Komodo-Kamado Another 1st

[Tucker]

low temp

I smoked some white fish last year @ 130. (made smoked fish dip out of it).

I lit a top down fire with my electric hoop lighter from ACE hardware.

I used the BBQ Guru to manage the temp.

The Top was at about 1/8-1/16 turn.

I don't recall any issues with keeping the temp steady.

Without the BBQ Guru, I'd assume you'd have to light a small amount of coal on top and slowly get her to temp with the bottom vent open very slightly and the top at 1/8 or so.

Oh... BTW... if you smoke fish like this, be sure to heat the KK up for a while after you are done, else it'll smell like a fish mongers apron.

[bryan]

Re: Low temp control..

Joe,

Great cook but would you please share the techniques you used to maintain these low temps..

I've played around trying to maintain your 140º and it's not easy..

Photos of the set up would be all that much better..

Thanks for boldly going where no charcoal cook has gone before..

See note at bottom.

Time KK C1 S'C AMB Guru Remarks

7:28a 102 --- --- 63 .110

7:44 --- --- ---

7:50 97 60 60

7:56 102 61 61

8:02 101 62 62

8:04 99 62 62

8:08 98 63 62

8:10 95 63 63

8:12 93 64 63

8:14 92 64 63

8:16 89 65 63

8:20 87 66 64 65

8:22 86 67 64

8:24 84 68 65

8:26 83 68 65

8:30 82 70 67 Fan on 100%

8:32 82 71 67

8:34 81 72 68

8:36 79 72 68 used torch

8:38 72 72 68

8:40 92 73 69 top 90 deg

8:42 90 73 69

8:44 88 73 69

8:46 86 74 70

8:48 84 74 70

8:50 78 74 70 Added 2 hot lumps. Guru set 99.

8:52 83 75 70

8:58 87 75 71

9:04 110 76 72 69

9:08 137 76 72 110 Top almost closed. Fan 50%.

Break 80 80 Enzymes activated

10:10 126 102 91

10:12 125 103 92

10:14 124 105 92

10:16 124/3 106 93

10:18 124 106 94

10:20 125 107 96 76

10:22 126 108 97 112

10:24 129 110 98

10:26 132 111 99 100

10:28 139 112 101

10:34 146 112 102

Break

11:16 124 118 109 78

11:18 125 119 110

11:20 125 119 111

11:22 125 119 111

11:24 126 120 111 110

11:26 126 119/8 111/0

11:28 126 118 110 Started heat runaway

11:30 128 118 111

11:36 134 120 112

11:38 130 120 111

11:40 134 120 112 79

12:00 182 122 113 Enzymes denatured.

12:02 201 121 112

12:04 204 120 111

12:14 180 120 111

12:16 175 121 112 82

12:20 170 122 112

12:22 164 122 112

12:24 160 123 112

12:26 158 124 113

12:28 156 125 114

12:30 154 125 113

12:32 151 125 114

12:34 150 126 115

12:36 149 127 116

12:38 147 129 116

12:40 145 129 116

12:44 143 130 117

12:48 142 131 118

12:50 141 131 118

12:52 140 131 120

12:54 140 132 120

12:56 140 133 120

12:58 140 133 120

1:00 139 133/2 120

1:02 139 134 120 83

1:04 139 134 120

1:08 139 134 120/1

1:12 140 134 121

1:14 140 134 122

1:16 140 134 122 120 Pit set top opened to finish cook

1:18 141 134 122

1:20 142 134 122

1:22 143 134 123

1:24 144 134 123

1:26 146 134 123

1:28 148 134 122

1:30 150 133 122

1:32 152 132 121 83 120

1:34 155 133 122

1:36 156 133 122

1:38 159 132 122 Enzymes denatured.

