Mcdddy

Waterproof cover or plastic garbage bag would only be super temporary like a day or so until rain stops late in season before the consistent rains start.

I live in Portland Oregon so I get unpredictable heavy rains. I have the KK outdoor cover already and I definitely house my big bad 32 in the garage for the winter but some unpredictable heavy rain late fall or sometimes early summer. I’m looking for a waterproof cover I can use when those h any rains come something more waterproof than the KK cover. I was thinking about a huge outdoor garbage bag like 100gal wide mouth size if it fits. Does anyone know if this would fit or if there is something better?

Is there a chart or guide for what vent settings both top and bottom for each temp range? Also,I’m very curious to know —-> Does the amount of charcoal affect your vent settings? In other words if you use more charcoal your vent settings would be different ie less open than if you used less charcoal? Or are the vent settings independent of amount of charcoal used? Finally I do as c6bill does and use a cookie sheet with a wire cooking rack to elevate meet off the cookie sheet - curious to know for those that use aluminum foil only are you wrapping the aluminum foil around the grate to hold in place ? Top grate or bottom grate? This last cook (two pork butts) was my first cook without a temp controller just manual vent control. I do obsess a bit about my temps - wanting them to stay in a particular range - so when I see it rise substantially or decrease substantially what should I do if not change vent settings? Or check to make sure the coals are not burning in one spot? maybe this is all part of the long process of learning the vent settings? wondering about top vs bottom settings and which to prioritize - in other words is the top hat setting mostly kept the same setting for a larger range of temps than is the bottom vents? the Fireboard temp controller and some others always drove me crazy because even though I’m clearly over temp it would continue to blow and blow too hard sporadically for the temp it was over so I would easily overshoot and stay over temp.The same would often happen with temps under my target range but would not blow aggressively enough and I’d stay under temp. I always thought it would learn over time much better but it never seemed to - and I always chalked it up to a poor algorithm. So I’d like to just stick to not using the temp controller and learn vent settings. I think flame boss was somewhat better. Thanks for everyone’s input.

Hi All - I’m getting super frustrated each summer using my KK 32 trying to get good temp control and most importantly getting my charcoal to ignite surrounding charcoal during the cook it seems to end up burning well in one spot leaving surrounding charcoal unlit or it is lit initially it extinguishes during the cook. So consequently on nearly every cook after a couple of hours the one spot burns down temps start to dip and then I don’t know what to do? Move the unlit charcoal over to it to put it on top? Or? essentially I have very little confidence that during a long cook I won’t have to adjust or rearrange coals or add more coals. Is this others experience? I’m hoping not because accessing the firebox ie charcoal basketduring a cook isn’t easy. not sure if this is a clue to what’s going on but the dome temp in the beginning of getting to temp and early on in the cook is much lower like 50 deg lower than grate temp then midway thru cook or so it’s the same. Wondering if this means I didn’t let it heat soak long enough before putting meat on? am I not arranging my charcoal correctly? Should I be using less width in the basket splitter and mound it up higher? usually the cook isn’t too bad temp wise until one area with the most lit coals burns down leading to dipping temps and then what do I do? I start my fire by igniting the surface of the entire area of charcoal. I usually use 1/2 basket for a 10-12 hour cook at 225-250. Tonight I spent most ofd the night chasing temps. also using the basket splitter to limit the amount of charcoal - one side the side with the coals always has a hotter grate temp on one side so I don’t understand why there isn’t a better way to limit the charcoal without using a splitter that puts all the charcoal on one side? I never had this issue with my kamado Joe and I’m wondering if it’s partly because the KJs basket was circular with steeper walls forcing the charcoal to remain tightly in contact?

If Using a smoker pot - is it essential to use the flower water mixture and apply to the lid to seal? If so, I’m guessing you would put the smoking wood in and carry to the cooker uncovered and put on coals then put lid on - otherwise as happened to me the wood shifts around and can easily block the holes? Also, it gets a tad challenging to fit the smoker pot between coals and lower grate. That being said I think the smoker pot is a better way.

I’m not using Home Depot galvanized metal hardware meant for an entirely different use. They are food safe aluminum pans and sheet pans meant to be used at oven temps. I’m cooking low and slow @225-235. In this scenario the KK is basically an oven especially using a heat deflector. Millions use them everyday so if there are toxins I guess we’re all getting gassed. I think the risk of toxins etc should be a non issue. I get the OCD though.

Hi - I have for some reason just seen the light with regard to using pans or sheet pans and a wire rack to elevate meat above the juices. This seems to be an ideal way to keep grill clean and easy transport of meat to and from grill. This has been essential for my cabinet cooker (GF) and preventing grease fires. Are there any downsides? Especially in a KK for low n slow? Cant figure out why you would do low n slow any other way?

