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jmagaram

How to get grill up to desired temperature quickly

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I've only been cooking on the KK for a couple weeks now and am still getting the hang of achieving my desired temperature. For the first few cooks it got too hot. Recently what I've done is lit a single paraffin started cube, closed the lid, and immediately set the dampers to where I think I'll get the desired temp. So if it is 250 degrees, for example, I'll close the dampers almost all the way. Then I just wait and wait. It can take a very long time - like over an hour - to get the grill up to my desired temperature.

I watched a video for a different kamado where the cook used a different approach. He progressively closed down the dampers as it was heating up. For example, maybe the dampers were completely open for 10 minutes before he closed them down a bit. And when the temp got to 150 he closed them more. And when the temp got to 200 he closed them more. And so on.

I'm wondering what people do to quickly get the grill up to say 225, 300, and 400. Does the progressive approach work? Or do you just need to be very patient and initially set the dampers where you want them in the end?

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For the low temps, I rarely  will set the  Air Flow settings  to the "final"  opening.  That will take a long time.   I will open the bottom about  1/3 open,   and spin the top  control  1 to 1 1/2  times  open...may be 2 times.      I have  used the small lighter cubes,  but now will  use  a torch  and  light just in the middle of coals...not all over.     I tend  to  get  it going  but will keep an eye on it, and  start dialing it down  as  i get closer to desired temps.    I rarely  go  over  desired  temps at start up.   My experience has been  as long   as you are watching  temp go up  and  back it down  very close  to your desired  temp...you will not get an  out of control fire.    If  you want  350,  I  will pretty much get to that  temp,  with wider than desired  air flow settings,  and  then turn the  settings  down to where "i know they should be",  and  everything settles  down.     If  i want  350,  but come back and the fire is  500 or more,  then there could be problems.   As you learn,  you won't  get  out of control fires.

 

Now when cooking at high temps, for steaks and pizza,  you  can get very hot very fast....once  at  500 or 550,   you open up the settings  too much and it will take off fast.   Be careful at high temps  and watch temp closely so  you don't  get super hot fires...

 

 

If  i am really in  a hurry for   the higher temps,   I will spin the top  several full rotations and open the bottom dial  wide....BUT,  you  must  be  handy and alert and  watch closely....i don't do this very often.    You go get  a beer and  talk to wife  for  a second and  you could  lose  control....  It seems  there is  a point  where it goes slow and you think it is under control....then  it takes  off fast.  Watch out for that...

 

my  2 cents...

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How much charcoal do you all use ?  I seem to have a hard time getting the temp up.  I open the bottom vent all the way and the top vent a couple of times and it takes a while to get the temp up.  I even open up the vent in the back as well to get it going.  What am I doing wrong ?  I seem to be in a Funk lately with my KK.

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Make sure your ash is cleared out. If the ash is built up under the basket, this will restrict airflow.

 

Charcoal - be sure you do not fill the basket with small pieces, these small pieces pack together and restrict airflow.

Airflow is king.

 

I always ensure I use larger pieces in the bottom of the basket and for starting it, I pile smalls on top.

 

It is really that simple; ensure airflow under and through the charcoal.

 

Vents:

Upper vent - I open it 2-3 full turns.

Lower vent - I open it all the way. I do not pull out the unit, just open the vent.

I monitor the temp and as I get within 25 degrees, I close the vents down ~50%-60%. (usually 2-3 beers)

Continue to monitor and when at temp target adjust vents to suit target temp.

For example - 250 degrees = top vent @ 1/8 turn, bottom vent @ 1/8" open.

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I'm wondering what people do to quickly get the grill up to say 225, 300, and 400. Does the progressive approach work? Or do you just need to be very patient and initially set the dampers where you want them in the end?

 

I mostly cook on the sear grill on the low handles close to the charcoal at about 425 dome or on the main grill or close to the dome on the sear grill on the tall handles at 350 to 475 dome.There is no way I have the patience to wait an hour or more for the KK to come up to temp and heat soak so I pull the door out all the way and spin the top wide open and light with a torch in 4 places for a full basket and 2 places with the splitter basket. For a fast cook, close to the coals, I close the door and most of the top when the Tru Tel gets to 400 or so. For a longer cook on the main grill or high in the dome, I start shutting down more gradually about 100 deg from my target temp. It takes much longer for the grill to go from 0 to 300 than 300 to off the scale high so you need to anticipate this and be right there with the KK once the Tel Tru begins to climb. It also helps if you do not get distressed at a temp 25 deg or so higher or lower than you originally anticipated. On the occasion that I do a low and slow cook, I shut down the vents and turn on the Stoker once the Tel Tru is at about 200 deg. It's harder to control a low and slow cook manually if you're trying to get the KK to temp quickly. The great thing about the KK is that it works for everybody - those who want to lounge around the patio waiting on the grill and those who want to get in and out as soon as practicable. You will get better at bringing the KK to temp the more you do it.    

                     

                                                                                                                                                            Susan 

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The great thing about the KK is that it works for everybody - those who want to lounge around the patio waiting on the grill and those who want to get in and out as soon as practicable. You will get better at bringing the KK to temp the more you do it.    

                     

                                                                                                                                                            Susan 

 

^ This!   Coupled with the 1/2 basket set-up you can get up to a variety of temps quickly; no time penalty compared to my former LPG SS grill system.   It will just take a new KK owner, much like any cooking device, some time to get cozy with the processes for the variety of cooking/grilling goals...as it did for me (with the generous help and input from forum members in here and Dennis)

 

But for my pizza baking sessions I do like to build an initial heat soaking fire...about an hour or more if time permits...before loading the basket (full basket for pizzas) for a longer and higher temp bake-off ala Neapolitan style dough requires (or at least the results are better at a higher temp ;))

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Dan: My hat is off to you and also Tony, Hector, Peter, Firemonkey and all our other members who post those fantastic, mouth watering pizzas cooked on the KK.  I wouldn't mind waiting for the KK to preheat for an hour or more for that knowing that the radiant hot heat off the dome is so important to the cooking process for Neapolitan style pizza.  That is a specialty indeed and a unique feature of the KK. I just want prospective owners as well as our new owners to know that you can do a wonderful every day type cook on the KK from start to finish in well less than an hour. And, I'm not missing out on my adult beverages cooking fast either!!    

 

                                                                                                                                 Susan   

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