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I’m not quite sure where you’re going with some of this, but the first thing I’ll say is that you don’t need a deflector to prevent flareups when cooking hot, particularly if you’re using the top grate. I only get them when cooking really hot, 750° ish, and I want a flareup, like cooking steaks. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm very much looking forward to the transition to KK. Everything I read and see about the grill just has me in awe. But...I am set in my ways and they say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Haha. All kidding aside, I'm completely open to adapting my cooking style on the KK, I just need help thinking through how to do this. Hope someone chimes in soon. I am also curious as to the activity on this forum vs Facebook. This forum has a ton of great info, but a lot of it is quite dated. Maybe I should try posting on Facebook?

Thank you ! Was nice to have the time and really do em right. The fat rendered really well pulled em at 204. Bark was tasty and good smoke

The first thing to do is put that chinese rice cooker by the curb, I couldn't help it....actually they are nice but better compared to if your a pilot as owning a Cessna vs a learjet. Like Toney I have the 23, however with 9 years under your belt of kamado cooking the transition should be as easy as switching the spatula from left to right. You'll appreciate the true two zone cooking and I would venture to say life will become easier and your cooking experience broader. Good luck.

Nothing wrong with those ribs, anyone sitting at the table were certainly happy campers.

Work the edge of a knife to clear and widen the area so you can get optimum penetration for a good seal. Nice a nd slow, don't be a Ninja.

Finally a chance to smoke Beef Plate Ribs. These are insanely rich and flavorful. Did these @ 275 for about 7 hrs. Kept smoke generator going most of the cook with Hickory chunks and coffe chunks .

That is odd, as Dennis is very reliable about returning calls. Something must be up over there that has him sidelined? Sorry that I can't help much with your direct questions, as I own a 23" KK. I'll let the other 32" owners chime in with their advice. But I will tell you that you're about to up your BBQ game over you KJ smoker.

To amplify what @C6Bill said, the reason to heat up the KK is to make sure that you drive off any water that might have seeped into the cracks. You don't need to heat up the KK to put the grout on.

I'm happy to report that my KK has been rehomed - it's served me well and I'm sure it's ready for another few decades of use!

Hello all, New member here. I just purchased a BB32 that will be delivered next week. I'm coming from a Kamado Joe Big Joe. I've had this and been cooking on it religiously for about 9 years. There's some things I need help understanding so I can adapt what I used to know to how I should cook on the BB32. Old way of doing things: Regardless of what I cooked (low and slow or hot and fast) I always used the full circle heat deflector. I loved the idea of grilling at 550 degrees with no chance or flare ups. So I have gotten used to this method and quite like it. My steaks turn out great. I never used a basket coal splitter or anything, just a full basket of lump, deflector, then grill. Also used this method for low and slow bbq and the temps were even 360 degrees around the meat. Now with the 32, I understand there's many differences, to include the distance of the grates from the fire. I purchased the basket splitter for my 32. How can I replicate my go to method on the 32? Some things I can't get clear in my head: - Basket splitter means direct heat only on one side. If I use the foil method for heat deflector, is the top grate going to have a hot side and a cooler side? In my mind, yes, which means I've effectively reduced my hot temp grilling surface in half. - If true above, I guess the only way to avoid this is to not use the basket splitter, burn an entire basket of lump, foil heat deflector on middle grate, and grill on top grate. I think this method mimics what I know for my old style, but man that seems like a lot of lump to be burning for what is effectively a 5 min grill session. - How do I accomplish low and slow utilizing the basket splitter but ensuring even heat coverage at the grate? All this seems trivial, but I just can't wrap my head around this yet. Maybe I need to adapt a whole new style for my grilling. Sorry for the long post. I've tried calling Dennis repeatedly and for some reason he never answers and doesn't return my calls. Seems odd based off everything I hear in regards to responsiveness. Appreciate any advice or tips and tricks. Ryan

@tekobo Our resident expert on multiples lol

Those don't look too bad at all, a tube of grout from Dennis and you'll be good to go. Just get the KK heat soaked and work that grout into the cracks and l;et it cool. You'll be good to go

Here are some photos. in total there is about 4 spots.

I have a 19.5 and 23. I can cook for up to 60 people with both going. When it is just my wife and I the 19.5 works beautifully.

I have a 32 and can put a lot of food on it with ease. If you are open to two cookers then I'd get the 32 and use it for a bit. See how it goes. Maybe you would like to add a 22 instead of another 32. I've done 8 pork butts on my 32 with ease. That's when I wish I had a 22 to put some potatoes, beans, etc. on while the 32 is doing its thing. I couldn't justify a 32 as a secondary cooker.

