Heat Deflector

[Tyrus]

When I received my KK a package of extras were included with it. One of those things included was a Stainless Steel dish 16 and 1/4in in diameter. Until yesterday the dish never found a purpose and just hung around my cooking station on a shelf. My recent purchase of a new Gateway Barrel cooker needed a diffuser over the fire, a purchase I was reluctant to order because of it's design. I found the holes extremely large and numerous on their version so I decided to make my own prototype and find a use for this piece. I drilled out approx 60 holes 1/2 in and 3/8 in following a simple pattern which would encompass the whole dish and distribute the heat slowly and evenly.  Dennis included a heat deflector with our KK's that most people have set aside because of it's mass and now prefer to use foil. I'm hoping to use it in the KK as well.  

Edited March 30, 2020 by Tyrus

[MacKenzie]

Oh my goodness, my serving tray/heat deflector, you put holes in it. I use it all the time as a deflector, love that dish.   A heat deflector that looks so awesome it could be used as a serving tray.  I am not going to let you near my serving tray.

Now that you've gone and done that dirty deed, I hope it works for you.

[BIGSHEP]

So you decided that 60 holes should do it. 

[Tyrus]

1 hour ago, MacKenzie said:

Now that you've gone and done that dirty deed

Yah, dirtier the better, just don't tell Dennis

29 minutes ago, BIGSHEP said:

So you decided that 60 holes should do it. 

I had in mind an idea to keep the dish mostly solid and the 60 holes of that size was comfortable enough for a balance to let an amount of energy through while deflecting the rest.  The dish should also stay flat without much warping due the heat because of the layout of the holes. See what works I guess, has anyone else used the dish, haven't seen anyone talk too much about it

[tony b]

I've used it as my heat deflector on occasion where I expect a lot of fat/drippings, like on a butt; otherwise, I use aluminum foil on ribs, etc. 

Will be interested in hearing how it works out for you. Good way to repurpose something to be useful.

[tekobo]

I use mine all the time as a heat deflector.  I wrap the tray in foil and add water to reduce the smoke from drippings that might otherwise burn off.  Were the holes to stop warping or to diffuse rather than deflect the heat?  I have had no problems with warping, even when the dish was placed directly on the bars of the fire basket.  Anyway, have fun with your new to you toy.  

[Tyrus]

Having the holes allows some of the heat to pass through while the remainder is directed to the edges. The balance between the two is the goal. The dish is positioned to catch the heat as pictured in the KK.  Easier than foil, no muss, no fuss. 

[mguerra]

What is currently being supplied with the 23" as a heat deflector? When I got mine years ago I seem to recall it was the stainless dish/platter in conjunction with a thick ceramic disc. Or actually it may have been a ceramic shaped in the OTB form so it tightly conformed to the inner contour of the cooker. Whatever I had is long gone, and I cut the handles off a Bayou Classic cast iron round griddle and use that sitting on top of the fire basket. I think I would prefer a ceramic stone. Once I took one of those pyramidal cooking baskets and filled it up with volcanic rocks and set that on the fire basket. It was fantastic as a deflector but got just disgusting with all the fat and goo it caught up in all the crevices!

 

[mguerra]

NM. I found it on the store. 42 bucks for the stone and 30 for the shipping!! Oh well, gotta have it.

[Basher]

What is currently being supplied with the 23" as a heat deflector? When I got mine years ago I seem to recall it was the stainless dish/platter in conjunction with a thick ceramic disc. Or actually it may have been a ceramic shaped in the OTB form so it tightly conformed to the inner contour of the cooker. Whatever I had is long gone, and I cut the handles off a Bayou Classic cast iron round griddle and use that sitting on top of the fire basket. I think I would prefer a ceramic stone. Once I took one of those pyramidal cooking baskets and filled it up with volcanic rocks and set that on the fire basket. It was fantastic as a deflector but got just disgusting with all the fat and goo it caught up in all the crevices!
 

It’s the same today mcguerra.
However, tin foil across a lower grate does the same job and is less cumbersome.
I’ve been doing this with my foil and it works well- deflector, and catches the drips.

Out of an old kamado book I found.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[tony b]

Yeah, Doc. No one, not even Dennis, uses that big heavy ceramic heat deflector any more. Just wastes too much charcoal trying to heat it up and really slows down the heat up time. Most of us use the drip pan that came with the KK or just a layer of aluminum foil on the lower grate, if you're not expecting a lot of drippings. Main purpose is to block the infrared from directly hitting the food, letting the convection air do the low & slow. The foil does that and makes clean up a snap - no goo or burnt drippings on the stone to contend with on the next cook. 

