I had two fires go out on me last week.

thunderbird

1st I want to say thanks for all the time people spend on this forum. I've been creeping around for a year now and have learned a ton. I had two fires go out this past week, one on 1st spatchcocked chicken and one on a brisket. I had been using Vaquero charcoal from ACE and WFoods starters. The brisket was 1/2 my fault as i probably didnt clean the egg out well enough or load enough lump to begin with. At least all cooks were saved and the brisket was the best one yet. I went out today and overpaid for OO and picked up a Looflighter. I know the starters didn't have anything to do with it but I had $$ burning a hole in my pocket. Unfortunately the Looflighter didn't meet my wild expectations but it does work, not sure I'd recommend it. Should have gone with a butane torch. The OO really blew me away. I had no idea lump could differ so much. I fired it up tonight just to cook asparagus to go along with leftover Brisket. Also cooked up some green chili Mac n' Chee.

SMITTYtheSMOKER

Not quite sure why your fires are going out, but you may have guessed it yourself if you simply didn't put enough fuel in to start with.   I have found it risky to cook slow cooks under 225 degrees as you may lose your fire and simply not know it is out until it is really too late to save.  I really like cooking with oak as well, the best flavor for the food IMO. 

Chubbs

Fire issues can only be two things- oxygen issues or fuel issues. Once you take a closer look I am sure you will figure it out

henapple

Welcome.. @thunderbird where are you?

thunderbird

henapple said:

Welcome.. @thunderbird where are you?

@henapple OKC.

2putts4par

Hey, @thunderbird  I'm in Stillwater.  Nice to see another OK egghead.

thunderbird

2putts4par said:

Hey, @thunderbird  I'm in Stillwater.  Nice to see another OK egghead.

I had a nice 4yr stint in Stillwater. It sure has grown up since I lived there.

dlk7

I use the BBQ Guru Digi Q II for my low and slows.  Never had one go out and always holds the temp within a degree or two.

SmokinTiger81

I switched to the HiQue charcoal grates in my small and large eggs, it seems to really help with airflow on lo/slo cooks.

Holepuncher

Tell us about saving the strippers.

Cullum

dlk7 said:

I use the BBQ Guru Digi Q II for my low and slows.  Never had one go out and always holds the temp within a degree or two.

Same here. Only time I have issues, is when the fuel gets too low and I just simply add more coals. I usually fill up to the top of the fire bowl with coals when I start a long cook and it will last a long time.

thunderbird

Holepuncher said:

Tell us about saving the strippers.

Its not nearly as fun as one might think. It refers to stripper oil wells/low producing oil wells.

Boring definition below for the interested; 

SAVE THE STRIPPERS!

A stripper well or marginal well is an oil or gas well that is nearing the end of its economically useful life. In the United States of America a "stripper" gas well is defined by the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission as one that produces 60,000 cubic feet (1,700 m3) or less of gas per day at its maximum flow rate; the Internal Revenue Service, for tax purposes, uses a threshold of 75,000 cubic feet (2,100 m3) per day. Oil wells are generally classified as stripper wells when they produce ten barrels per day or less for any twelve month period.