I have an acquaintance who sells the gizmos and keeps a big one on stand by out back to cook for the hired help..customers etc. He claims the best bet is to use it for a high temp grill for steaks etc. He is an old offset boy and it do not get things smokey enough for him. Do not get drunk and go to sleep with the lid up in a rainstorm. Had a couple of other chums who tried that trick. They had to send the Pink Pigs back to to factory to have the dried chip mess aka Portland Cement chisled out. Not that you would allow that to happen of course..lol.