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Please excuse this delay, I wrote this out last night and then closed the window by accident and lost it.. Did not have it in me to start again! Dennis.. I'm sorry to say you probably need to forget everything you know about controlling temps from your last Kamado. It did not have forced airflow because of the gap between the firebox and the grill wall. With glazed pot grills, air goes around the firebox and through the charcoal. In your KK, all the air is forced through the charcoal. The hot air leaving the damper top crates vacuum, which sucks fresh air through the front door and forces it through the charcoal. Air will always take the path of least resistance and will find the best way to feed the burn.. even or uneven, it all has to do with the resistance/how the air travels through the charcoal. Once your charcoal is burning, you can almost forget the lower draft door settings for low and slow unless it's completely closed. I always use the pencil-sized hole on the right dial, but if the top is choked down, you can even open the lower vents all the way without affecting the airflow or temp. The volume of air entering the grill is only what is permitted to leave the top. Temperature is airflow, and the best way to limit the airflow is with the damper top. With pressure or vacuum, a lot of air can be sucked or blown through a very small hole. Likewise, with no vacuum or pressure a large hole will have no airflow. Watching this video might help visualize the airflow differences.. Click on this YouTube - Komodo Kamado Grill Basics For low and slow cooks, the heat coming off the walls creates uniform heat distribution, not where in the basket or how many places the charcoal is burning. (high temp grilling yes) For low and slow temps, you are only burning about a large orange volume of charcoal. It should be in one place, as there is not enough charcoal burning to distribute it around the basket. The heat rises, and the hot air hits the foil and is well distributed. (does not need any fancy gizmos designed by Harvard students-LOL) As long as it does not directly hit your meat, you are good. I do not suggest cooking on the lower grate with a 32 or 42 using the splitter to create indirect heat for a low slow cooks. The walls on the far side down below will not be properly heat-soaked. I always light my low and slow cooks in the middle of the charcoal basket, but don't worry where the burn ends up. I do not suggest heating your grill to 600º first if you plan to cook low and slow. Once you know your damper top setting is for, let's say 235º, light your charcoal, set your top, forget it, and walk away. The damper top settings will always be the same. Actually, they will be the same after the damper top rope gets flattened and hard; when you first get your grill, the rope is flat, and as it breaks in, your settings will change a bit, but once flat, they will be the same always. I do suggest taking notes about your cooks, but the most important thing is to have fun with it!

You can certainly let t ramp up to 600F. However, it may get a bit high and not come back down to your desired temp in time. This is why I switched my method. A nice even layer of hot coals across the entire basket seems to work well. https://tmgpits.com/products/tmg-torch-charcoal-chimney

Thank you @Cheesehead_Griller perhaps by letting the KK ramp up to 600F accomplished the same as your technique with charcoal chimney? Next time I will light from the center only and see how it goes. My concern is the same as you stated on long slow cooks. Next test...

This site talks about the use of Huacatay in the green crack sauce. You need to scroll down to H to see their recipe. Looking forward to trying it (and @troble's variations) out. https://www.realseeds.co.uk/herbs.html

That chicken looks fantastic !!!!

It's a good combo, that or the Thermoworks Billows with damper. Those seem to be the two most of the folks here use now.

@Dennis I had similar problems for a while when I first got my KK. It was super frustrating for me. However, I found a very simple solution. I know fill a charcoal chimney with lump. Once the lump is red hot, and going strong, I pour those hot coals over the entire charcoal basket. I can now burn a complete basket of lump and avoid these dead spots. For small cooks it isn't too big of an issue. I had the most issues on longer cooks where I needed the whole basket to burn and it wouldn't. I also now only use the Fogo Premium; not XL. Sometimes those XL chunks just wouldn't burn.

Yes, Fireboard 2 Drive or Pro and a Pit Viper would be the best. I have the FB Pro and Pit Viper. Love it.

I know this thread is a little old but wanted to see if anyone would suggest anything different in terms of a control unit and fan. I think it's time to retire my Rock's BBQ stoker. From what I read, learning towards a fireboard 2 with a pit viper fan. Thanks,

Looks outstanding. I need to do the same for my tables!

Perfect! I am just sowing my seeds here in the UK so I will track down some Huacatay and maybe the Aji Amarillo so that I have the ingredients ready for when you reveal your new and improved recipe. I do already have a LOT of chilli plants underway so I am less sure about the Aji but we'll see if we can fit that in. Looking forward to joining you on this journey!

