Dutch Oven Tips for Cooking in the Wind

Cooking in the Wind: Tips and Tricks from a Seasoned Pitmaster

As pitmasters, we've all been there - standing outside our cookers on a breezy day, wondering if it's worth the effort to fire up the smoker. But with the right techniques and equipment, cooking in the wind can be a game-changer. In this article, we'll explore some tips and tricks from a seasoned pitmaster who's spent years perfecting his craft.

When it comes to setting up your cooker, distance is key. "You don't want it right under there today," says our pitmaster, gesturing to the Dutch oven below. "Pull them coals pretty good distance from that Dutch oven away from it all the way we want a good round circle." This ensures even heat distribution and prevents hotspots that can burn your food. And remember, in windy conditions like this one, you'll want to pull those coals about 25 feet away to give yourself plenty of space.

But how do you maintain consistency when the wind is blowing? Our pitmaster recommends rotating the coals every minute or so to ensure even heat distribution. "You're going to have to rotate this top one way bottom the other because we have such a heat fluctuation everywhere around it with this wind blowing." This means being vigilant and adjusting your technique on the fly to compensate for the wind.

Another crucial factor in cooking in the wind is using the right equipment. Our pitmaster swears by a tall trivet, which helps to create a heat buffer between the coals and the food. "If you're baking a potato or something like that, I'm going to be a little closer to it even in the wind," he explains. But for more delicate foods like bread or desserts, a taller trivet is essential. And remember, always check your heat regularly - with the wind blowing, things can get hot quickly.

For our pitmaster, cooking in the wind calls for a bit of extra equipment. "I've got a portable wind shield," he says, gesturing to a sheet metal cover on a nearby table. "This old plastic table is covered with sheet metal, and it's been a lifesaver on windy days." By using this makeshift wind shield, our pitmaster can create a cozy cooking space that shields his food from the elements.

But what about when you need to enclose your cooker? Our pitmaster warns against using a washtub or other container as a windbreak, as it can reflect heat back onto your food. Instead, he recommends setting up a temporary wind barrier - like a small tent or canopy - around your cooker. "It's not quite as bad," he says, "but you're still getting that reflectivity from heat back off something metal." By using this makeshift windbreak, our pitmaster can create a more controlled cooking environment that minimizes the impact of the wind.

