Advice for windy conditions?


 
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Rob O

TVWBB Pro
Hi, This is my first cook during windy conditions and I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice for evenening out my temperature. I'm having difficulty reacing/maintaining my target coooking temperature.

Air temperature is 71degrees w/51% humidity but I have periodic 20 to 25 mphwind gusts. My target temperature is 225 to 250 and under normal circumstances my WSM maitains this pretty easily.

I used a chimney full of kingsford then letthe temp drop to about 325 by keeping the lid and bottom vents closed.

I Opened the lid vent and the temp droped to 250 in about 25 minutes. I put on a 4lb chicken and a 4lb rolled turkey breast and fed in some cherry chukns.

The temp. dropped to 180 in about 15 minutes (!) I opened the bottomm vents 33% and 30 minutes later the best I could manage was 200.

Now I'm cooking at a steady 220 with all vents open 100%.

My target cooking temp is 225 - 250. What should I do? Add more fuel?
 
Did you make a wind break? Using trash cans, carboard, plywood - anything like that? That should make your cook a little more consistent, then gauge the temp issue.

~ Sean
 
Yep did that about a half hour ago. Just went out and checked temperature's up to about 230. Guess I'll be ok.

Now I'm wondering about when to close the bottom vents & whether to refuel. This is a first for me. All summer I've been looking for ways to cool it down.
 
In the absence of a windbreak, you can try managing the cooker temp by using a single, downwind bottom vent, and close the other two altogether. (Think one 100% open vent equals three 33% open vents.) I'm doing so with some spares right now.
 
Hmmm. Wind should make your temps higher...! Sounds like your problem is the opposite.

Are you using the minion method (pouring lit coals on top of unlit ones, which will light as they go), or was your only fuel the full chimney of lit stuff? If so...I'd say you're running out of fuel!
 
Thanks all. Seems to be back under control.

Doug D. guess Frances must be making this a real interesting cook for you today. Good luck.

Thanks again.
 
Wind will accelerate fuel consumption, but will also-- as they say-- "suck the heat right out of the cooker".

Pretty normal Sunday here, Rob. As of 3:15pm CDT, Frances is centered over Orlando, about 550 miles from here.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

 

Back
Top