When are people starting their ATC’s ? After a desired temp reached with manual vent control or from very early on after coals lit and lid closed? I have had probs with the Lump I light catching lump around it on fire throughout the cook in the past and fire dipping and temps dropping. I thought maybe this was due to using less than a full basket and not using a basket splitter to force the charcoal to stay in contact especially vertically. If I’m using less than a full basket I should definitely use basket splitter?

Hi Everyone- just wondering if people use foil pouch or smoker pot. Here’s a pic of my foil pouch epic fail. It seemed to work in the beginning had nice blue smoke then after 10 min or so a ton of white nasty smoke. I poked several holes on bottom before placing directly on coals (think I’ll stick to 2 holes next time). Also I think I wrapped with single layer of foil - should I be using multiple layers. I have had probs with foil disintegrating wrapping a heat deflector on Kamado Joe years ago. So I’m not sure if foil just does this. Smoker pot I have used before - not much clearance between top of pot on coals and lower grate. Also had probs with wood chunks blocking holes when transporting pot and placing on coals.

C6Bill I hunted all over flameboss app and couldn’t find lid detection settings to change.

Consistent temps during the cook I have always considered tantamount to good BBQ and temp swings the enemy of good Q. Not sure what your referring to +\- 50 deg - are you referring to prior to putting the meat on being totally fine? I’m not so concerned with aiming for 235 and hitting 250-260 or more before I put meat on and staying at that temp but I am concerned about not maintaining that temp throughout the cook.

Sorry everyone I just have so many questions. First off I have both a fireboard and flame boss temp controllers - in this cook I was using the flameboss. I use fogo premium and cocochar. First, For low and slow I need to use some sort of deflector so I can get indirect cooking - is it better to use the Kk drip pan ( I have double insulated) or I have heard some use aluminum foil over lower grate - one layer or how many layers? Doesnt the foil have a tendency to move around or float from the hot air rising? How do you keep it down in place? Also, I think I am using too much charcoal - Dennis had me thinking a full basket of charcoal for a 6 hour cook is perfectly fine. Rum & Cook says he uses basket splitter pretty much always esp for low and slow 1/4 basket rarely 1/2 basket. I haven’t been using my splitter and have been loading up the basket 1/2 to 3/4 full. How open on bottom vent if top is 1/8 turn for 225-235? Wondering if I should just ditch the fan and just monitor grate temp with flameboss or fireboard. Then just learn vent settings? Thanks for everyone’s input.

Hi - I have a hell of a time controlling temps on my KK. When opening the lid temps want to take off. I have been going back and forth using bellows with temp controller and then just using vents sometimes in the same cook. Using drip pan for heat deflector for my low and slow smokes. My GF smoker - so easy fill charcoal in chute ignite close up turn on fan control - watch rock solid temps +\- a 1-2deg F as long as I want. I’m getting so frustrated spending so much effort to get even modest control. Below pretty good control until taking off ribs to wrap.

Are people using lump or briquettes? I have a problem with all the coals eventually catching - I have found after or during the cook when temp starts to dip that certain parts of the charcoal in the basket is caught and other areas are not. I find this is especially true if I reuse leftover charcoal- which I feel I must do to mound up the charcoal enough to try to ensure adjacent coals ignite. I have been using lump exclusively so far and have tried adding in cocochar ( which is very hard to ignite). I have been using a Fireboard but am wondering if not using it is better for long cooks. Is the top vent the most important for temp control? Maybe I’m not mounding up the charcoal enough and leaving it too spread out horizontally? Can someone provide a general top and bottom vent setting for 225F for BB32? I never had much of a problem with my KJ that uses a Round basket instead of elliptical. When I tried using a chimney to light coals in my BB32 to ensure all coals would be lit it seems temps would rocket up way to too fast after closing the lid. I’m still trying to figure out how best to build my fire to last and how best to light it. I have also used the grill blazer which is fantastic and lit some charcoal but did not spread well to other charcoal after closing lid. I usually do low and slow and do not want different heat zones but DO want indirect heat for entirety of cooking surface. Filling the entire basket full uses a ton of charcoal Is there a way to mound up the charcoal in the center of basket - I have thought of buying a second basket splitter just to get the second semicircular steel plate so I can cover the two ends and use the two trapezoidal plates to contain the charcoal in he middle. Any help appreciated Thanks David

Poochie - is there a thread about Dennis instructions on the best way to load up charcoal basket and lighting coals that I can read more about? I have tried several methods and wondering about the best way? Do people use the charcoal basket splitter/reducer if they don’t need a full basket length of cooking time? Or just always go with full basket and reuse unburned charcoal afterwards for another cook?