Charcoal Testing, Setup and Ground Rules. (Part 1)

 I have moved from a gas smoker, to a charcoal grill. I love my charcoal grill. It is an Assassin 36, I can configure it with a drip pan that directs heat across to cook similar to an offset or a indirect heat grill like a Holland Gas. I can configure it with a water pan to cook similar to a classic cabinet style or bullet smoker. I can configure it with no pan in order to grill with direct heat or 2 zones, similar to the classic weber kettle or rectangular charcoal box. Lastly, I can take out the lower cooking grate and cook with wood splits. 

Check out Assassin grills here: https://www.assassin-smokers.com/charcoal-grills/

 The reason for the tests:

 I am used to getting a lot of btus for my dollar because of cooking with propane. Propane is cheap and extremely efficient. However, it leaves a lot to be desire for flavor, and I am a big believer in a charcoal bed with wood chunks added for the best flavor. So, I want the best all around charcoal for my Assassin, I want it to heat quickly, burn a long time, preferably very hot, so I can control it down to desired temperature with air flow, and leave me with as little ash as possible. I studied charcoal tests and reviews online and learned a lot about the theory, however, most tests focus on comparing different brands of lump to each other, or different brands of briquettes to each other. So, I was stuck between 3 options:

1. Nearly the cheapest and most convenient for me: Kroger briquettes, which are made by Royal Oak. Here: https://www.kroger.com/p/kroger-original-ridged-charcoal-briquets/0004126037327

2. A good natural briquet, based on what I found, the Royal Oak brand is about as good as any, and I like the transparency about what's in it. Here: https://www.royaloak.com/products/all-natural-hardwood-charcoal-briquets/

3. A good lump, after reading The Naked Whiz, (http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lump.htm) Rockwood, appears to be the best or amongst the best lump charcoal in their database. Here: https://rockwoodcharcoal.com/

The ground rules: 

I will take each charcoal and fill my camp chef brand chimney to the brim, then I will dump it out onto the Assassin's charcoal tray, put a lit pine mountain wax starter in the ash tray, shut the door, leave the vents wide open, and lid down throughout. I will track temperatures with a Thermoworks Smoke. I want to see how long it takes to climb to 200 degrees. How hot it gets, and how long before it falls below 200 degrees again. If the temperature rises to 400, I will choke the vents to help extend the burn time. After logging that, I will check the ashtray and take a picture of it the next day. Each test will be started with a clean ash tray. As far as pricing, the Rockwood is more expensive per pound than both briquets, but, it is similarly priced by volume due to how dense the briquets are. So using a chimney will cause the Rockwood to have less weight in the grill, but also bring it's price inline with the briquets. 

If He Only Knew....

  He looked through his books, he marked his diary one last time, no words, just a cross, the last several years had been hard, he was pretty much bankrupt. He was alone and friendless on the steamship Dresden, the year was 1913. He had a dream, an invention, something that would be revolutionary in industry, but no one seemed to believe him. This invention had nearly killed him, and now it had drained his pockets. He had no backup plan, no hope, no future. He put his last papers in order, and arranged his cabin. Before leaving, he had left the last of his money with his wife, in a briefcase with instructions to not open it until the following week. He walked out, on the side of the ship, he looked down into the cold waters of the English channel, laid aside his overcoat, and jumped in. 

  He had been on the way to England, to discuss his invention with the British. He was a German. There are those who believe he was murdered, but most known records point to suicide. He never made it to England. He thought his life a waste, but it wasn't. With the benefit of time, we can see the point of his invention, we appreciate it even when we don't think about it. The device you are using to read this article right now has benefited from his invention, in terms of shipping costs. The food you eat has more than likely been brought to you by hard working farmers who were made more efficient by his invention. After his death, the value of his invention was finally realized, the invention is an engine, it produces huge torque, it is efficient, and reliable. I'm not sure how we would do without it. They named it after him. 

  Sometimes life does seem pointless, but, we only see our bit of history and our present. Don't waste yourself. Ultimately, trust the one who was there in the beginning, and will be there at the end, He will give you hope. If you need to, talk with someone who knows Him well enough to help you talk with Him. Don't waste yourself. 

Oh, his name was Rudolf Diesel. So, Mr. Diesel, thanks for the engine. :) 

-Loren 

Life Choices in the Jungle of Somewhere (Part 2)

Catch up here. 

 

  Jesus and Helgon arrived at the pool. It was beautiful and so refreshing with the fear gone. Helgon had an idea, how many other people were wanting to come to this pool and were caught up by fear? Could he do something to help? Jesus was still with Him, and so he sketched out a plan, he laid a walkway connecting the path to the pool. Along the walkway he put up a freedom building, he then outfitted this building with the latest and greatest in "constrictor removal equipment". Over time the many different people came down the walkway, and arrived at the Freedom Building in timely fashion to be freed from constrictors of fear of their own. Over time, various different people stuck around and began to assist in the work, some of them younger and more energetic, and more gifted at specific nuances of the work than Helgon. 