[mguerra]

I know about the foil trick, but it doesn't seem right to me. However, I have not tested my "feeling". It seems the foil is so thin it just can't deflect at all. But, testing will reveal the truth. I have actually used the foil method. It's fast easy and clean. I covered the middle grate with it. But, I have an old school, giant, thick ceramic one on order. They sell them in the store. For now the 1/4" thick Bayou Classic cast iron is sufficing. I cut the handles off and stashed the three legs, which are nice stainless BTW!

https://www.bayouclassicfryers.com/bc/bayou-classic-7488-cast-iron-campfire-griddle.html

 

[Tyrus]

Foil smoil.  I'm looking around the corner for something different to try, repurposed, another approach. If you continue along the same path all you'll see is the same ol scenery but take a different direction and things change and who knows it might even look better. Foils good, the cast iron could be the trick, today I did 6 racks of ribs with the heat deflector full of holes, worked fine. It's not that I think what's there isn't any good, I'm trying to spin it and see what may work better,.. at least for me. Basher , I don't remember reading that book but that's exactly how I used to make my trays when nothing was around to use. In college when we ran out of papers foil could be fashioned into a good pipe. Would you believe at one time Aluminum sold for $1000 an ounce....along comes some guy called Reynolds and develops a process to produce it at .18 cents a lb. The Washington monument was capped in Aluminum once. Choices, there are a few...some choose differently. Stay safe, stay Covid free and above all keep the fire burning in your KK. Feed a friend

[Bruce Pearson]

I use the broiler tray from my gas range in the house for a heat deflector, drip pan. I can put foil in it if I have a mind to, but I don’t have much of a mind so I usually forget.

iIm with Mac on the fancy drip pan that came with my KK. I am using mine as a serving they. Awhile back I was walking by a dollar store and in the window was a huge tray that looks almost exactly like the one that came with the KK, but this is about 3 ft. across so I bought it. Duh, I don’t know why I bought It I guess because it matched the smaller one, good reason right? I guess I’ll use it as a humongous serving tray For large get togethers, or as shield for the zombie apocalypse! Seems like I’m rambling on here guess I’ve been sheltering at home too long. Everybody stay safe and sane

 

[Syzygies]

16 hours ago, Tyrus said:

Foil smoil.

Cast iron rusts.

For many years I used an unglazed 16" terra cotta plant saucer from a box store. I'd use it by itself as a heat deflector, lined with heavy duty foil to double as a drip pan. Each one would last a few years then crack, but they don't cost much. Still the inexpensive solution I'd recommend to anyone. I love my "official" double bottom heat deflector, drip pan, but one could buy decades of terra cotta plant saucers for the same money.

[Tyrus]

4 hours ago, Bruce Pearson said:

as shield for the zombie apocalypse!

Sir Bruce Pearson, a knight of the round table. That tray was a calling.

41 minutes ago, Syzygies said:

Cast iron rusts.

You know, we'll both be pushin daisies and that iron will still be rustin. I like rust, it's what they add to aloe to give you that wipe on suntan. All kidding aside.........can't beat the double pan, built like a tank.

[tony b]

18 hours ago, Tyrus said:

In college when we ran out of papers foil could be fashioned into a good pipe.

Been there, done that!

18 hours ago, Tyrus said:

Would you believe at one time Aluminum sold for $1000 an ounce....along comes some guy called Reynolds and develops a process to produce it at .18 cents a lb.

It was so sought after, more precious than gold at the time. Napoleon had a set of flatware made of it to show off at his state dinners. 

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/11/aluminum-was-once-one-of-the-most-expensive-metals-in-the-world/382447/

[tony b]

21 hours ago, mguerra said:

I know about the foil trick, but it doesn't seem right to me. However, I have not tested my "feeling". It seems the foil is so thin it just can't deflect at all. But, testing will reveal the truth.

As a mechanical engineer (PE ret.), trust me on this one, Doc. It works well. Just wrap the aluminum foil around the grate rods on each end to hold it in place. You're not really trying to block airflow, but the infrared radiation coming directly off the hot coals. 

[Syzygies]

20 hours ago, Tyrus said:

Would you believe at one time Aluminum sold for $1000 an ounce....along comes some guy called Reynolds and develops a process to produce it at .18 cents a lb.

And that's basically the cost of the electricity.

We got out of the Great Depression through pork barrel projects like building dams everywhere we could, even though this generated far more electricity than we needed. Then came along World War II. We could build aluminum fighter planes faster than the Germans could shoot them down.

Ohne Aluminium würden wir Deutsch sprechen.

Edited May 3, 2020 by Syzygies

[tony b]

21 hours ago, Syzygies said:

Ohne Aluminium würden wir Deutsch sprechen.

Ja, wir würden! 😄