Just received my Durango today ... 2 days earlier than expected, I might add! Yeah. So I'm doing my initial burn-off, as well as trying to learn to manage the fire. I started with a decent size bed of lump charcoal, and got it up to temperature, and then added a warmed oak stick. After 30 minutes or so, the temperature was a bit lower than I wanted (around 220º), so I added another warmed oak stick. After a bit, I noticed that the smoke was thick and intense, so I checked the fire, and sure enough the sticks were smoldering, and my bed of coals had burned off and fallen through the grate.
I moved the sticks, and added a bunch more coals, and replaced the sticks, leaving the firebox door and chimney wide open, so that the coals ignited and got the where I wanted them, and the temperature rocketed it up to about 450º. I then closed the door and the dampers to about have way, and the temp came back down to around 300º on both sides. Yeah!
How often will I have to change or add to the bed of coals? That was really unexpected, as I thought that would last hours. I expect to have to add a new warmed stick every hour +/-, but didn't think I'd have to fool with the coals.
Suggestions welcomed.
I moved the sticks, and added a bunch more coals, and replaced the sticks, leaving the firebox door and chimney wide open, so that the coals ignited and got the where I wanted them, and the temperature rocketed it up to about 450º. I then closed the door and the dampers to about have way, and the temp came back down to around 300º on both sides. Yeah!
How often will I have to change or add to the bed of coals? That was really unexpected, as I thought that would last hours. I expect to have to add a new warmed stick every hour +/-, but didn't think I'd have to fool with the coals.
Suggestions welcomed.
Comment