Something which has been consistent with my long cooks has been the coals dissolving and creating a fairly thick blanket of ash under the grate in the basket, which then blocks airflow later in the cook. I'm wondering, has anyone tried using the ash pan (or one of their making) and modifying it with more height (like, adding length to the "legs" between the pan and the basket), to allow more airflow as the ash drops from the basket?
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What cooker do you have??
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I'm assuming he is talking about the PBC when asking about the ash pan.Comment
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Even using an overloaded basket of Kingsford and all the ash it produces I never saw a need to get the basket higher.
The B & B doesn't produce as much ash so definitely no worries there.
I did make my own ash pan when I first bought the PBC and have not noticed a difference since I stopped using it (poor thing was wooped).
The one thing you could do is switch the vent once that "side" of the basket is burnt out, which would allow air to flow to the other side of the basket.
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I've used Spinaker's OCD method on long cooks with KBB and haven't really noticed this as a problem. I've heard that some folks do rotate their basket 180 degrees in the middle of a cook, but I haven't done that either. I DO notice that the basket definitely burns towards the vent, and the half of the basket that is closest to the vent burns out first. I do use the PBC ash pan.Comment
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I have noticed that the side closest to the vent does burn first. I do have the ash PBC ash pan. I place the basket (centered) in the barrel liberally apply lighter fluid and then light for 12-15 minutes as a rule. I do not rotate the basket and have never had a problem for a long cook using KKB. I have occasionally on long cooks have had to stir the coals and add handfuls of charcoal although.Comment
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I put longer legs on mine by using carriage bolts. Gave it a try once. Was very unimpressed. I did it because I cooked some pork butts for some friends. They provided me with some royal oak charcoal, which seemed to make a lot of ash. I also thought it would give me some more heat. More room for air more heat right? I found that it was hard to stay north of 250 degrees. I would crack the lid and run it up sometimes to 350. Within 10 to 15 minutes it would be down to 250 and dropping. Also, I was cooking something called "pork roast" from a custom butchered hog. Turns out it was sliced pork butt about 1.5 inches thick. It was pretty fatty and was really running juices. At multiple points I looked in the intake hole and there were flames dancing on the bottom of the barrel. I added 1/2 inch of height. I would be interested to know if anybody else has had this experience if they've tried this. For me it was 1/10. Would not do again.Comment
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Picture of carriage bolts on the bottomAttached FilesComment
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