Man that looks good! I'm not surprised with your conclusion that., the accessory that's not designed for the kamado doesn't work as well on the kamado. I am surprised the overnight salt brine didn't turn the pulled pork into ham. I've owned my Big Joe 1 for 10 years and love it. I get more from your channel using the kamado for what it was designed to do.
I´ve been using the 18,5 " Vortex plate on the charcoal baskets of my kamados for about a year and it works very well. There is a slightly different taste just as mentioned in the video. But to be honest , I use the Vortex plate and the regular deflectors without specific intention to create a certain taste. I simply tried it because the Vortex plate was already there as I had bought for my WSM. It´s a nice little tool !
I think that the Vortex PLATE, which is just the wheel on top, sold separately, may be a better fit for the geometry of the Kamado. I believe it is also larger (19 inch), which may help there.
That's a great experiment James. That is interesting how the smoke flavor is less apparent when adding the vortex plate. I'd used it on a WSM in the past. Just perhaps the hot steel plates burn and filter out some of the creosotes as they pass thru them, sort of like a second stage, first when passing thru the hot coals, then thru the plates. You may need to add additional wood chunks. Also, most lump charcoals have uncarbonized remnants that contribute to smoke flavor. The heated plates probably burns out some of the volatiles emanating from burning charcoals as well.
Hey SDBBQ, love seeing your experiments! Given all of the benefits of double indirect, have you ever tried triple indirect, or even quadruple indirect? Would love a video where you just keep stacking plates and see at what point there’s no longer any additional benefits
Interesting trial you did here. Glad to hear double indirect is still the best. I did a port butt a few weeks back using double indirect method and it came out great again. The smoke taste was very light compared to offset pull pork I had in Durango last week. I don't know if adding more smoking wood during the cook is key or what. I think I will try using by Grill Gates as my top deflector next time with a pizza stone as the one next to the fire. I want to see if the holes in the Grill Gates allows more smoke to the meat.
You could make one of these from an old propane tank. A skinny 30-lb tank would be a good size. I love making my own stuff. Also, get a smokai. You can then do real cold smoking.
Good experiment. Maybe this will inspire someone to build something specifically for ceramic cookers that serves the purpose and allows for more smoke flavor.
I work in a metal fabrication factory and have some spare steel from a previous project...I might look into fabricating a copy of the top 'fan blade' into sitting on the top rim of the charcoal basket🤔 Regardless, this is a great experiment😁👍
Really interesting video James. I’m curious with the double indirect method if a smoke tube on top of the slow roller would give a clean smoke flavour. I’ve been getting great results on my pellet grill 🤔
I am talking about in a small foot print grill. I have a Santa Maria and it’s awesome at larger cuts as I can control the amount of fire and where it’s placed … in a Kamado this is not the same
Who else thought that top was going to spin?
That’s what makes a drum smoker so good, so in theory this should work well
Man that looks good! I'm not surprised with your conclusion that., the accessory that's not designed for the kamado doesn't work as well on the kamado. I am surprised the overnight salt brine didn't turn the pulled pork into ham. I've owned my Big Joe 1 for 10 years and love it. I get more from your channel using the kamado for what it was designed to do.
I´ve been using the 18,5 " Vortex plate on the charcoal baskets of my kamados for about a year and it works very well. There is a slightly different taste just as mentioned in the video. But to be honest , I use the Vortex plate and the regular deflectors without specific intention to create a certain taste. I simply tried it because the Vortex plate was already there as I had bought for my WSM. It´s a nice little tool !
I think that the Vortex PLATE, which is just the wheel on top, sold separately, may be a better fit for the geometry of the Kamado. I believe it is also larger (19 inch), which may help there.
That’s what I was thinking too. Would just the lid on top of the regular fire basket induce enough turbulence? 🤔
That's a great experiment James. That is interesting how the smoke flavor is less apparent when adding the vortex plate. I'd used it on a WSM in the past. Just perhaps the hot steel plates burn and filter out some of the creosotes as they pass thru them, sort of like a second stage, first when passing thru the hot coals, then thru the plates. You may need to add additional wood chunks. Also, most lump charcoals have uncarbonized remnants that contribute to smoke flavor. The heated plates probably burns out some of the volatiles emanating from burning charcoals as well.
Hey SDBBQ, love seeing your experiments! Given all of the benefits of double indirect, have you ever tried triple indirect, or even quadruple indirect? Would love a video where you just keep stacking plates and see at what point there’s no longer any additional benefits
I enjoyed watching your "test and tinker" with the vortex basket! Thank you.
Cheers
Interesting trial you did here. Glad to hear double indirect is still the best. I did a port butt a few weeks back using double indirect method and it came out great again. The smoke taste was very light compared to offset pull pork I had in Durango last week. I don't know if adding more smoking wood during the cook is key or what. I think I will try using by Grill Gates as my top deflector next time with a pizza stone as the one next to the fire. I want to see if the holes in the Grill Gates allows more smoke to the meat.
This was an interesting experiment. The pork butt looked amazing!
You could make one of these from an old propane tank.
A skinny 30-lb tank would be a good size.
I love making my own stuff.
Also, get a smokai. You can then do real cold smoking.
Good experiment. Maybe this will inspire someone to build something specifically for ceramic cookers that serves the purpose and allows for more smoke flavor.
The concept has potential in a Kamado specific design but I’d wait until that vs this as fun and different as it was
I work in a metal fabrication factory and have some spare steel from a previous project...I might look into fabricating a copy of the top 'fan blade' into sitting on the top rim of the charcoal basket🤔
Regardless, this is a great experiment😁👍
Really interesting video James. I’m curious with the double indirect method if a smoke tube on top of the slow roller would give a clean smoke flavour. I’ve been getting great results on my pellet grill 🤔
Smoke tubes are challenging in a Kamado cook as they compete for the same oxygen needed for the real fire and there often isn’t enough space for each
Hmm. Wonder if the 6” tube would work in the ash pan. Would get the oxygen direct from the intake vent. I’m going to give it a try in my classic 3
Have you reviewed the Kick Ash can? If so, can you link the video? Thanks!
What size did you use? 18.5” or 22.5”?
Can you comment to any differences in the season-all by Fiesta vs your personal blend?
Hope your keeping well.
Cheers
I thought an overnight brine would turn it to ham?
I assume Al Frugoni would disagree you cant do big meats over open fire
I am talking about in a small foot print grill. I have a Santa Maria and it’s awesome at larger cuts as I can control the amount of fire and where it’s placed … in a Kamado this is not the same
Why not just trim the vortex down a bit for a better fit?
Great experiment though!
@SmokingDadBBQ great job James. Nice test.
Cheers