Hello and excited to be a part of this community

[Newbie1925]

Hello all,

So I had joined this community in May and then in June purchased a 42 inch Komodo Kamado.  I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel as I received the final emails from Dennis that hopefully it is now on the truck making its way to NC.  I am really excited for it to get here and have been trolling this site for a long time, even before becoming a member.  In addition to purchasing the KK, I also purchased the cold smoking apparatus.  Does anyone else use this?  Do you use it for other smokes besides cold smoking (like brisket, pork etc)?  When I heard that it would p[rovide that clean smoke that all of us want, plus the benefit of cold smoking I added to my list.  Was just curious if anyone else uses it for other cooks besides cold smoking.  

Second question.  I see a lot of people using one of the BBQ guru devices or fans.  Is it absolutely necessary to get one of these?  I have been really impressed with the meater completely wireless thermometers and was thinking of getting that set up.  It looks like it would alert me if my temp starts changing.  I know it means I would need to wake up during the night of a long cook, but my job is such that I work long days and sometimes nights so that doesn't;t bother me as much.  I guess what I am asking is I should be able to hold a temperature without a Guru device pretty well right?  I really don't want to buy the guru or the billows device by thermoworks and the meater set up.  I think that might be overboard.  Anyways, thanks for the opportunity to  be a part of the group.  

[Pequod]

40 minutes ago, Newbie1925 said:

Hello all,

So I had joined this community in May and then in June purchased a 42 inch Komodo Kamado.  I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel as I received the final emails from Dennis that hopefully it is now on the truck making its way to NC.  I am really excited for it to get here and have been trolling this site for a long time, even before becoming a member.  In addition to purchasing the KK, I also purchased the cold smoking apparatus.  Does anyone else use this?  Do you use it for other smokes besides cold smoking (like brisket, pork etc)?  When I heard that it would p[rovide that clean smoke that all of us want, plus the benefit of cold smoking I added to my list.  Was just curious if anyone else uses it for other cooks besides cold smoking.  

Second question.  I see a lot of people using one of the BBQ guru devices or fans.  Is it absolutely necessary to get one of these?  I have been really impressed with the meater completely wireless thermometers and was thinking of getting that set up.  It looks like it would alert me if my temp starts changing.  I know it means I would need to wake up during the night of a long cook, but my job is such that I work long days and sometimes nights so that doesn't;t bother me as much.  I guess what I am asking is I should be able to hold a temperature without a Guru device pretty well right?  I really don't want to buy the guru or the billows device by thermoworks and the meater set up.  I think that might be overboard.  Anyways, thanks for the opportunity to  be a part of the group.  

Welcome! The answer to your first question is yes. The answer to your second question is no, but it’s nice to have for overnight cooks. The answer to your third question is yes.

[Mcjudsten]

Welcome! Agree w the above.  Here is a graph from a 42 without a temp control device.  Once dialed in they are pretty stable.

[Syzygies]

6 hours ago, Newbie1925 said:

Hello all,

Hi! You do realize your handle will be an inside joke, when you make your 1000th post as an expert in 10 years?

You don't need a controller. I'm always amazed how I can hit a target temperature first time I check, after lots of experience. It can wait, and you'll never learn if you don't try not using one. But you want a controller. If you do something that found the money for a 42, your idea of recreation is probably also doing seven things at once. (Today I have estrattu working from 40 lbs of Santa Cruz dry farmed Early Girl tomatoes (in a dehydrator I build myself), and a 22 quart stock pot filled to the brim with chicken stock, and I should really be lighting a fire for pheasant rather than answering you.)

When you're doing seven things at once, a controller is welcome.

Edited August 30, 2021 by Syzygies

[Newbie1925]

1 hour ago, Syzygies said:

Hi! You do realize your handle will be an inside joke, when you make your 1000th post as an expert in 10 years?

You don't need a controller. I'm always amazed how I can hit a target temperature first time I check, after lots of experience. It can wait, and you'll never learn if you don't try not using one. But you want a controller. If you do something that found the money for a 42, your idea of recreation is probably also doing seven things at once. (Today I have estrattu working from 40 lbs of Santa Cruz dry farmed Early Girl tomatoes (in a dehydrator I build myself), and a 22 quart stock pot filled to the brim with chicken stock, and I should really be lighting a fire for pheasant rather than answering you.)

When you're doing seven things at once, a controller is welcome.

I think you're right.  Probably need to wait on the controller until after I learn real well to cook with it.  Likely in the future then.  That is a pretty sweet set up for a dehydrator.  

[Dono]

Congrats and welcome to the forum and the “obsession” as @tony b would say!!  I’m sure you are going to love your KK. I know I do. It’s much easier to control the temp in the KK and recommend you learn those basics before you invest in a controller. You may decide you don’t need it.  I have been contemplating the cold smoker as an addition myself. Have heard a lot of great things about it. 