  Jesus spoke to Helgon again, He said, "The work here is good, and I am in it, but I am also in you, and the time has come for you to leave the Freedom Building and walk on. Leave this work to others of my disciples" To which Helgon replied, "Where to?" "That is not important just now, just follow me, the faith that I have earned from freeing you earlier, follow me in that faith." Jesus replied.

  Helgon pondered Jesus' words, and he just couldn't bring himself to leave the Freedom Building. So he stayed and kept working. Over time, the fun went out, and different people gravitated towards other workers because there was a something about Helgon, a lack, a weary performing way about him that was so different from the bright cheery nature of the others in the building. 

  One day it all came to a head, Helgon couldn't sleep, his mind was tormented by images of snakes around other people, a sense of futility, and Christ waiting for him by the path, with a sign marked "Future". Helgon finally realized that he had become so enamored with defeating fear in it's many forms, and in what he could do for other people that he had kind of forgotten about Jesus. Early that morning, he prayed with his fellow laborers, those who were called to this place for a time, and were alive in it still. Then he walked out, and joined Jesus and together they went towards the future. 

 There is a thing in us that seems to want to build for Jesus rather than keep it all about Him. He wants the depth of His nature explored and the gospel of the Kingdom spread, but we seem so often to be to busy planting churches, installing politicians, and policies or fixing people through various programs to pay attention to the deep truth that it is all work by human hands, unless it is actually done by the indwelling life of Christ. When Helgon put in the building, he felt alive and fulfilled, it was right, and good, but when Christ interrupted him, he wanted to stay with "his work." The thing he built for Christ had begun to mean more to him than Christ. These things should not be. Every thing we have or believe, we should be willing to test and give up for Christ. Everything. Everything. Everything. In this we actually find freedom. For Christ cares for us better than we care for us. Always has, always will. 

Thought provoking snippet.

  

Life Choices in the Jungle of Somewhere (Part 1)

  Somewhere, there was a jungle of beauty and peril. In some unfathomable way a person found himself in this jungle. This person may be a he or a she, you can decide. I will refer to him as a he and will call him Helgon. Helgon saw the beauty around him, on the surface it was marvelous, and yet there was something ominous, and sinister about it. It looked like it had once been perfect, and yet somehow fallen. There was a beautiful deer, and yet here lay a skeleton from some long dead animal, life and death all in one place. Here before him lay a walkway, well lit, and yet on either side lay dark foreboding shadows with creepy noises in them. Helgon started to walk, he didn't know where, he didn't know why he was here or where he belonged so how could he know where he was going?

  

  After walking for a mile, Helgon saw a beautiful pool off to the left side of the path, he knew that the shadows were dangerous, but he decided to go and look at it anyway, he wouldn't go far he thought. He left the path, he walked towards the pool. It was further than he thought, mud squished around him, and the shadows closed in. Something gripped him tightly, and he found himself being constricted by a great and terrible thing, he fought it with all his strength but it kept closing in around him, and it seemed he was doomed to this thing forever. It was at this moment Helgon remembered that he had just started walking, he had never looked for, or asked for a guide, he needed him now, so he began to call for help. Help came.

  Help came in the form of a man with scarred hands, this man quickly and efficiently uncoiled the serpent and crushed it's head with his foot. After Helgon recovered his breath he thanked the man and introduced himself. The man said, "I knew you from the beginning of time, I am Jesus, I saw you go alone and pursued you." Helgon asked, "Why did I ever go alone? How could I be so foolish? What was that awful snake? Jesus responded, " When you were on the walkway, you were confident, and believed in you. I believe in free will, and so I let you go it alone. When you wanted my help, I came. I followed you and was close by and waited for you to change your mind, for you see, this jungle is fallen, and I knew you would need help, it was just a matter of weather you wanted it or not. That snake is fear, and as long as you go with me, you will never need to face it again." 

Jesus moved towards the pool and Helgon, having learned his lesson went with Him. 

Do you believe in Christ? If so, you are Helgon. A part of God is in you at all times and therefore God is always with you. You never need to face fear again either, when you do, remember God within you. When I say you never need to face fear, I am talking to me....sigh....

-Loren

It's fun you should try It. (Or not) Part 3

  So, here we are again, in part 1 we uncovered the anguish and joy of fishing. In part 2 we uncovered the terror and joy of kayaking. So now, the time has come to explore the tremendous potential for joy, terror, anguish, happiness, peace, stress, and other emotions associated with the wild idea of combining the 2 sports in a union as cohesive and unified an experience as you might expect when a cranky coyote meets a grumpy bobcat. It is simply and accurately called kayak fishing, that is fishing for fish from a kayak, not fishing for kayaks from a fish. 