Finally, don't underestimate the power of preparation when it comes to cooking in the wind. With a little creativity and some well-placed equipment, you can transform even the breeziest day into a perfect cooking opportunity. So next time you're tempted to stay indoors on a windy day, remember: with the right techniques and tools, you can cook up a storm - even when the winds are howling outside.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey Scarlett I really don't think we ought to cook today you know it's pretty breezy and I don't want to burn nothing oh yeah baby that's a good point Scarlett but let's nice grip right wrap what do you think frankly they're here I don't get it hands well read I don't know what to get upset about it you know but it might be windy tomorrow - and my gosh I'm starving to death I'm glad I get to go oh my gosh Scotty okay we'll cook something today I'm sorry these guys are so dramatic but stick around I'll give you some tips for cooking in the wind it's a little breezy as you can see I don't got my hairnet on but I do have my cowboy helmet on expecting a little hail tonight and a little everything else so I got my friend Mike the mouse in my pocket he will help me today maybe y'all can hear all this and not get all that wind all the conditions I've cooked in my entire life the thing that I hate to cook in the most what you're hearing good old wind down here south of Seymour Texas more it blows worse it gets you better stay tuned I'm going to show you two how to corral this win - where we can cook some can see we laid them coals around there now if it wasn't windy that'd be a pretty good place to put them but it's breezy about 25 anyway so we're going to rake them out here a pretty good distance from this Dutch oven you don't want it right under there today I promise you in the wind like this you want to make sure as you see me do pull them coals pretty good distance from that Dutch oven away from it all the way we want a good round circle ladder coals oh not nearly as heavy as what it'd be if there wasn't no wind blowing and pretty light on top when we're cooking in the wind like this we're going to rotate more often now that what Wendy I'd say maybe three to four minutes and I'd rotate the bottom one way top to other but I'm going to do this about every minute now sure you ain't got time to sit down and take a nap when you're cooking in the wind you're going to have to rotate this top one way bottom the other because we have such a heat fluctuation everywhere around it with this wind blowing we're on a tall trivet that is this one about five and a half inches not this short one now we got bread in here but if you're cooking dessert pies cakes brownies something like that we would be on this tall treat it and then cold or right where they're at but if we're doing a baked potato or something like that sure I'm going to be a little closer to it even in the wind because it's not as that to get to burn something if you're baking a potato versus trying to bake a bread or dessert but most of the time folks you're going to want to use this tall trivet out here cooking in the wind that way you're giving you more space a heat buffer because this wind is going to make things like a microwave if you ain't paying attention now y'all have heard me say in the past before if you can hold it more than five seconds it ain't hot enough I guarantee you this is hot enough but these coals on top with that wind blowing like it is you can see them going they're going to a shout a little quicker than they normally would to always check that heat all the way around windy or not but in the wind it's going to be more of a factor now one other way that you can help yourself cooking in the wind get yourself a wind shield not the one out of the pickup don't take the hammer over and try to break it out and bring it over here I'm talking about a portable wind shield I just happen to have one today now this old table is plastic and I use it for a lot of things but I covered it with sheet metal there you go folks now I'm going to tell you something a lot of you be wanting to move it right up here don't you got that good wind break but guess what's happening right here heat reflecting off of this coming back down you twice as hot now we're gonna keep it back here pretty good distance I'd say nearly two foot from this just enough to keep us some wind you're still going to get a squirrel around but if you've got one you want to make a windbreak that's got hinges on it and bring it out here is confined in here like this you're making a lot of radiant heat it's harder than any convection oven in the house when the winds blow and I promise you another tip I got for cooking in the wind and that's Washington now you take this a washtub that we used to wash dishes or anything else like that it's a wind barrier so we're going to take a trivet set in there then we're going to put a Dutch oven in there put coals around it we're out of the wind but something you got to remember too when you enclose something like that and you've got a surface around it you're radiating heat I really don't like to use it that way because something's going to get hot in a hurry now I have seen people that just kind of washed up in half that way you can move it around wherever the wind is going it's not quite as bad but you're still getting that reflectivity from heat back off something metal that tightens back on it so it's going to be hotter I promise now folks y'all see me do it I don't recommend that you go out there next time it's coming a tornado or a hurricane try to prove something to your neighbor that you can cook in the wind I'm just telling you you got a 20 mile an hour breeze in your country and you think well I can't cook today go out there in the backyard you got a spot you can do it be careful I hope these tips help we thank y'all for stopping by Kemp we hope that you fare well god bless you each and every onehey Scarlett I really don't think we ought to cook today you know it's pretty breezy and I don't want to burn nothing oh yeah baby that's a good point Scarlett but let's nice grip right wrap what do you think frankly they're here I don't get it hands well read I don't know what to get upset about it you know but it might be windy tomorrow - and my gosh I'm starving to death I'm glad I get to go oh my gosh Scotty okay we'll cook something today I'm sorry these guys are so dramatic but stick around I'll give you some tips for cooking in the wind it's a little breezy as you can see I don't got my hairnet on but I do have my cowboy helmet on expecting a little hail tonight and a little everything else so I got my friend Mike the mouse in my pocket he will help me today maybe y'all can hear all this and not get all that wind all the conditions I've cooked in my entire life the thing that I hate to cook in the most what you're hearing good old wind down here south of Seymour Texas more it blows worse it gets you better stay tuned I'm going to show you two how to corral this win - where we can cook some can see we laid them coals around there now if it wasn't windy that'd be a pretty good place to put them but it's breezy about 25 anyway so we're going to rake them out here a pretty good distance from this Dutch oven you don't want it right under there today I promise you in the wind like this you want to make sure as you see me do pull them coals pretty good distance from that Dutch oven away from it all the way we want a good round circle ladder coals oh not nearly as heavy as what it'd be if there wasn't no wind blowing and pretty light on top when we're cooking in the wind like this we're going to rotate more often now that what Wendy I'd say maybe three to four minutes and I'd rotate the bottom one way top to other but I'm going to do this about every minute now sure you ain't got time to sit down and take a nap when you're cooking in the wind you're going to have to rotate this top one way bottom the other because we have such a heat fluctuation everywhere around it with this wind blowing we're on a tall trivet that is this one about five and a half inches not this short one now we got bread in here but if you're cooking dessert pies cakes brownies something like that we would be on this tall treat it and then cold or right where they're at but if we're doing a baked potato or something like that sure I'm going to be a little closer to it even in the wind because it's not as that to get to burn something if you're baking a potato versus trying to bake a bread or dessert but most of the time folks you're going to want to use this tall trivet out here cooking in the wind that way you're giving you more space a heat buffer because this wind is going to make things like a microwave if you ain't paying attention now y'all have heard me say in the past before if you can hold it more than five seconds it ain't hot enough I guarantee you this is hot enough but these coals on top with that wind blowing like it is you can see them going they're going to a shout a little quicker than they normally would to always check that heat all the way around windy or not but in the wind it's going to be more of a factor now one other way that you can help yourself cooking in the wind get yourself a wind shield not the one out of the pickup don't take the hammer over and try to break it out and bring it over here I'm talking about a portable wind shield I just happen to have one today now this old table is plastic and I use it for a lot of things but I covered it with sheet metal there you go folks now I'm going to tell you something a lot of you be wanting to move it right up here don't you got that good wind break but guess what's happening right here heat reflecting off of this coming back down you twice as hot now we're gonna keep it back here pretty good distance I'd say nearly two foot from this just enough to keep us some wind you're still going to get a squirrel around but if you've got one you want to make a windbreak that's got hinges on it and bring it out here is confined in here like this you're making a lot of radiant heat it's harder than any convection oven in the house when the winds blow and I promise you another tip I got for cooking in the wind and that's Washington now you take this a washtub that we used to wash dishes or anything else like that it's a wind barrier so we're going to take a trivet set in there then we're going to put a Dutch oven in there put coals around it we're out of the wind but something you got to remember too when you enclose something like that and you've got a surface around it you're radiating heat I really don't like to use it that way because something's going to get hot in a hurry now I have seen people that just kind of washed up in half that way you can move it around wherever the wind is going it's not quite as bad but you're still getting that reflectivity from heat back off something metal that tightens back on it so it's going to be hotter I promise now folks y'all see me do it I don't recommend that you go out there next time it's coming a tornado or a hurricane try to prove something to your neighbor that you can cook in the wind I'm just telling you you got a 20 mile an hour breeze in your country and you think well I can't cook today go out there in the backyard you got a spot you can do it be careful I hope these tips help we thank y'all for stopping by Kemp we hope that you fare well god bless you each and every one\n"