[tony b]

Welcome to the Obsession, as I'm often saying to new folks.

You can use the cold smoker on hot cooks.

I have had a Guru for many years and use it on my longer cooks, just for peace of mind.

MEATER+ or Block is a must have in my book for rotisserie cooks (no wires). I use mine a lot on other cooks, too. Plus, I have a 4 channel Maverick (XR-50) that I use often. 

[johnnymnemonic]

@Newbie1925I'm in the same boat as you; about to get my 42" sometime in the next couple of weeks.  I've been green egging for a long time. I don't even have a controller for my egg and have learned how to (almost always) keep the temperatures consistent even with inferior equipment.  I think temperature control with the KK is going to be way easier.

Anyway - I have decided not to get a controller for my KK, at least for the first few months.  I will get a probe because of the probe port.  (I don't have one of those yet, either, believe it or not).  I work in technology so I just like to go analog when I'm cooking.

Anyway - congrats, and I'm so glad to see another newbie on here.  I will be watching with interest if you continue to post as we have the same grill and we're both noobs.

 

[Newbie1925]

4 hours ago, johnnymnemonic said:

@Newbie1925I'm in the same boat as you; about to get my 42" sometime in the next couple of weeks.  I've been green egging for a long time. I don't even have a controller for my egg and have learned how to (almost always) keep the temperatures consistent even with inferior equipment.  I think temperature control with the KK is going to be way easier.

Anyway - I have decided not to get a controller for my KK, at least for the first few months.  I will get a probe because of the probe port.  (I don't have one of those yet, either, believe it or not).  I work in technology so I just like to go analog when I'm cooking.

Anyway - congrats, and I'm so glad to see another newbie on here.  I will be watching with interest if you continue to post as we have the same grill and we're both noobs.

 

Hey thats great you Are getting a 42.  I think I’m just going to wait on the Controller.  I don;t have a problem waking up if something goes wrong during a night cook.  I am going to pull the trigger I think on the meater wireless thermometers.  IT looks like a great system.  I would really like to get a rotisserie perhaps but I think I will be spending enough here initially with the grill, cover and cold smoker and if I get the meater thermometer.  I have never cooked with a Komodo style grill but have watched a lot of videos and just seems like if you take your time and don;t overshoot temps in getting it up to temp then you don;t suffer later since it is a lot harder to go back down in temperature.  

 

[johnnymnemonic]

@Newbie1925 I can tell you that using no probe, no alarm, etc I have gotten decent results on a Big Green Egg, even when going overnight.  Only a handful of times have I woken up to a grill that is too cold.  Heating up the grill without overshooting temp is easy with a Kamado.  You make sure you light enough charcoal, then close the lid with the bottom and top vents open.  The dome temperature gauge reaches your desired temp WELL before the grill is heat soaked.  Once the dome temp reaches your desired temp, then you close your vents down.  I've seen it a bunch with KKs, for 225 it's just that quarter turn up top.  When burning the grill in I think is a great time (as others have done) to start with vents constricted and slowly open them and register the temperatures so you get to know your vent settings from the getgo. 

As far as the longevity of a fire overnight, a lot of it has to do with the way you set your fire and what kind of charcoal you use.  Not having too many small pieces of charcoal inhibiting the airflow in the basket, for example.  Anyway, like you I'm looking at the meater.  I don't mind waking up, either. Now that I'm grilling / smoking on this level it feels like a drop in the bucket and more than ever I will want my food perfect.

As far as the rotisserie, I've read mixed reviews.  Some people on this forum say it's unnecessary and it's more equipment to store, etc.  But there are some stunning pictures of cooks using the rotisseries.  With as much cooking area as we have on the grates of our 42s and with such great refractory insulation, you don't really "need" a rotisserie to get fantastic results.  However, I'm sure there are some results that you can't replicate without one - like how crispy you can get the skin on a rotisserie chicken on all sides.  I'm sure you can achieve very similar results without one, but like everything there's an "ideal" solution and the rotisserie probably is an "ideal" solution for a couple of things.  For me, it's not the ideal solution for most of what I do and I think the things I would use a rotisserie for will still come out VERY good without one.  I don't want the extra equipment.  The main thing I do is smoke lots of meat (pork butts, ribs, briskets, etc) -  (and I grill as well). The 42 seemed like the ideal grill and because it is a KK, an amazing smoker too that I can use for a HUGE crowd.  

My guess is I'm going to be getting rid of my old BGE and gasser since this thing is so massive.  IDK maybe not - there's a practical use for multiple grills sometimes.  Anyway - I'm getting excited.  It's almost irrational how excited I am.

[johnnymnemonic]

@Newbie1925I am assuming your 42SBB has been stuck in the same container ship as mine.  If so, the ship is docked.  I think it's a couple weeks out now.  Getting excited?