managing your fire....

[BARDSLJR]

This is a cooking "related" question. I am still getting the finer aspects of using my new 32" KK, and this question relates to how you set up your charcoal basket and your burn to both manage the temperature level and the length of the burn. I -so far- haven't been able to stabelize the temp at anything below 250*-  225 would be my preferred for ribs and shoulder. I am also wondering how you organize your burn for a long cook- say 12-16 hours. I use a propane wand about 3" long to start my charcoal. Do you....start with a small active area in the middle or on one end? Light a line across the length of the charcoal basket? Light up the whole thing and choke off the air supply?

How many of you primarily keep the bottom vents in the same position and regulate air flow by by screwing/unscrewing the "top hat" up and down? Or the reverse?

Your insights would be greatly appreciated.-Jim

[tony b]

The basics are the same regardless of grill size (I have a 23"). First, always fill up the basket to the top (or even up to the handles), that way you never have to worry about running out of fuel on any cook. Temperature on a KK is all about airflow, which is almost totally determined by the top hat/vent position. You only need to open the bottom vent enough to supply air so your fire doesn't go out. Once you have your coals lit and well established, the bottom vent doesn't have to be open very much to sustain your fire for a low & slow. You'll need to open it a bit more at higher temps.  

For a low & slow cook like you are asking about, you don't need to start a lot of charcoal. Hit the charcoal with your propane wand in a single spot and light an area about the size of a tennis ball. Use a blower of some sort (old hairdryer, leaf blower, or specialty device - I have a FiAir.) to really get the coals glowing strong. I tend to light the coals near the back of the basket, but I'm not sure that it really makes that much difference, as once the burn continues, it's generally in a fairly random pattern. 

Good quality charcoal is a must, as well. Some of the cheaper brands, such as Cowboy, are made from scrap lumber and burn up very quickly. Most of us here on the Forum use high quality lump charcoal, such as Fogo, Rockwood or similar. Royal Oak lump - not the briquettes, will do in a pinch. Dennis' extruded coconut charcoal is probably the best out there, burns very hot, lasts a very long time, but can be a pain to light. 

Don't fret exact temps. One of the best pieces of advice we can give folks new to this style of cooker is - Don't chase the temperature! You can drive yourself crazy trying to make subtle adjustments in top vent position to hit an exact temperature, when it really doesn't matter that much at all. Plus/Minus 50F will not make any difference the quality of your cook.

Some folks here (me, included) like to open the vents more than what's needed for their target temperature to help speed up the heating of the grill & grates at the start of a cook. Then, set the vent to the position for your target temperature as you get close (within 50F), because once you heat soak a KK, with all its thermal mass, you won't be able to bring the temperature back down easily if you overshoot it. But, if you do, live with it and just rock on - especially with an adult beverage, and everything will work out just fine. 

[Bruce Pearson]

Nice answer Tony 

[ckreef]

I basically agree with everything @tony bhad to say on this subject. The little bit of advice I could add - defiantly spend the extra money for better grade lump. Anything from Fogo is a good bit better than any American Hardwood Lump. Initially it's a bit more pricey on the wallet but once you start factoring in burn time, it's really not that much more expensive.

 

Definitely fill all the way up to just a smige below the fire basket handles. Whatever you don't use will snuff out and be waiting for you next cook. 

 

As for your temp problem for low-n-slow - If I had to guess you have vents too much open (you just can't imagine a fire burning with less oxygen). Top vent at 1/4 turn from closed (at the most) and the bottom vent set to a credit card width. I know it seems like a fire could never keep going with that little air flow but KK's are so efficient, yea they need almost no oxygen to maintain a low-n-slow temp. 

 

Charles 

 

 

[Stile88]

I disagree 50 degrees is a big deal when you are doing briskets and what not you need to heat sink your kk i would suggest about 45 min to an 1hr then your temp will not move.

[Tyrus]

Keep in mind while your KK is heating up the refractory is absorbing all that heat as well as the stainless and the deflector if your using  the one provided. My other two Komado's of a different brand heat up in half the time. Now you can catch up and pull the door on the bottom but risk overshooting your goal. For me I see the KK once fully absorbed and at target as a unit that holds temp well at settings that are stingy on fuel because it keeps releasing that energy back. So have a little patience, start earlier and the payback is more rewarding in piece of mind.