Mickey T's rings

Unknown · September 2002

I have been reading with interest the posts on these rings. The interesting thing to me is that his 'invention' seems to go against the conventional wisdom. Everything that I have read up until Mickey T's is that the 'big tuning' of temps is with the bottom vent and the 'fine tuning' is with the top vent (I have a daisy wheel). I've always had difficulty adjusting the bottom vent as the 'final' opening for a 'low and slow' is about 1/8" or less and I never quite knew what the top vent should be set at. [p]Instead of that this last weekend I tried the opposite. I left the bottom vent about 1/2 open and as soon as the temp got near where I wanted I closed the daisy wheel down to about 1 or 2 'leaves' open. I didn't touch the bottom vent. The temp stabilized almost immediately. To increase the temp I just opened the top a little and to decrease I just closed a little. There is just no question that I had far more control than I did with the bottom vent. I was able to hold a 240-250 degree dome temp for 13 hours almost effortly. [p]The interesting thing about this is that the amount of air in equals the amount of air out no matter what. It doesn't matter where the 'valve' is, so it makes sense that a top control would work. [p]Another possible reason for the better control is that with a small bottom vent opening and a larger top opening the air is 'sucked in' with more force and velocity than with a large bottom opening and a small top opening. The large bottom opening allows a softer entry of air to the coals providing more consistency and control.[p]Thanks Mickey T. Your rings gave me the idea to try something new and it worked very well.[p]EdB

Unknown · September 2002

EdB,
I too had pondered that but had gotten to trying it yet. Glad to here that the results were as good. I'll be trying it the next time I get to slow cook something.[p]Thanks for the information
Matt.

Mickey T's rings

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