KK temp holding - important learnings

[Greg_R]

I've been messing around with my new KK for a couple of cooks and think I've got most of the 'user error' problems ironed out. There are already a few resources detailing how to set the draft doors for a manual cook. However, I'm using the gas attachment to light my coals and a power draft unit (Rock Stoker) to hold the temp. There are a few important tips that I'd like to share (and I have a question at the bottom):

1) Light the coals with the gas attachment and then TURN OFF THE BURNER. It takes about 1-2 minutes to light the coals (you'll see white smoke exiting the cooker once the charcoal has caught). Do NOT keep the burner running to bring the unit up to temp. This will light a LOT of the charcoal and make temperature control very difficult. The goal is to have a very small fire in the cooker and have that fire slowly spread to other unlit charcoal over the duration of the cook. If you have too many lit coals then just a little bit of air will cause the internal cooker temp to spike significantly. Too much lit charcoal will also cause you to run out of coals before the end of a long cook.

2) Do not use the power draft units to drive the KK up to temp, use the draft doors. This will also light a lot of the coals and you will definitely get an overshoot on your target temp. An alternate method is to use the power draft unit and initially set your target temp about 25 degrees below your ideal temp. The overshoot will carry to your target and you can then reset the target temp to your actual temp. Example: for a 225 degree cook, set the blower to 200 and wait until it hits that temp and carries over. Once stabilized, set it to 225 and add your meat. BTW, even if you use manual control for the cook be sure to set things for low and slow with about 25 degrees to go... there will be overshoot to the target temp.

3) An alternate method to #1&2 is to fill the inner charcoal ring about 1/2 way with coals and keep the burner lit and blower on until everything is up to temp. Turn off the burner & then add unlit charcoal & wood chunks so they're level with the basket. This heats up the grill a lot faster.

4) Unplug or bypass the blower when you open the lid. Wait about 5 minutes until after you've closed the lid to start the blower back up. The grill temperature sensor will sense the cold air (when you open the lid) and run the fan for awhile after you've closed the KK lid... this will result in an overshoot of the temp.

5) The gas burner faceplate does not fit perfectly flush in my unit (due to the weight of the burner slightly deflecting the metal plate). I would recommend using the gas (for lighting) and then swapping it out for the normal faceplate on low & slow (air leakage isn't a problem for higher temps). The normal faceplate fits _very_ well. Perhaps the normal faceplate is built with the receiving part (i.e. a perfect match) before it's manufactured into the grill whereas the gas units are made separately?

Question: After about 10 hours of cooking, my temps tend to creep up past my target temp (i.e. for 225 degree setting they will creep up to ~ 235). Does anyone else experience this? Could it be an issue with how I have my charcoal in the basket? If not, I'll talk to Rock Stoker and see if it's in the controller's profile.

[Farmer John]

It seems that all cookers have a little something special that you have to look out for. It may be several things but here are the two that make the most sense.

Once cooker is COMPLETELY heat soaked, all the way out to the tiles, and you keep the top closed, your temp will rise a wee bit.

If you only light a little bit of coal and after some time the rest lights you can get some increase in temp. Either way it should not be a great amount since you have controlled your air intake and exhaust.

Just my two cents. Great write up, thanks!

John

[Fetzervalve]

Greg, I think your temp creep is likely related to passive air through your stoker fan. I have a guru and I have to close the guru fan damper at least half way or more to maintain low 200's. The air that will flow into the cooker when the fan is not operating can cause it to climb. I will assume that your fan does not operate when this happens. You want it pretty much be burning only the air it pumps in. I have not had any trouble getting the guru to take it up to temp with almost no overshoot, again it could be due to passive air. DJ will chime in here with a bunch of technical 'proportional band' BS, just let him get it off his chest.

[ThreeDJ16]

Greg' date=' I think your temp creep is likely related to passive air through your stoker fan. I have a guru and I have to close the guru fan damper at least half way or more to maintain low 200's. The air that will flow into the cooker when the fan is not operating can cause it to climb. I will assume that your fan does not operate when this happens. You want it pretty much be burning only the air it pumps in. I have not had any trouble getting the guru to take it up to temp with almost no overshoot, again it could be due to passive air. DJ will chime in here with a bunch of technical 'proportional band' BS, just let him get it off his chest. [/quote']

Actually, after reading the info provided at "The Naked Whiz" site on his review of the Stoker, it has a built in door that closes when the Stoker fan is not operating.

Also, I never had any trouble with temp holding, even 200 or lower and I set my Guru damper at 3/4 open.

-=Jasen=-

[Greg_R]

There may be an issue with the door on the stoker fan because the duct is not entirely level (KK plug hole is at an angle). I'm going to research this further and contact Rock's BBQ. It has been windy here so another possibility is that the wind is blowing through the intake, past the fan and into the KK.

For now I can live with the 10 degree issue (vs. the 80-100 degree issue I was having before when too many coals were lit).

[rorkin]

Not to be a BBQ heretic but I wonder just how much difference in taste or texture a 10 degree increase in temperature in the last few hours of a long cook can make.. Dryness is at that point a function of air flow and since the guru or equivalent keeps the air flow to minimum.

Perhaps the 10 degrees yields a distinction without a difference

[ThreeDJ16]

Not to be a BBQ heretic but I wonder just how much difference in taste or texture a 10 degree increase in temperature in the last few hours of a long cook can make.. Dryness is at that point a function of air flow and since the guru or equivalent keeps the air flow to minimum.

Perhaps the 10 degrees yields a distinction without a difference

Actually, I learned I like it better to cook 10-20 degrees higher than some of the so called "standard temps". I don't just do it at the end, but the entire process. And most of the time, I use direct verses indirect as a combo of these two things, seems to emulate pit cooking BBQ, which is the local style. The final product is not so mushy, rather a bit more firm but still tender. I hate ribs and que that turn to mush on you. So generally I would use 235-240 for pork and 245 for beef.

-=Jasen=-