Lance Posted May 4, 2019 Report Share Posted May 4, 2019 Hello everyone I've been owning a Big Green Egg for 10 years I love the taste and the juiciness of the meat and food. I heard about the KK a week ago on YouTube and been on the Forum every since. I understand about the quality and manufacturing of the KK but how can it be said that the juiciness and the taste of the KK is better than the egg? My ribeye steaks come out so juicy and fall apart tender that I'm just curious about this question? The wife and I have six kids and the 32 looks very interesting to me. Thank you in advance for your answers. Lance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pequod Posted May 4, 2019 Report Share Posted May 4, 2019 16 minutes ago, Lance said: Hello everyone I've been owning a Big Green Egg for 10 years I love the taste and the juiciness of the meat and food. I heard about the KK a week ago on YouTube and been on the Forum every since. I understand about the quality and manufacturing of the KK but how can it be said that the juiciness and the taste of the KK is better than the egg? My ribeye steaks come out so juicy and fall apart tender that I'm just curious about this question? The wife and I have six kids and the 32 looks very interesting to me. Thank you in advance for your answers. Lance Hi Lance. Welcome aboard! Here’s my take: at the end of the day, if you really know your way around the egg, the differences will be subtle and reflected more in the experience and ease of getting great results. That said, one key difference is the distance from the firebox to the main grate. In an egg or KJ, the fire is very close, requiring extra measures to deflect the heat. In a KK, the extra distance is often sufficient buffer to keep things from being incinerated. Eggs are well insulated. KKs even more so. In a 32, two zone cooking is a breeze. In an egg or KJ...a bit more challenging, but it can be done. Hope that helps. You’d love a 32 for your size family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted May 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2019 Thank you for your answer so what you are saying is that there's not much difference in The Taste but just the distance between the fire and the food in the KK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pequod Posted May 4, 2019 Report Share Posted May 4, 2019 3 minutes ago, Lance said: Thank you for your answer so what you are saying is that there's not much difference in The Taste but just the distance between the fire and the food in the KK? That distance, both vertically and side to side, means a gentler heat that’s less likely to dry food out. Kamados are good at retaining moisture. Kks even more so. You’ll notice the difference the most with chicken. It’s almost impossible to cook chicken that isn’t super moist on a KK. But again, if you really know your way around the egg you’ll probably notice the difference most in how easy and forgiving the KK is relative to the egg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted May 4, 2019 Report Share Posted May 4, 2019 24 minutes ago, Lance said: Thank you for your answer so what you are saying is that there's not much difference in The Taste but just the distance between the fire and the food in the KK? It's a bit more than just distance. The extra insulation a KK provides means you are running a much smaller fire and less air is flowing through it for a given temperature compared to other ceramic Kamados. Less air flowing for a given temperature means less moisture is loss in the air flow. The biggest immediate indication of this is the temperature of the dome on the outside. When fully heat soaked at 400* you'll burn yourself putting your palm down on a BGE dome for anything but a second or two. On a KK at 400* you could keep your palm down on the dome for an almost indefinate time without burning yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted May 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2019 Thank you for your answer also I really would like to see one of these grills before purchasing I wonder if there's anyone in South Carolina I live in Sumter South Carolina Columbia is an hour away I am willing to drive 2 or 3 hours to see one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony b Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 As Charles (ckreef) noted, the reduced airflow for the same temperature is the key here - there is no "bypass" airflow in the KK, as opposed to other ceramic grill designs. ALL the air flows through the firebox, so less airflow through the grill overall for the same temperature. Charles did an experiment a number of years ago intentionally trying to dry out a whole chicken in the KK - couldn't do it, short of incinerating the bird into charcoal! I've owned 2 other ceramic grill designs and have cooked a number of times on a BGE - sorry, no comparison! Plus, my favorite thing about the KK over the BGE - Dennis doesn't nickel & dime you over basically essential accessories - everything you need to do most cooks is included. The handful of accessories are just that - accessories - pizza stone, rotisserie rod/baskets, cold smoker. Jump on in the deep end of the pool - you won't regret it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted May 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 Wow thank you for that explanation Tony B you guys are wonderful and very smart with these KK's I will definitely have to start saving more than just pennies to get the 32 if it be the Lord's will in due time I will get it. Hopefully someone that lives within a reasonable distance will chime in I still would like to see one in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5698k Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 To be technically picky, there is no ceramic material in a kk, it has three different layers, and is actually insulated. The efficiency is off the chain. This allows a much lower airflow situation, thus the food doesn’t dry out nearly as much. Grills actually made of ceramic material, (eggs etal) aren’t insulated per se, just the fact that the material doesn’t transmit heat as easily as a metal, but will still heat up significantly, causing more airflow necessary to keep the desired temperature. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 59 minutes ago, Lance said: Hopefully someone that lives within a reasonable distance will chime in I still would like to see one in person. Well I live 4 hours away. I have a 19" table top KK and a 16" table top KK. I'm sure there is someone closer than me that has a freestanding KK. (that would be more in tune to what you want). If push comes to shove I'm sure I could give you a resonable demonstration of a KK in action. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted May 5, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 Where do you live, in Raleigh or close to it in that direction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckreef Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 1 hour ago, Lance said: Where do you live, in Raleigh or close to it in that direction? Near Macon GA. Google maps says 3:55 away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pequod Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) 10 hours ago, Lance said: Wow thank you for that explanation Tony B you guys are wonderful and very smart with these KK's I will definitely have to start saving more than just pennies to get the 32 if it be the Lord's will in due time I will get it. Hopefully someone that lives within a reasonable distance will chime in I still would like to see one in person. If you can swing the 32, I highly recommend. Don’t miss the point about two-zone grilling. Very hard to do with a BGE, but a breeze on a 32. That flexibility alone will change your game. Also possible on a 23, especially with the new warming grate, but for your size family a 32 makes the most sense. https://amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/grill-and-smoker-setup-and-firing/how-control-temperature-indirect Edited May 5, 2019 by Pequod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tucker Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 Lance - I am 4:20 away in Fruit Cove FL. I have one 19.5" and two 23"; be happy to host link to another part of this forum. latest pic is w/ two pebble gills 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 Hey Lance. I have a 32, and live about an hour away from you. I’d be happy to let you look it over or try it out. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stile88 Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 19 hours ago, Lance said: Hello everyone I've been owning a Big Green Egg for 10 years I love the taste and the juiciness of the meat and food. I heard about the KK a week ago on YouTube and been on the Forum every since. I understand about the quality and manufacturing of the KK but how can it be said that the juiciness and the taste of the KK is better than the egg? My ribeye steaks come out so juicy and fall apart tender that I'm just curious about this question? The wife and I have six kids and the 32 looks very interesting to me. Thank you in advance for your answers. Lance I used bge for many many years like you said the food was so juicy then i got a KK well its just night and day the food that comes off a kk is so much more juicy flavorful and full of moisture ,if you love what comes off your bge you will love it more if you owned a KK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony b Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 17 hours ago, 5698k said: To be technically picky, there is no ceramic material in a kk, it has three different layers, and is actually insulated. Point taken, Robert, but don't forget about the tiles! Just sayin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted May 5, 2019 Report Share Posted May 5, 2019 23 hours ago, Lance said: Hello everyone I've been owning a Big Green Egg for 10 years I love the taste and the juiciness of the meat and food. I heard about the KK a week ago on YouTube and been on the Forum every since. I understand about the quality and manufacturing of the KK but how can it be said that the juiciness and the taste of the KK is better than the egg? My ribeye steaks come out so juicy and fall apart tender that I'm just curious about this question? The wife and I have six kids and the 32 looks very interesting to me. Thank you in advance for your answers. Lance Heylo Lance, If you are talking about "Grilling" direct heat cooking.. What better grills contribute is ease of getting those results. A skilled cook can "grill" over a charcoal starter and with the same meat get similar results.. The quality of the actual steak you are using has more to do with the results as long as you don't over or under cook them.. Yes KK's 3/8" SS grates will give you superior grate marks on our meat. The egg's lil' wire grates cool off quickly when you throw on your steak. And yes as people said above the choice of three distances to grill from is nice. BUT with Low and Slow the results are DEFINITELY BETTER High quality insulation reduces airflow this creates better barbecue. Charcoal always burns at the maximum volume for the allowed airflow, if you can burn less fuel to maintain your cooking temperature, you will have less airflow, less evaporation and Bingo.. more retained moisture in your meat. Reduced airflow also gives you more smoking Q flavor. Condensation is how the charcoal's organic vapor/smoke is transferred to your meat. Common sense would dictate that more retention time (from the reduced airflow) gives more opportunity for this vapor to condense on your meat and therefore you have more smoke flavor on your Q too.. So more retained moisture and more charcoal/smoke flavor.. I'd say that's better barbecue. And with roasting.. the results are DEFINITELY BETTER too.. Remember when convection ovens came out and chefs were ranting about how meat roasted in these ovens was better. Cooked faster, more uniformly.. the food was juicier and moew tender? Well the KK has 5 times the volume of hot-face that gets heat soaked and radiates heat to uniformly cook your food from all directions.. not just heat from the charcoal traveling past your food out the chimney. This gives you more uniform roasting. Round ceramic grills also have a donut hole dead center over your grate. The KK's chimney is in the rear, 80% of the upper grate has the same distance from the grate to the grill's ceiling.. Great for browning and baking.. Just look at photos of roasted chicken on this forum, always surprises me how much more moist KK chickens are. So grilling.. easier and more user friendly but results not necessarily obviously better but these other cooks will be noticeably Better.. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted May 6, 2019 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2019 Thanks Dennis for your input that really makes sense. And I thank everyone that has given their input on this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