You’ve pretty much covered everything. I have a 19”, a 23”, and a 32”, and they all have their virtues. I got the 32” most recently, just when the 38’s were released. I really thought the 32” would be more than I’d ever need, but once I got it, I sometimes wish for the 38”. I’ll say this, the grates on the 32” are fairly heavy, and I understand that the grates on the 38”/42” are multi pieced, which could be an advantage. In your situation, I’d have way more fun with two 32’s, given the extra flexibility of two completely separate cookers. The big grills are designed such that they can cook like a small one given the basket splitters, which I believe are standard on the 38” and 42”. Either way, you’re going to really enjoy your cooker (s), whatever you decide. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

As I consider my first KK cooker (coming from Primo Oval XL), I have been heavily leaning towards the 38 or 42. However, I realized that I should also consider the 32 while leaving open the option to add a second 32. Most of my cooks are for 5 people with the occasional larger cook (10-12 people) a few times a year. Pros of two 32s Two independent cooking zones allowing both different temperatures or methods (indirect in one, rotisserie in the other) When cooking small, the smaller KK is theoretically easier to deal with? I prefer the looks of the 32 vs the 42. Perhaps easier to move the grates around since they are in one piece? Or are they more of a pain because they are heavier? Pros of the 42 Easier to cook a large quantity of food The capability to cook longer food items, such as a pig or large in-tact fish. I like the wider charcoal basket which gives more room directly above the coals I suppose a compromise would be to start with the 38 with the option of adding another cooker, but I risk the mental torture of "I should have gotten the bigger one!" or "I should have gotten the smaller one" haha Anything else that I am missing?

Double check with Dennis, but he's made some improvements, including doing some initial curing at the factory now and you may not need to do it? For us with older KKs, there was a curing step needed before taking the grills above 350F. You can cook as much as you want without doing it, as long as you don't go above this temperature. To cook at higher temps, like for pizzas, you need to incrementally heat the KK in about 50F steps from 350F to 550F, letting the KK stabilize at each step before moving on to the next one, then letting the grill soak for about an hour or so upon getting to 550F. What you're doing is curing out the solvent from the layer of material behind the tiles. You will begin to smell the solvent as it heats up. Keep going until the smell is gone. You might see some whitish gunk leaking out between the tiles. It's easily wiped off with a wet sponge. But, be careful, at this point the exterior of the KK will be quite hot, so be safe and keep pets and kids from touching it until it cools back down (takes hours!) Some tiles might bulge up, as well. You just press them back down as the grill cools down enough to be safe to touch again. We tell folks to make the best of this situation - fill the charcoal basket totally full (it's going to burn a LOT of charcoal), fill up a cooler with your favorite adult beverage and a nice chair to just ride it out. Also, a good chance to continue to learn temperature control by taking some notes on top hat positions at each temperature stop. It's safe to actually cook during this process, as the solvent is on the outside of the grill and not near the food. Good opportunity to make some pizzas.

What is the "initial curing process" for the 32" Big Bad; is that a requirement for all KK's?

The 32, 38, and 42" are the same grill with different center sections. The outside sections of the grates are the same on the 38 and 42; only the center section changes.

A breakfeast sausage that just might be a keeper. So on a 1lb basis it'll be, 1lb ground pork, 1.5 tsp crushed sage, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp salt, 2tsp brown sugar, 3/4 tsp blk pepper, 1/4tsp red pepper flakes, 1/4tsp nutmeg, 1/4 cayenne or Tabasco as I substituted 6-7 good squirts for a 5.5 pork butt. Additionally you can add corriander 1/4tsp, 3 tsp maple syrup, 1/2tsp paprika. Fresh ingredients optional were 1/2 diced red pepper, chives and parsley. Fashion into balls, place on a sheet of cut wax paper with one on top and press with a plate to flatten. Two per vacum seal bag and freeze. Now I did cook these in a fry pan, however the KK or any charcoal grill will also do. Keep in mind the sage and thyme were dry, next time I'll use fresh and let the mix stand overnight in the frig, I anticipate an even better result.

I feel that a 38 would give just enough to fit a small pig/lamb/goat on the spit but also reduced heat soak / charcoal usage for smaller cooks vs a 42. The effort to setup and or relocate (I’ve moved multiple continents with my 32”) would also be a bit less I would think.

Good idea

You might want to just pick up the phone and call Dennis, he can probably answer all of your questions in one call 👍