  Let's unpack this for a bit, firstly, you pack all the gear you might need for kayaking, the important life vest, paddle, and some system for getting water to your face. Also, you may want sunglasses. Secondly you pack all the gear you need for fishing, all the poles you might need plus one, tackle, maybe bait, and a system to hold your victims if you plan to eat them. This system, be it a cooler or a bag, needs to be sized in a strategic way to be large enough to hold your victims, and small enough to fit on the kayak without you needing to swim, dragging the kayak behind you. Lastly, you may want to pack an electronic fish finder system of some sort if ony to prove to all the bass boats that you are also a fishing man (woman?) of taste and sophistication, and not  merely a shouty plastic riding speed bump. Then again, as one of my associates demonstrated, the best way to get noticed is by flying a large "don't tread on me" flag. There is a question as to whether this flag gets you the appropriate attention, it may be wise to not use this flag in California or New York waters....

  Now, you have loaded up your kayak? Good, go use the bathroom, there is a certain annoyance involved in having invested this much time in loading up only to have to paddle to shore at some secluded place, negotiating walking space with the snakes after only 15 minutes on the water. Done hiding in the woods? Good, now set off, you will notice that the fish rather cruelly hide, you cannot expect the biggest bass in the lake to surface a quarter mile away and yell across the waters that he is in fact there and will bite on a certain curly tailed pink thing. Not doing this gives them an unfair advantage, for you paddle over there, and you cast, as you cast you notice a phenomenon. The kayak, which seemed like work to move while you were holding a paddle, now refuses to stop moving when you have a fishing pole in hand, so you must decide if you fish where the kayak wants to or where you want to. Neither you or it have any idea where the biggest fish in the lake is. It knows, but it will not tell. Thus you must grimly wipe the sweat from your brow, decide your having fun and ponder which implement to strike the water with next. The paddle to go somewhere you are not, or the pole to cast back to the place you once were. 

  Now let's discuss the things not fish you may catch. You gaze along the shoreline, you see shallow water under the trees that the big boats have not been, you maneuver your kayak into position and quietly beseech it to hold still, then with a graceful flick of the wrist you plop your lure right in...but there is no splash, you look up and behold, you have caught an oak tree. You remember the wise things your mom taught you about not saying unkind or profane things, you remember that you can actually afford to buy a new lure, and you frantically whack about like one in a rage until the tree releases your lure in a flurry of leaves, you duck as the lure makes an enraged swipe at your face, then wonder if fighting off enraged fishing lures ever caused a life jacket to get tested by a cranky and now very wet fisherman. Speaking of catching things, my favorite fishing associate, commonly known as the wife came up with a creative way to be exempt from the all the poles you need plus one rule. She had pioneered a technique where in she cast but the lure refused to leave the kayak, due to having caught the other pole, not in use. This then called for outside assistance because the tangle is hard to reach without risking a chance of conducting a field test on your life jacket. So the outside assistant paddled up and assisted, and then cautiously suggested she only carry one pole at a time. 

  Lastly, there is the occasional actual fish catch, the fish fights and at times tows the kayak around, it is brought on board and acts as if it were in a life and death situation, which it may very well be. You realize that with this enraged creature in this confined space you are in a wet or dry situation with a 30% chance of pain from the stingers or fins. You also realize that you are having fun with God in the world He created and this catastrophic combining of 2 hobbies has banished all sense of boredom from your life, at least until you get tired. So this then is fun. 

Broken into Freedom

   A massively powerful figure with a stern visage holds a priceless vase, He looks at the vase thoughtfully, and then drops it. It shatters into a thousand pieces, never to be the same. So it is, or so we think it is. It seems for some reason we think that this or some variation of this is what it is like for God to break us. However it is just not true, God is not the author of pain, He does however give you grace to overcome it as you abide in Him. He also uses this pain to help with or accelerate the process outlined and illustrated below. Romans 8:28

  There once was an egg, and the egg was broken. Out of this egg came a worm, the worm lived, it grew, it changed colors, it developed antenna, and did the things that worms do. One day, the worm is done, done with life as a worm, and so it forms a shell, and boxes itself in. It remains in this shell of it's own making for quite some time, it seems safe in here, and yet for some reason, in some divinely ordered way the shell breaks, it is broken, and the worm is dead. In some divinely ordered way, this shell has been broken in just such a time and way, that the worm is dead, and the butterfly has come forth into a new life as designed by the creator. This butterfly then spends its days flitting above the worms, and splashing it's colors and cheer within the gorgeous color display that is summer. The butterfly has a freedom that escapes other insects. The butterfly was led by a divine order, in some way it knew it was not actually a worm, but a butterfly, in some way when the time was right, it quit living as a worm and just gave up. In a divinely ordered way, it died, and manifested as the butterfly it always was. To do this, it had to be broken twice, first as an egg, then as a shell, and it had to die to it's "worm nature." Rather, it had to realize by a divine instinct that it was not a worm, but a butterfly. To be led by those divinely given instincts is why it worked. It would not do for the worm to force itself out of the shell in it's own "wormly strength", for then it could not fly. It would not do for the butterfly to remain "safe" in the shell, for then it could not fly. 

