Best charcoal grill??? Decision made...

[mikeschn]

Assembled and ready for testing.... where are the recipes?

Mike...

[jonw]

Mike - for smoking check out the Weber Smoky Mt. site for lots of recipes and techniques that should be applicable for yours as well: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/

Have fun!

[mikeschn]

Thanks Jon...

Mike...

[eamarquardt]

Assembled and ready for testing.... where are the recipes?

Mike...

Why are there soap suds all over the lawn? "Enquiring minds want to know".

Cheers,

Gus

[mikeschn]

Hey Gus,

The washing machine had a hissy fit!!!

Seriously though, the snow just didn't want to stop this year. We are so tired of it.

Mike...

[Vedette]

I see where this is going.

I'm going to have to buy both and see which one works out for me...

Mike...

We will await your verdict before rushing out to buy one!
I did think we should attend our first large Gathering (Dam Gathering 2013) before buying a Dutch Oven.
So we will be in recon mode at that event!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[asianflava]

For smoking, you'll need some kind of heat deflector to cook with indirect heat. I don't know if they have one or if it came with one but I'll bet that the similar sized BGE "Platesetter" would work.

[mikeschn]

Rocky,

So, for grilling a steak, I just build a 2 pound fire in the bottom, and leave everything wide open?

Mike...

[eamarquardt]

Hey Gus,

The washing machine had a hissy fit!!!

Seriously though, the snow just didn't want to stop this year. We are so tired of it.

Mike...

Snow? I've never experienced anything like that here. Must be the weather.

Cheers,

Gus

[asianflava]

I use starter cubes (paraffin impregnated paper) to start the coals some people use a torch. I just dump lump in it don't really measure. <--use lump not briquettes I don't use the top when grilling, I just remove it (if yours is removable) I then control the heat from the bottom vent. Light it, close the lid and come back in 10-15min, stir the coals and put the grate on. If you open the bottom all the way up, you'll come back to an inferno, I open it about an inch or so and sear at 450º - 500º.

One thing you need to get in the habit of doing is burping it. Before opening the lid, open it an inch or so then close it. When cooking at high heat, opening the lid abruptly will cause a backdraft (like the movie) and the flames will flare up.

When I'm done, I close both vents to smother the fire. Next time I light it, I relight whatever charcoal is left in the bottom from last time.

[GerryS]

Lump is the only way to go with a Komodo cooker. It burns cleaner, hotter, and doesn't have the filers..... A l,old of lump in my egg lasts 15 hours at 225.

With the egg, light it , cook on it, close the damper and t goes out....a load will cook for for a week easily.

Do not use lighter fluid!!! There are pressed paper and wax lighters....ace hardware stores usually sell them. I've also used fat wood.

Can't wait for warmer weather now . Maybe next weekend. Got 5 inches of snow heading our way

[aggie79]

A decision has been made... Since the Kamado can Sear at 700 degrees, Bake at 500 degrees, Grill at 350 degrees, and smoke at 200 degrees, I've decided to try that first.



Mike...

P.S. Does anyone have a good ebook/pdf that tells me how to use this thing?

Mike,

Congrats on your purchase. I have a similar Akorn by Char-Griller. I suggest you check out http://www.kamadoguru.com. John, the moderator, started his kamado experience with the Car-Griller. He also has several YouTube videos. Search for Man Cave Meals.

On the forum, you'll see some modifications that will help on the slow side of cooking. I also suggest that you purchase the smoking stone from Char-Griller's website.

There is a learning curve with kamados. The biggest tip I can give you, besides "burping", is to not leave both the top and bottom vents wide open with the grill unattended. It can go from ambient temperature to 700+ degrees in 15 minutes or so.

Happy grilling/smoking,
Tom

[Mary C]

welcome tspin, I noticed and just jump right in.

Mike enjoy that grill and when I get to visit in 2015 I take my steak rare, High temp and two minutes on each side a glass of that sweet strawberry wine and a baked sweet potato. ha ha ha Like that will happen. but after that picture I will now have to get a steak when I go shopping. Congratulations on the new gril!!!

Mary C.

[mikeschn]

Okie dokie... just made my first meal on the Kamado...

Pork tenderloins... I checked the meat with a thermometer a little early, good thing I did... it was already at 145. So I pulled it and parked it under a foil tent. Turned out perfect!



Mike...

P.S. The average temp of the kamado was 400 degrees when I did those tenderloins. That might have been a little bit too warm!

[aggie79]

Yummy! You're making me hungry.

As for most bimetallic thermometers, the CG thermometer can be way off. I use a Maverick 732 wireless thermometer that has a meat temperature probe and a grill temperature probe. You can set target temps and alarms for both and monitor them from inside your home (or in the garage while you're working on builds.)