On Thu, 22 Mar 2012 03:19:52 -0700, "Kent" >
wrote:



>>
>> A pound of propane is 22,000 Btu. A KW of electric produces 3412 Btu
>> It takes 6.4 KW to produce 22,0000 at our local rate of 17¢ that is
>> $1.08.
>>
>> If you are using a full tank to do a big brisket or pork shoulder,
>> something is wrong or it is below freezing. I can do briskets at
>> least 2 to 3 times on a tank.
>>
>>
>In CA a 20lb tank of propane costs $20. You're spending 6 to 10 dollars per
>brisket. That's 1/3 to 1/2 of the cost of the whole brisket to cook, a far
>greater fraction of the total cost that should be just cooking energy. It's
>more severe than gasoline in Italy at $8.5/gal. Have you looked at natural
>gas? I think charcoal may be slightly cheaper, though in CA it's over
>$.50/lb if you don't buy it on sale.
>

I do two or three briskets at a time for the same fuel cost. Actually
less as I"m able to buy a tank at about $14.

It would cost me about $20,000 to have natural gas brought in so no,
I'm not considering it. Would be cheaper to run though.

Worse than the price of gas in Italy is the airfare to get thee. Up
about $400 from what I paid last October. Diesel was $7.40 then.