Thank you @remi to your point this is what made my experience odd to me as I did light in 3 spots across the whole basket. And after reading the commentary, that maybe unnecessary. Perhaps to Dennis L point it won't make any difference as long as it does not go out completely during a long overnight low and slow cook. The draft was open on the top enough to hit target temp and control easily. I'm not a newbie to this style of cooking and very comfortable with draft control. To that end I intentionally used both left and right lower vent adjustments for that reason, thinking maybe I am having a draft issue, cracking one side. On the last cook I lit the basket the same way and let the ramp go to 600F which happened very quickly then shut down to target settings. Luckily the KK was not heat soaked yet and allowed for a fairly quick drop to my target temp, no chasing involved. Now what's interesting, when I looked at the basket this time following the cook albeit only 4 hrs. the basket burned evenly across. BTW I was using the KK Smoker so it was very obvious the top was open appropriately allowing for the smoke to exhaust out the top vent. Hey these KK's are beasts and I am only trying to dial in their idiosyncrasies'. I know it will happen and with the input from those on this forum with over a decade of experience.

@Tyrus as stated in last communication, the lump coal is not the issue at all. Its the best rated lump and was just opened. The coal was started actually very easily and I had no problem ramping to target temp. Just not happy about the only part of the basket that was active in my relatively short 5 hr cook was on one side.

@Troble, Awesome cook and mission.

I was inspired by @remi cook of my Peruvian polo a la brass so decided to make it tonight. Never disappoints @tony bi ate at a good Peruvian place yesterday and struck up a conversation with the chef who asked me where I sourced ingredients in San Diego…told him I grow my aji Amarillo and we got to discussing the Peruvian green sauce…the real stuff used a herb called Huacatay and I purchase a plant yesterday https://thegrowers-exchange.com/products/huacatay?variant=40098478522449&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&utm_campaign=gs-2019-12-19&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj-iu7pTDhQMV0MzCBB1mJQ-HEAQYASABEgLDnfD_BwE I am going to make it my mission to nail down the authentic version of this sauce this year. The jalapeño substitute is fine but the real deal is so much better. This chef used jarred Huacatay but he asked me to bring him the real stuff along with my fresh aji Amarillo which I’ve already started growing this week….stay tuned for updates but I’m gonna figure this out this year….going to Peru for two week over Christmas so I will get this “Peruvian crack” recipe nailed down this year

I feel like there are issues here which are perhaps not being completely understood by those commenting? The charcoal in Dennis' short rib cook did not extinguish- his only concern is that the burn was uneven. As Dennis L has said, in a low and slow/ indirect cook there is no reason to be concerned about how even a burn is... the end result is exactly the same. The heat distribution is even in an indirect cook- the whole KK is heat soaked, and which bits of charcoal are lit doesn't much matter. I've certainly never sat there 'reading the charcoal' after a long low and slow cook! As Dennis L has said- different issue if you are cooking with direct heat when you are grilling over the charcoal. In that case you've usually lit lots of spots, and things progress hot and fast, and you can see the fire (as you are grilling), so you won't have a problem! I've only ever had a single episode of my charcoal actually going out on a low and slow cook (a different issue from Dennis' problem above). In that case it was a low and slow cook, and I had lit a fist full of charcoal roughly 1/3rds from the left edge of the basket- and quite bizarrely it burnt gradually towards the left of the basket, and having burnt all of the charcoal in that spot, then there was no way back to get to the other 2/3rds of the basket.... So now I'm more likely to light towards one edge when cooking low and slow (especially if overnight when I never get up to check!)

Charcoal is illusive, finding a store brand with the idea it's going to be a reliable source might be hard to match up to all your expectations in the KK. A fresh open bag vs one open and sitting to the humid air is a concern, but another of a better quality may give you better results. Also, positioning...taking the time to orient your coals so they catch from one to the other is sometime over looked for just a quick dump in the hopper. It's best to distribute medium size pieces to large for long cooks and adjust because your airflow is on your side.

