eflyguy
Well-known member
Look for kamado guru site.. mine is the Akorn and lots of mods listed there. Very happy with it..
Smokers (BBQ - not grilling)
- Thread starter Fred W
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TomInPA
Well-known member
You need the ceramic heat deflector in a Kamodo smoker. If you don't have one, low and slow is nearly impossible. A less expensive option is a water tray, but it tends to steam the meat.
Already there with the deflector. I thought there was something else you were hinting at in the previous post.
Thanks.
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TomInPA
Well-known member
The Akorn is tougher to seal than many other units. It also collects a ton of water in the removable ash-pan. Not a tight design as delivered. I have an Akorn at the lake cottage, but use a better unit at home. I will have to look into the stuff on Kamodo Guru.
eflyguy
Well-known member
I'm happy with mine but does not live out in the rain. Green Egg seal for lid and ash pan, High temp RTV to help seal up the pan. That's pretty much it to make it air-tight.
It heats up much faster than ceramic, and temp fluctuations are quick to correct.
I built a coal basket and have a pit controller for days I want to ride while something smokes. I can get a great deal on a ceramic but honestly can't see an advantage.
It heats up much faster than ceramic, and temp fluctuations are quick to correct.
I built a coal basket and have a pit controller for days I want to ride while something smokes. I can get a great deal on a ceramic but honestly can't see an advantage.
Anybody cookin' anything good this weekend?
I've got a hankerin' for 'Que, but the outdoor temps have been miserably hot this week (for a Nancy boy from New England).
I've got a hankerin' for 'Que, but the outdoor temps have been miserably hot this week (for a Nancy boy from New England).
Knifemaker
Not me
I could send you one of the slabs of Baby Backs I got in the freezer......
But my wife would kill me..........
Heat doesn't bother me, but rain does. Was going to do a butt roast for my first shot at pulled pork this weekend, but looks like heavy rain is in the forecast for both days...
So going to go to a "local distillers" event instead. 10 St. Louis area distillers will have over 50 different samples to taste. That's Saturday, guessing I'll need Sunday to recover....
Will have to shoot for next weekend for the cook instead.
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08FJR4ME
-WYNPRO-
Nope nothing planned for me this weekend. High probability next weekend though. Pork butt may be the choice this go around. Going to Boston on Saturday and after that prepping the bike for NERDS.
See you there,
Dave
See you there,
Dave
Dave,
I would highly suggest smoking something that doesn't take quite so long for the first few times you use your new pit. You will find that you do need to stay a little more involved with the pit as compared to your old vertical smoker, as you learn the idiosyncrasies of the new one. Chicken, turkey or a nice pork loin roast are all good for shorter cooks and you'll better be able to appreciate the finer smoke flavor you've gained with the offset.
I'm prepping for NERDS this weekend and riding up on Monday. See you in Stowe when you get there!
I would highly suggest smoking something that doesn't take quite so long for the first few times you use your new pit. You will find that you do need to stay a little more involved with the pit as compared to your old vertical smoker, as you learn the idiosyncrasies of the new one. Chicken, turkey or a nice pork loin roast are all good for shorter cooks and you'll better be able to appreciate the finer smoke flavor you've gained with the offset.
I'm prepping for NERDS this weekend and riding up on Monday. See you in Stowe when you get there!
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Knifemaker
Not me
I'll second what Fred said.... But being a rib lover...I'll suggest doing a few racks of ribs. (Baby backs). Not as long as a cook as something like a brisqutte or a pork butt...but you will need to invest a few bucks into a good digital meat probe for the loins, and a food probe for your grate tempature as the dial gauges on your pit are kinda useless...
Once you are able to control your food surface temps you can then cook anything, but yes, it takes a bit of time to dial in how much charcoal to use, how much open the vents how much wood to add...etc etc...
Ribs are fairly forgiving, and loins take the least amount of time, but I think the learning curve on your pit is faster doing ribs or or stuff that requires less time (under 6 hours).
