Some years ago I read a list of “life’s eternal questions”, one of which was: “Where does the braai smoke go when no one’s standing around the braai?”
Yes, this is a strange phenomenon, but at our most popular South African social gathering (rugby aside), where we gather to burn meat and drink fermented hops or grapes, it always seems to be the same poor person who has to dodge the infernal (pun intended) braai smoke, this often being the dedicated braaier him- or herself.
So what’s the deal here? Is it because this particular person is standing closer to the fire, that the smoke is attracted to them? Is it perhaps due to the “windbreak effect” of a large body that causes the smoke to curl in their direction and cause streaming eyes and a snotty nose? I have on occasion observed the braai-smoke effect on perfect, windless evenings, which kinda blows that theory right out of the Weber.
If anyone can shed any light on this conundrum or explain the mysteries of thermodynamics to me, I’d love to hear from them.