"Duwop" > wrote in message
...
> On Mar 21, 9:10 am, Janet Wilder > wrote:
>> Duwop wrote:
>> > On Mar 21, 6:40 am, Janet Wilder > wrote:
>>
>> >> If it gets too hot, do I just take the cover off for a little while?
>>
>> > What's too hot for what you're doing in your opinion? I'd say 375,
>> > mebbe 400. I've had mine over 400 for periods when I (mis)used oak
>> > fireplace logs. I would dump heat when it got over 400, at least for
>> > periods when I was paying attention. The butts came out pretty damn
>> > well that cook too.
>>
>> >> Right now it's running at about 285° F.
>>
>> > If you can keep that you're golden. Like someone else mentioned your
>> > cooker has it's own sweet spot(s) it likes to be at.
>>
>> It did go up to a little over 300° for a bit, but seems to be hovering
>> between 250° and 285° I just checked it and added some water and a
>> little bit of charcoal, so it will have to come up to temp again.
>>
>> I figured that it wouldn't be a bad idea to add a bit more charcoal
>> while I was adding the water because it would be one less opportunity to
>> open it and mess with the temperature.
>>
>> I'm watching the remote <g>
>>
>> --
>
> I know I tended fire like a demon when I first started, what you'll
> want to take from it is how long, on average, the cooker can go on a
> single load.
>
> I'm pretty damn sure you're messing with it a lot more than you will
> after another 4 cooks or so.
>
> It's a new toy after all, gotta play with it some.
>
>

Indeed. After untold years of fire tending, I just light the fire, wait for
the smoke to turn that lovely Chevy exhaust blue and start drinking.

It gets so easy after a while, you forget about thermometers on the cooker
and worry more about thermometers in the beer cooler.

TFM®