  As a human, made in the image of God and given your own divine stamp of uniqueness, you to were made for more. You were not made to merely live as an intelligent mammal with a sense of right and wrong that eludes the animals. You were made for fellowship with God. I have written on this with a bird's eye view here. The following questions are for those who have accepted that message and have a connection with the only living God. Question is, do you believe that your old self has been crucified with Christ? Are you willing to trust God to fill you with Him so that you can fly in His time and way? Or do you wish to choose to live within the walls of your own making? Or maybe you wish to live life at a worm like crawl? What you believe about that person you see in the mirror has nothing to do with the reality of your sin nature being crucified, this has happened, and it is when you believe this and accept it as the truth that it is, that you can live as you are. A saint on earth.

  I believe that God ordained brokenness is not a matter of you being destroyed by God, but a matter of your old man being broken in order to set you free. If we could only see it from outside our own view, we would see that the breaking of our old Adam or Eve nature is the best thing, that old man nature is actually a prison. It's like living as a spiritual worm.  

Good reading here. 

Galatians 2:20 

-Loren

It's fun, you should try it. (Or not) Part 2

 Well, so it is, that the time has come to write part 2 of my It's fun you should try it (Or not) series. In this series I explore hobbies of which I have experience, some of it vast, and yet some more of it childish. Today's lesson is: Kayaking, the ins and outs, the insides explained, and the universal discovery of which way is up. 

  

 So, the first and foremost thing of interest is a vest thingy that isn't exactly comfortable, it is bulky, and makes you feel a bit like a Michelin man. It's called a life vest or life jacket. I was one day peacefully sitting on my kayak, when one of those cunning humans I call friends rolled my kayak. The life vest made my contemplation of dying only last 15 seconds or so, and prevented my great alarm from developing into a thing called panic. To be fair to the cunning human, I had given him permission to conduct this "experiment." I would say it was invigorating, but I didn't feel inclined to allow him to conduct it again. So, while under water suddenly like, I was not thinking about oreos or ice cream or all the western luxuries of life, I was asking a fundamental and deep question to myself, I was asking, now which way is up though?  Then I asked, which way is up!!? Then finally I asked, OK, IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS RIGHT REASONABLE AND SENSIBLE, I DEMAND A REVELATION OF WHATEVER DIRECTION LEADS TO AIR!!! Or something like that, this is merely an analysis of what 15 seconds of emotions might have contained. Well, you see, thing is, the life jacket hauled me in that direction and I began to breathe again. Literally and figuratively (heh heh).

  Next, we should examine the paddle, the paddle is a long stick that has wide spots on the ends. These wide spots are meant to gently be stroked through the water on either side of your kayak. It is advised to be smooth and calm here, with two major exceptions of which I will speak of later. If you decide to do your paddle strokes in a fashion similar to some of the casting techniques outlined in part 1, then you may find yourself out of the kayak. For detailed and somewhat sober analysis of what this is like, carefully re-read paragraph 2. Anyway, the 2 exceptions to the calm and smooth paddling rule are, 1, If you find yourself crowding 30 and enjoying a wife's good cooking, and these young, high octane creatures known as younger brothers declare or imply you to be old to beat them to some random landmark, and 2, if you are being chased by any creature that you don't want anywhere near your kayak. If this creature is your wife, then stop reading this immediately, and talk to Jesus. 

 Lastly, we must examine the great plastic piece known as the kayak. The kayak could in some innocent way be considered a legalist, because it has certain rules, if any of these rules are broken, justice is swift and immediate. For detailed and somewhat sober analysis of what this is like, carefully re-read paragraph 2. On some kayaks the rules are no standing, no weight over the side, and depending on the size of the human, no more luggage than what is needed to feed a small unhappy mouse. Other kayaks allow you more freedom in luggage and yet are as strict otherwise, and yet others allow you to stand, and then perpetually punish you for taking that liberty by being slow. Finally, there are kayaks that don't need to use paddles for propulsion, they use motors or pedals. This helps obtain a happy marriage of stand ability and speed, with a one time violation of your wallet's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This then means you miss out on all the joyous sufferings detailed in paragraph 3. Anyway, I do hope this helps in your quest of kayaking.

-Loren