***Official BBQ / Smoker Thread***

[teamgreen02]

New pit, Slow n Sear Kamado.  All stainless steel internals.  Can set up for 2 zone cooling, indirect like a normal Kamado, direct grilling, or searing.

My buddy won it a few years ago.  $1,800 cooker I picked up for $500.  He said he used it about 10 times.

[Deephaven]

Never heard of that brand, but regardless kamado style smokers are the best by far IMO.  If you really like smoke they are harder as they are very fuel efficient, but the moisture and flavor they bring to the table should never make you miss it.  

I use a kamado at least 70 times a year.  Food taste so fucking good off it.

[teamgreen02]

21 hours ago, Deephaven said:

Never heard of that brand, but regardless kamado style smokers are the best by far IMO.  If you really like smoke they are harder as they are very fuel efficient, but the moisture and flavor they bring to the table should never make you miss it.  

I use a kamado at least 70 times a year.  Food taste so fucking good off it.

This is made by the same guys that do the Slow n Sear for Weber kettles, you have probably seen those.  They make the same system for other cookers like the Big Green Egg.  https://snsgrills.com/products/slow-n-sear-cooking-system-for-large-big-green-egg

The issue with kamados is they are heavy as hell and don't change temperatures fast.  Very simple to run though, I just need to get some more experience with it.

[Deephaven]

I would highly suggest natural lump charcoal.  You can taste the briquettes in a kamado and it is off putting...

As for not changing temps fast, that isn't the case.  You can get them to go up ridiculously fast, but going back down is near impossible.  I reverse sear steaks at 225F.  It takes my grill about 15-20min from lighting to get to 225.  Once seared I open it up and it gets to 700F in less than 10min as well.  Killer for a reverse sear.  Getting it back down to 225 though would take well over an hour and probably put out the fire in the process.

[teamgreen02]

5 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

I would highly suggest natural lump charcoal.  You can taste the briquettes in a kamado and it is off putting...

As for not changing temps fast, that isn't the case.  You can get them to go up ridiculously fast, but going back down is near impossible.  I reverse sear steaks at 225F.  It takes my grill about 15-20min from lighting to get to 225.  Once seared I open it up and it gets to 700F in less than 10min as well.  Killer for a reverse sear.  Getting it back down to 225 though would take well over an hour and probably put out the fire in the process.

What lump do you like the best that we can get locally? 

Briquettes work fine with that setup.  I have about 4 bags left over from my WSM from about 2019 I need to use up.  When set up like a traditional kamado, I would definitely use lump.

Yes, hotter is easy but bringing it down is a pain.  Probably not a big issue once you get used to the cooker though.  Fairly easy to run but not nearly as simple as my pellet oven or @ckf's crock pot.

[f7ben]

22 hours ago, Deephaven said:

Never heard of that brand, but regardless kamado style smokers are the best by far IMO.  If you really like smoke they are harder as they are very fuel efficient, but the moisture and flavor they bring to the table should never make you miss it.  

I use a kamado at least 70 times a year.  Food taste so fucking good off it.

I completely disagree , they are terrible for actually smoking because they require so little heat that you end up with a bitter wood smoke flavor. I loved grilling on mine but the smoking left a ton to be desired compared to almost any other pit I’ve used. I’d have another one but definitely not for smoking use unless it was a reverse sear on a steak

[Deephaven]

39 minutes ago, f7ben said:

I completely disagree , they are terrible for actually smoking because they require so little heat that you end up with a bitter wood smoke flavor. I loved grilling on mine but the smoking left a ton to be desired compared to almost any other pit I’ve used. I’d have another one but definitely not for smoking use unless it was a reverse sear on a steak

It's only bitter if you don't get it started cleanly.  I had a WSM, offset smoker and a kamado at the same time.  Did taste tests with the family and everyone preferred the kamado by far.  The longer the smoke the bigger the difference.

 

47 minutes ago, teamgreen02 said:

What lump do you like the best that we can get locally? 

I end up using a lot of BGE but only because it is super local.  Blues hog & cowboy are the other choices.  As long as they have a bunch of medium sized pieces and not huge ones or chips I am fine.  

[Mag6240]

1 minute ago, Deephaven said:

I end up using a lot of BGE but only because it is super local.  Blues hog & cowboy are the other choices.  As long as they have a bunch of medium sized pieces and not huge ones or chips I am fine.  

I really like how things come out on my BGE with their coal - we usually do thanksgiving turkey on it every year, along with the occasional dinner grilling.  Might have to fire something up tonight now that you have me thinking about it.

[Deephaven]

1 minute ago, Mag6240 said:

I really like how things come out on my BGE with their coal - we usually do thanksgiving turkey on it every year, along with the occasional dinner grilling.  Might have to fire something up tonight now that you have me thinking about it.

Pan roasting a spatchcocked chicken with some garlic, onion and citrus on one is heavenly.  Will make you not want chicken any other way.  So many other things come out unbelievable on it as well.  Ribs so moist you can squeeze meat juice out of them.  Mine will be fired up tonight again as well....just not sure what I am putting on it.

[f7ben]

36 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

It's only bitter if you don't get it started cleanly.  I had a WSM, offset smoker and a kamado at the same time.  Did taste tests with the family and everyone preferred the kamado by far.  The longer the smoke the bigger the difference.

 

I end up using a lot of BGE but only because it is super local.  Blues hog & cowboy are the other choices.  As long as they have a bunch of medium sized pieces and not huge ones or chips I am fine.  

