"Robyn" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> In news:IZJEc.952924$oR5.225709@pd7tw3no,
> Dirty Harry > typed:
> > "Robyn" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >> Hi,
> >> So one of the next shows I see is "Good Eats" and Alton built
> >> that amazing looking ceramic smoker. Sounds good to me, so I made
> >> one. This time I tried country style ribs. No good. The temp in the
> >> smoker initially went up to about 220, but after the meat went on I
> >> couldn't get it any higher than about 170 or so. And we're in the
> >> middle of a scorcher of a heatwave, it was 120 degrees in there even
> >> without the burner...
> >
> > If it gets windy I just toss an old towel over the top of the pots,
> > my pot smoker has gone up to 275F, and do u have the hole in the top
> > pluged? A lot of heat can escape through there. Did u have the
> > burner on max the whole time? I drilled a bunch of 1/2 holes around
> > the edge and in the middle of my pie plate to help the heat rise up
> > past the plate...
>
> That's a good idea, drilling holes in the pie plate, maybe I'll try
> that. There's just no reason why that blasted thing shouldn't have come
> up to temperature. I was using a 1000 watt burner on max, maybe that
> wasn't enough? I had the thermometer in the top hole, so I don't think I
> lost too much heat there, but it *was* a little windy, maybe that
> contributed. Maybe I'll fool around with it more over the weekend.
> Thanks!!
>
> Robyn
> --
> To avoid grizzlies, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game advises hikers
> to wear noisy little bells on clothes and carry pepper spray. Also watch
> for signs of activity: Black bear scat is smaller and contains berries;
> grizzly scat has little bells in it and smells like pepper.
>
Yea 1000W on max should do the trick...I found the wind makes a huge
difference. When I fired it up in my basement it got nice and hot, nice and
fast. Outdoors in the breeze was a different story, could only maintain
about 225F max, with the towel it gets over 250 outside...I use an oven
thermometer placed on the grill, when I need to check the temp I just use a
flashlight and look in the top hole...