ak43 Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I got my KK about 1.5 months ago. My wife said the best roast chicken she has ever had for my beer can chicken. Moving it in wasn't that difficult but dialing in the temps can be a bit tricky. Overall, a great cooking tool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linuxwrangler Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Re: New board member ...but dialing in the temps can be a bit tricky... A notebook can be very handy when starting out. Provided that 1. you start with enough charcoal, 2. nothing is blocked with ash or such and 3. everything is adjusted so you don't have leaks messing with you then settings are very repeatable. Just remember that it is like a tanker - it reacts to changes in settings very slowly so once you have set things, don't touch them till the temp stabilizes. Then make a note of your damper settings. Try adjusting only one thing at a time - i.e. take a guess on the bottom damper settings and then note temps at various top damper settings. You might want to make an afternoon of it. Perhaps start by opening the bottom damper wide and cracking the top 1/4 turn (note: I still have a K, not a KK and the thread pitches and damper styles are different so 1/4 turn may not be quite right but should be OK for starting your experiments). Light the coals, crack a cold one and drink slowly. When done, note your temps in your notebook. Open another 1/8 turn, crack another, repeat. I can now generally nail my most common temps from memory almost as easily as setting the dial on the oven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak43 Posted August 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 temps Thanks, I can get and stay at 350 for the beer can chicken style recipe. However, I was utterly unable to get to 200 and maintain it without the fire going out. (It was Trader Joe's briquettes, last time I buy that charcoal.) I am thinking of "cheating" and getting a BBQ guru for low & slow cooks. The high temps 400-450 are pretty easy but once you are up there you are pretty much stuck up there. I tried a high temp grill for lunch, then to bring it down to 350 or so for roast chicken for dinner and that was a challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Welcome aboard. I am also a newbie, just learning the secrets of temp control. Like you, I have been doing beer butt chicken for some time, have a sheet metal base and stand that conducts heat better than a flimsy aluminum beer can. I would start with the bottom vent open about 1/3, top open one full turn. For me, this usually results in temps that start out at 250+, creep up to 350 within 20 minutes. I have been adding soaked chips to the fire, so that also probably depresses the temps until the chips burn up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finney - Iron Pig BBQ Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I don't even have a KK yet. But welcome to the forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 The user manual has pictures of draft door and top settings for some common temperatures. I have found them generally spot on for me so experimentation hasn't really been necessary. It has only required a little faith and a lot of patience. As was said earlier, temperature changes can be slow if you are only making small tweaks. I typically start out wide open and dial back when I get near my target temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak43 Posted August 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Jeff B That is how I got to a stable 350. But low & slow is trickier and the previous poster's reverse sear will make the high-temp grilling much much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Re: Jeff B But low & slow is trickier and the previous poster's reverse sear will make the high-temp grilling much much easier. I wouldn't say the 200-225 of a low and slow is any trickier. The lower draft wheel should be open about the width of a dime and the top just cracked to a half turn open. Assuming your draft doors are sealing properly (push on all four corners to make sure there is no movement) then those settings should be good and only a minor tweak after heat soak will be necessary. Just do a couple pork butts without a Guru/Stoker and you should be a pro at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Re: temps However, I was utterly unable to get to 200 and maintain it without the fire going out. Always make sure you have airflow going out the damper top.. Closing the top is the reason your fire will die 99% of the time. Having a little wood for smoke in your first cooks also helps you visualize how much airflow you have. Please check to make sure you are using the TWO POSITION latch.. First position engages when the top is closed.. Then press down firmly on the handle and press the latch towards the body.. It will be a little tight at first but will get easier to close as the gasket breaks down a bit.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ak43 Posted August 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 2 position latch is key Dennis: Thanks, the 2 position latch is key. As a newbie I burned a couple baskets of charcoal trying to snuff the fire using the 1st latch position. OOPS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loquitur Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 I'm new to a KK as well and also new to charcoal cooking generally. I am able to start and maintain low temps but am very careful to only light one small area of the coals with my torch to start when I'm doing so. I then open things up to get it within 50 degs or so of the target temp and then set the dials as shown in the manual. If the fire is too large or too hot to start, I can't maintain low temps, no matter how I set the dials. I do need to watch the temps closely in the beginning and make small adjustments with the top damper, such as 1/4 turn might result in a 10 deg difference. I'm hoping to put my Stoker in operation once Dennis has the new adapter available to avoid the "watching closely" part, which is inconvenient for me. Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seanwiley Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 hitting lower temps Someone said "However, I was utterly unable to get to 200 and maintain it without the fire going out." One helpful suggestion made to me when hitting lower temps is to simply not start too much charcoal burning in the first place. I use a chimney, not a torch and when aiming for something low start about 10 - 12 of the coconut briquettes. I drop them on top of some woodchunks and more charcoal inside the cooker. When I first started I think I was lighting too much and as mentioned many times, once you've overshot it is very hard to get low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CampCreekCooker Posted September 4, 2009 Report Share Posted September 4, 2009 New member and KK owner I got my KK the first of July and have been enjoying it emenssely. Maybe I was just lucky but the first charcoal I tried was Kingsford Charwood and I have have great success. Nice uniform chunks and low ash. I posted about problems keeping temps down with the Stoker and will try the tips I received this weekend. One of my best efforts was a turkey that I brined using a recipe from the food channel and then roasted it on the KK just as if it were in the oven. 450 degrees for 30 minuted and then down to 350 for a total of 2-1/2 hours. Perfect! I love the KK. I cook every weekend and keep my family and other relatives supplied with great BBQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