No it’s bitter because it requires about 2 burning briquets to maintain 225f when it’s 75f outside and that doesn’t combust even small chips cleanly. Someone who hasn’t spent significant time running a stick burner really probably doesn’t understand the dynamics of wood flavor and the bitterness I’m talking about and why it’s created. I burn chunk and burn it dry and want it to combust and that produces the best possible flavor.  It’s not possible with an egg. I think it’s a great tool for quite a few things. Smoking low and slow is not one of them 

[f7ben]

Also not saying you can’t produce great results on it , it can certainly be done but it wasn’t the tool for me 

[Deephaven]

You should try a smaller egg.  Then the combustion matches the chamber.  Cooking a single pork butt on an XL doesn't work as well as on a 13" kamado.

[f7ben]

20 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

You should try a smaller egg.  Then the combustion matches the chamber.  Cooking a single pork butt on an XL doesn't work as well as on a 13" kamado.

I’ll definitely have another one some time. 

[Mag6240]

1 hour ago, Deephaven said:

You should try a smaller egg.  Then the combustion matches the chamber.  Cooking a single pork butt on an XL doesn't work as well as on a 13" kamado.

That's what my sister did.  Better for the two of them. 

I always made use of the entire space by throwing some potatoes in tin foil on as I lit it, then cut up some peppers or asparagus on tin foil with a little olive oil and creole seasoning which helped diffuse the free space on the grate.  Their half moon pan with holes cut in worked as well.

[teamgreen02]

4 hours ago, f7ben said:

I completely disagree , they are terrible for actually smoking because they require so little heat that you end up with a bitter wood smoke flavor. I loved grilling on mine but the smoking left a ton to be desired compared to almost any other pit I’ve used. I’d have another one but definitely not for smoking use unless it was a reverse sear on a steak

That's one of the advantages of this one.  Some heat escapes and some is used converting the water to steam, requiring a hotter fire to maintain temperature.

[f7ben]

1 hour ago, teamgreen02 said:

That's one of the advantages of this one.  Some heat escapes and some is used converting the water to steam, requiring a hotter fire to maintain temperature.

Exactly what I’m talking about , that’s a good description of what my experience was. 

[Deephaven]

Big key is to build a fire in one section of it and not all over.  I smoke something on mine almost once a week and have not had that issue surface in a long time.  I did move to a Joe Jr instead of the Viking C4 (Primo Lg Rd with a different shell) for most of my cooks to save on fuel.  You'd expect that to have the effect of making it worse, but it doesn't.  Before I bought it I quickly learned that a small fire in the front of the grill was much better than distributing it all around as that does cause that issue.  Also have to make sure the fire is set and turned into coals before cooking....and your starter is burnt up.  That takes about 10min with the lid open followed by 5-10 with it closed to stabilize and not smell like it is partially burning.

 

...speaking of.  I use a half sheet (of the half sheet) paper towels rolled up in some olive oil as my starter.  Switching to that from any store bought starter made a huge difference.  For hot fires using a 7in1 tool and some propane is even faster, but I always have cheap olive oil and paper towels on hand.

[f7ben]

9 minutes ago, Deephaven said:

Big key is to build a fire in one section of it and not all over.  I smoke something on mine almost once a week and have not had that issue surface in a long time.  I did move to a Joe Jr instead of the Viking C4 (Primo Lg Rd with a different shell) for most of my cooks to save on fuel.  You'd expect that to have the effect of making it worse, but it doesn't.  Before I bought it I quickly learned that a small fire in the front of the grill was much better than distributing it all around as that does cause that issue.  Also have to make sure the fire is set and turned into coals before cooking....and your starter is burnt up.  That takes about 10min with the lid open followed by 5-10 with it closed to stabilize and not smell like it is partially burning.

 

...speaking of.  I use a half sheet (of the half sheet) paper towels rolled up in some olive oil as my starter.  Switching to that from any store bought starter made a huge difference.  For hot fires using a 7in1 tool and some propane is even faster, but I always have cheap olive oil and paper towels on hand.

I just found that with even 8-10 briquets burning at the same time the damn thing was impossible to keep at 225 ….it would wanna climb and stabilize about 260+

[teamgreen02]

Reverse seared strip steaks on the SnS Kamado tonight. Kingsford lump with hickory chunks.  Dry brined for 24 hours.

[racinfarmer]

Beat some meat (chicken) flat(ish), smoked for 45 minutes, removed, then cranked that bitch up to 425 to finish 2 firm breasts off.

Done a good job with some Cajun seasoning.  4 days worth of meat before we either hit the road with the race cars or we park our asses in the tractors for the extra long weekend.

I'm going with the later...

 

[Sled_Hed]

42 minutes ago, racinfarmer said:

Beat some meat (chicken) flat(ish), smoked for 45 minutes, removed, then cranked that bitch up to 425 to finish 2 firm breasts off.

Done a good job with some Cajun seasoning.  4 days worth of meat before we either hit the road with the race cars or we park our asses in the tractors for the extra long weekend.

I'm going with the later...

 

Been doing some of that here lately.

[racinfarmer]

9 minutes ago, Sled_Hed said:

Been doing some of that here lately.

We are only 1/3rd done here, at best, I finger.

Everything in the Dakota's is done, so that is the big one for us.  

Both of us have been in the cab for Mother's Day, most of the day.

[Sled_Hed]

19 minutes ago, racinfarmer said:

We are only 1/3rd done here, at best, I finger.

Everything in the Dakota's is done, so that is the big one for us.  

Both of us have been in the cab for Mother's Day, most of the day.

Started tillage here about a week ago. I was between digging and discing yesterday. They put the first corn in last night. 

[01mxz800]

Kabobs again, pit boss went down using Oklahoma Joe instead

[dz246]

Couple cooks on the Masterbuilt 1050 today. Burgers for lunch and ribs for supper. Now I'm gonna go take a nap in the chair once the food coma hits....