Sparx88 Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Does anyone use propane at all? I'm getting a turkey fryer and am just going to set my 1 gallon can on the base and have a galvanized "stove pipe" shroud chimney like thingy to collect and direct, the heat around the can. Adjusting the height of the burner element to taste. Has anyone done something like that and have any concerns about it? Like, does it suck?
memo Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 I use gas to cook charcoal , your idea with the pipe around the can is good , I take it a step futher and put a piece of cement board with a hole cut in it on top. the ost is about a dollar to dollar and a half per can. a 5 gal tank of gas costs me about $15. it seems to work well. I found that after the smoke quits cook it about 10 minutes more. memo
psyco_1322 Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Use torch to light woodfire....then cook charcoal.
Merlin Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Punch hole in top of can. Seal lid on can. You should be able to light the gasses coming off. Be sure lid is on good and about half way using a glove or tool shake contents to mix place back on fire until it quits smoking. Remove plug hole let cool.I use red cedar pet bed shavings. They cook down a lot but they cook faster than solid wood.
mikeee Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 Should be an easy heat source for cooking your charcoal, you still want to seal the vent hole quicklyas soon as the wood is turned to charcoal to reduce the amount of potential ash. The retort method allows the useof larger chunks of wood over the TLUD method which works best with shavings and pellets.
Arthur Posted November 22, 2015 Posted November 22, 2015 I've used propane before, it works. Put the retort in the container with the vent hole down! This means that the first smelly steam that comes off is burned by the propane and doesn't reach to the neighbours, also the off gasses from the wood charring (after drying!) burn so they help the combustion if they come out downwards. 1
Sparx88 Posted November 23, 2015 Author Posted November 23, 2015 Sounds good. I have been doing it retort in the fire method for about 2 years and produce the fastest stuff I have. With 2 30 lb tanks sitting doing nothing, thought what the heck, let's go for it. Even without the pipe, I could just turn the can on it's side and rotate when needed and shake it up a bit here and there. Same thing I already do just without burning wood to make it. I know TLUD, but I like the method of keeping the O2 out. Keeping the retort sealed off from outside air except for 2 small 3/16" holes on the lid seems to produce the best quality. imho
mikeee Posted November 26, 2015 Posted November 26, 2015 The retort method certainly provides the potential for additional trace elements to be left behindwith the lack of combustion air flow through the cooking chamber. Interesting that with something assimple as charcoal we still have not determined what makes a hot charcoal versus a poor charcoal.
Arthur Posted November 28, 2015 Posted November 28, 2015 (edited) Royal Gunpowder Mills (Waltham Abbey, England) produced charcoal for BP by the ton by the retort method because they found it made faster powder. They used a method of putting the char gasses back into the fire so that energy was not wasted.https://www.royalgunpowdermills.com/shop/Books/RGM-Historic-Reprint-SeriesE-versions available. Edited November 28, 2015 by Arthur
Merlin Posted December 20, 2015 Posted December 20, 2015 I use propane because I don't have a place to burn wood. It is easy, convenient but not cheap.
MadMat Posted December 21, 2015 Posted December 21, 2015 I live way out in the country on a farm. We burn most of our garbage; what's recyclable is recycled, the rest is burned. So I get free heat to cook my charcoal
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