1:40 162 133 123

1:42 164 134 124

1:44 166 134 124

1:46 168 133 124

1:48 170 134 125

1:50 171 134 125

1:50 170 132 125

1:52 171 132 125

1:54 172 132 125/4 83 150

1:56 170 134 125

1:58 169 134 125

2:00 168 135 126

2:02 168 135 126 175

2:04 169 136 126

2:06 176 136 126

2:08 191 136 126

2:10 199 136 126

2:12 200 136 126

2:14 199 136 126

2:16 197 137 127

2:18 194 137 127 opened top vent 1"

2:20 192 137 127 85

2:22 194 137 127

2:24 200 137 127

2:26 203 137 127

2:28 205 138 128

2:30 206 139 129 ./

2:32 206 139 129

2:34 205 140 130 Pulled Dbl foiled, wrapped in 3ply newspaper.

Break

2:44 226 ---- 132

2:46 228 ---- 133

2:48 229 ---- 133/4

2:50 229 ---- 134

2:52 227 ---- 133

2:54 225 ---- 134

Break

3:06 224 ---- 133

3:10 228 ---- 133 Turned roast

3:12 242 ---- 134

3:14 242 ---- 134

3:16 241 ---- 135 86 175

3:18 238 ---- 135

3:20 236 ---- 135 Pulled at 142.

Eye Rnd 10 20 10

2 * eye round roast

Red Top for rub.

Royal Oak lump lit well then placed top center of 1/2 full basket. Covered w/more lump. Guru fan vent 100% open. Top vent barely cracked.

2 eye round's on KK. C 1= 3# and S'Cs= 5#

Meat probes pushed into middle of ends up to bend on probe.

Temp probe clipped onto probe C1.

Using the Guru:

When heat starts to runaway, close the top vent.

There is no special set up. I think the heat runaways are caused by small lump igniting. All of my Royal Oak is in sml lumps. Cowboy or a large lump charcoal give better control. Amount of lump is not a problem. It's in the size of the fire. At these temps I have not been able to work out a set it and forget plan. These two roast turned out good but not as a good texture as the last couple. Taste was outstanding on both. I bought from two separate sources and did not notice anything to make a difference.

The C1 roast pulled at 140 was pink and the softest of the two roast.

The S'C roast pulled at 142 had started to toughen up and was a slight bit darker inside. Not pink from side to side.

Joe Bryan

[jdbower]

My technique was to open the top damper all the way and use the propane starter (which lights the coals from below) until I reached about 100F. Once that happened I removed the burner, closed and then cracked the top damper, and let the Stoker take over. I was able to have it stabilize to 160F without any issue, and adjustments to as low as 145F were pretty easy - while it takes a long time to bleed off heat at these low temperatures once I got there it was pretty stable. Yet another nod to the KK design and materials to be able to hold temps that low with that kind of stability. Of course, using the KK extruded coconut charcoal also helps, I'm sure.

[bryan]

You have a good point going to 160 then down. Coming the other way as I have been doing is not for the average bear. Takes constant monitoring and tinkering. What were your set temps for the Stoker? Wonder if they will be relative for the Guru?

We are close to an answer everyone will be able to use. Next is to find where it starts turn to away from tender toward mushy.

Hope you keep trying.

Joe

[jdbower]

As far as my Stoker setup is concerned, I've got the 10CFM fan on my 23" cooker (probably overkill). I had two meat probes in the roast (one was a little flaky, I think there was some moisture in the plug end) and one pit probe at meat level on the main grill. As far as the settings, I just dialed in the temperature I wanted (145-160F depending on the timeframe) and the Stoker took care of the rest. I never doublechecked the accuracy, but considering I use a lightbulb and a relay in my oven to proof yogurt at 105F I don't have any reason to suspect the temperature was off.

Hope that answers your question about the Stoker set temps, wasn't quite sure what you were looking for. Unless the Guru doesn't allow you to set temperatures that low for some reason.

[bryan]

It will set the temps but... below about 150 its a problem and Amb temp plays a big roll.

[bryan]

Jeff

The answer seems to be in the heat control unit.

My Guru has heat control problems below 150 deg.

Your Stoker has no heat control problems down to 130.

Everyone with a Stoker may be able to set temp to 140 (or desired internal temp) and have no problems with the cook.

I can't do the test... no Stoker.

With the Guru the cook can be done.. but you must constantly monitor and make adjustments.