Once you are able to control your food surface temps you can then cook anything, but yes, it takes a bit of time to dial in how much charcoal to use, how much open the vents how much wood to add...etc etc...
Ribs are fairly forgiving, and loins take the least amount of time, but I think the learning curve on your pit is faster doing ribs or or stuff that requires less time (under 6 hours).
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Good point. I replaced the dial gauge that came with the pit with two that I bought at Home Depot, one in each port provided. I tested these and they are reasonably accurate, better than the one it came with, which got relegated to the UDS.
I started out monitoring the cooking grate temps with a digital probe in a little clip, but now that I know the dial gauges are "close enough for government work" I just watch those. Even if the temp is 10 or 20 degrees high, the meat will come out just fine. Lots of pros routinely cook at temps higher than 225F.
I started out monitoring the cooking grate temps with a digital probe in a little clip, but now that I know the dial gauges are "close enough for government work" I just watch those. Even if the temp is 10 or 20 degrees high, the meat will come out just fine. Lots of pros routinely cook at temps higher than 225F.
Blind Squirrel
Well-known member
If you watch TLC’s BBQ Pitmasters the judges will talk about running their pits anywhere from 250-275 for some of the meats they smoke. I went from the 225 up to the 250-260 range. Meat comes out just as great and it cuts my cooking time on long cooks (pork butts and brisket) by an hour or two.
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Interesting. Speaking of long cook times. A 2lb thick prime rib steak takes 24 hours in a sous vide. Patience has its rewards though.
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eflyguy
Well-known member
Sorry, but no it doesn't. A 2-rib section of prime rib, about 3.5-4", cooks to medium-rare (131F) in about 4 hours. Medium (137) is even faster. You can pretty much go by 1hr/inch. As it's lean, it doesn't get any more tender by leaving it longer (collagen breaks down at a much higher temp. )
I finish in a hot oven, on the grill (which can go much higher), or with a mapp-gas torch (my favorite).
I finish in a hot oven, on the grill (which can go much higher), or with a mapp-gas torch (my favorite).
Knifemaker
Not me
Good cuts of lean meat don't need long cook times. Pretty much the opposite really. Slow and low for fatty and or poor cuts...fast and hot for lean or prime cuts. Restaurants that cook amazing steaks do it with excellent cuts cooked at very high temps over a very short time. Many now use infrared broilers.
A method you can use at home (rather than buying an infrared broiler) is to just use a cast iron pan. I had a chef show me how to do this....cooked me up a 12oz NY Strip that was awesome...took about four minutes, and I had to wait about as long after that before he let me cut into it.
A brief how to on similar lines here:
https://bbq.about.com/od/steaks/ss/aa071507a.htm#showall
I had an uncle that did this on a cast iron pan that he put right on a bed of coals in a fire pit.
Never did a prime rib steak...but have done a whole prime rib roast ...using the "reverse sear" method here:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/12/step-by-step-food-lab-reverse-sear-prime-rib.html
A method you can use at home (rather than buying an infrared broiler) is to just use a cast iron pan. I had a chef show me how to do this....cooked me up a 12oz NY Strip that was awesome...took about four minutes, and I had to wait about as long after that before he let me cut into it.
A brief how to on similar lines here:
https://bbq.about.com/od/steaks/ss/aa071507a.htm#showall
I had an uncle that did this on a cast iron pan that he put right on a bed of coals in a fire pit.
Never did a prime rib steak...but have done a whole prime rib roast ...using the "reverse sear" method here:
https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/12/step-by-step-food-lab-reverse-sear-prime-rib.html
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08FJR4ME
-WYNPRO-
I have a 12" cast iron pan I use all the time mostly for steaks. Get it good and hot, add some oil and throw the steaks on. As soon as you see the blood starting to come out the top you flip it. You will see the blood start to come to the to again and then its time to take it off. That's how my dad taught me and it make a perfect steak every time. Yes it needs to sit in the plate a few minutes before cutting into it.