Thanks @DennisLinkletter For clarity, the fire never went out. Never had trouble starting the kk or holding temps, my point is that the coal burn was on one side of the firebox in-spite of my lighting the entire basket at the end of a 5 hour cook. Of course it’s understood that we will only burn the amount of coal required for the cook. However with a grill at this caliber we are looking for a precise temp and uniform heat distribution without having to move around our proteins to cook evenly. Hence, the query on the forum since the KK is a different beast and the forum is a place to learn from folks with over a dozen years with the KK, where others have experienced the same. Most of us have experience with Kamado style cookers prior to owning a KK, mine is over 20 years with the BGE, so most understand the basics in draft control. Dialing in best practices will come, just trying to shorten the learning curve. @David Chang good question however, it is fresh lump kept indoors and dry.

Everything is airflow.. My mantra is "Charcoal always burns at the maximum volume for the given airflow." If it's not hot enough, open the damper top. It's too hot, close it a bit. If your fire went out and it was not an issue with the moisture content of the charcoal it did not have enough oxygen to burn. I'm guessing the top was too tight/closed and the exhaust was not getting out. For 235º the top is barely cracked, and it's easy to close it too much and kill your burn.. We've all done it. I usually put my hands near the damper top to feel for the hot air if there is no smoke to see. I drive my cooks from the damper top.. If it's not leaving the top, it's not getting in the lower draft door. The vacuum is from the hot air exiting.

Not at all. The genesis of my plan to go to my local bakery was seeing an ad for sourdough starter from California. "Wow" I thought, Tartine starter, here in my kitchen. And then I came back to the real world and realised it made much more sense to walk the five minutes to our bakery, get theirs and start using it asap with no yeast or other intermediate stage. Good to see that the KK shopping channel still lives. Congrats on your purchase.

I'm a heretic here. There's a history saying, conquer China and you will become Chinese. Here, local conditions win. When I lose a starter, I just add a teaspoon of yeast to the first feeding, and pretend I have starter. If you've baked with yeast in your kitchen in the past decade, yeast will get in. Otherwise, the starter is largely determined by what's on the flour you use to feed it. It doesn't matter if you get starter from St. John Restaurant, or a winery gives me starter dating to the California Gold Rush; the starter will be the same in a few weeks, adapting to local conditions. In the meantime, you're baking with old dough, also a respected tradition.

Yes, as I just discovered. Their 20% off first purchase doesn't apply. I did order one. I'm a bit surprised that they don't help you manage a feeding schedule, now that it's no longer each day. My Joule sous vide unit, for example, uses a phone app because that was actually the least expensive option for them.

Here is Maurizio’s guide to using Sourdough Home. I’m following the “bake one day a week” schedule and it works very well: https://www.theperfectloaf.com/feed-your-starter-less-often-thanks-to-the-sourdough-home/ And it is in stock at King Arthur: https://shop.kingarthurbaking.com/items/sourdough-home

Beautiful loaf @Pequod. I still think you need to learn Italian - Bonci is a genius. I am holding fast at the edge of this rabbit hole, nose twitching. For some people, not at all. I do need longer intervals between feeding because I am not always around and/or I don't bake or eat bread as often as I used to. I suspect a very important variable is the viability (or not) of my starter. We have a good sourdough bakery nearby and I think I will go and ask for some of their starter when I decide to get back on the sourdough horse. Until then, I look forward to hearing what others make of this interesting tool.

Brod and Taylor Sourdough Home Um, wow. This looks radically useful. We see pretty extreme temperature changes in our kitchen, season to season. I can believe that this matters but how much? One of my first lessons in cooking was asking a maven friend in college (now a country doctor) about cheesecake. He told me the four people on our 1,200 student campus who were most proud of their recipes. I interviewed each of them, threw out the superstitions (walk in socks by an ajar oven for an hour afterwards), and intersected their recipes to obtain what anyone now would recognize as one version of a classic cheesecake. This taught me about efficacy. In the kind of optimization that makes companies rich, they get numbers next to each lever revealing how important that lever is. In cooking, most levers are fantasies that hardly matter, even as the best cooks pile up a series of 1% advantages into striking results. So cooking well involves making some deep judgements about what matters, all while relaxing with a beverage of choice. The idea of slowing down my feeding schedule between bakes is very appealing. I hadn't considered seed ratio; I get fine results with less seed, but as always that impression says more about my mental health than whether I'm right. People always say this when they're happy with what they're doing, usually because they're unaware they could do better. The 100% hydration ratio they use in their examples leans hard to one extreme, favoring a certain acid profile. I use this too because it's easy and I'm lazy, but I recognize there's a choice here. Perhaps they address this deeper in their instructions, but I'd believe this choice to be more significant than the variables they do control. Which brings me back to "How much does this all matter?"