Douglas Barber wrote:

> What the elevation has to do with it, as best I can guess, is first, the
> way the greater oxygen content of the denser sea level air affects the
> heat at which a bunch of coals burn.

Well, here's something else that may be in play, as well. Even if the
coals are burning to produce smoke at 250F as indicated by a thermometer,
the smoke is lower in density and thus conveys less total heat to the food,
even though the *temperature* of the smoke is the same. Maybe a
physicist can help here...