On another note I picked up one of the fancy temperature gages today for the other side of the Oklahoma smoker. Premium brand as mentioned by Fred from home despot. It seems to be reading about 10 degrees low. I will use this one to calibrate the other gage that came with the grill. On the original you can move the dial about 40 or 50 degrees. So I am not really sure how accurate that one is. Hopefully we can do some more testing next week end.
Dave
On another note I picked up one of the fancy temperature gages today for the other side of the Oklahoma smoker. Premium brand as mentioned by Fred from home despot. It seems to be reading about 10 degrees low. I will use this one to calibrate the other gage that came with the grill. On the original you can move the dial about 40 or 50 degrees. So I am not really sure how accurate that one is. Hopefully we can do some more testing next week end.
Dave
eflyguy
Well-known member
Reverse sear and resting are myths - although "resting" will let an undercooked piece of meat finish cooking as the heat migrates towards the center. Works for any dense food, like root vegetables.
Not trying to be argumentative, I used to believe those as well. There's a great grilling/smoking web site out there that covers things like that, if I think of it, I'll post it.
Skillet searing or cooking over fire does produce great results but there is a margin of error. That's why top steakhouses have served steaks prepared sous-vide, then finished in some way, for many years. They can't afford to mess up. That technology is now affordable for the masses, if you care to use it. The benefit of sous vide is that you can make the meat the exact temp that you want, then finish the surface with a sear of your choice. The bark or crust will be thinner leaving more of the meat at the perfect temperature. It can produce some fantastic vegetables as well. I still grill some meats directly (flank/skirt/flat-iron), but it's the only way I grill chicken now. I can ensure it's cooked to a precise temp, then brush on some bbq sauce to create a nice crispy bark on the grill. Pork benefits too - you can effectively pasteurize it, then finish, and enjoy a delicious piece of pork that most people would think was undercooked. Don't knock it 'till you've tried it!
Not trying to be argumentative, I used to believe those as well. There's a great grilling/smoking web site out there that covers things like that, if I think of it, I'll post it.
Skillet searing or cooking over fire does produce great results but there is a margin of error. That's why top steakhouses have served steaks prepared sous-vide, then finished in some way, for many years. They can't afford to mess up. That technology is now affordable for the masses, if you care to use it. The benefit of sous vide is that you can make the meat the exact temp that you want, then finish the surface with a sear of your choice. The bark or crust will be thinner leaving more of the meat at the perfect temperature. It can produce some fantastic vegetables as well. I still grill some meats directly (flank/skirt/flat-iron), but it's the only way I grill chicken now. I can ensure it's cooked to a precise temp, then brush on some bbq sauce to create a nice crispy bark on the grill. Pork benefits too - you can effectively pasteurize it, then finish, and enjoy a delicious piece of pork that most people would think was undercooked. Don't knock it 'till you've tried it!
eflyguy
Well-known member
Lid-mounted mechanical thermometers are close to useless, they are not consistent and the temp near the lid is nowhere near the temp on the grate. Also, temp varies every few inches. I have digital thermometers with probes and have monitored various spots inside. I now understand how heat changes in my smoker, and plan accordingly if I need to stack more than one level. I focus on the first level, which is closest to the deflector, and may receive radiant heat if things get too warm..
Knifemaker
Not me
If you go back several hundred posts, I mentioned I bought this digital thermometer:
https://www.thermoworks.com/DOT?tw=AMAZINGRIBS
It comes with a single meat probe, but for another $17.00 I got the grate tempature probe with the grate clip, that measures food grate tempature (about 3/4" inch above the grate) you simply unplug one probe from the unit and plug the other in. The temp gauges on the lid of my pit read about 80 degrees off (lower) so I don't really use them. No reason to replace them now that I use the linked unit.
https://www.thermoworks.com/DOT?tw=AMAZINGRIBS
It comes with a single meat probe, but for another $17.00 I got the grate tempature probe with the grate clip, that measures food grate tempature (about 3/4" inch above the grate) you simply unplug one probe from the unit and plug the other in. The temp gauges on the lid of my pit read about 80 degrees off (lower) so I don't really use them. No reason to replace them now that I use the linked unit.
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