid of some kind and finish it as a braise. Still it will make some fine roast beef sandwiches today!

 

[Melt In The Sun]

That looks perhaps undercooked? Would it pull, or did you have to slice it?

 

[brochip1]

Good thinking.

 

[BillN]

Yup panning and covering with foil once the chuck gets smoke and color and adding liquid to braise is the way to go.

 

[Sid Post]

...Then as I was watching it I saw flames licking out of the opening for the door. Realized that the wind was blowing down the chimney and out the fire box door, at least to some degree.

Wind yesterday was really bad for me. This evening is pretty bad too!