Thanks Joe,
She was quite feisty yesterday, according to her grandson!
Fletch’s fuel question makes me wonder how you are doing your set up, full ignition, center minion, how much fuel and what temp? I do a cross breed of Harry Soo (smoke wood on the bottom) and Enrico Brandizzi’s “sidewinder” method.
Wood on the bottom, fill the coal ring within an inch of its very life then, set the midsection (no water bowl) open the door and use a blowtorch to start the coal at that point.
As soon as it looks like it’s cooperating, (2-5 minutes with the torch) load it up, and button it up. I don’t chase the 5 degree demon, I figure “Grog” didn’t, why should I? I let things bounce about in the twenty degree pool most often, it’s maddening to try to keep it exactly at a given “perfect” point.
I get it dialed in and let it run. A long smoke, I’ll touch it off about seven or eight PM and go to bed after the smoker settles in. About 06:00 I will look at the remote and if the grate temp is low, a couple of fireplace shovels of K Pro and go back to bed. Or make breakfast and have coffee while watching the stall pass and enjoy a quiet morning on the deck!
That got pretty long winded but, you get the idea, I’m sure.