Great tips, I’ll keep those in mind today! My classic 3 arrived yesterday so went for a “I can’t possibly screw this up” steak and baked potato cook last night. Today is smoking ribs so I’m sure there will be takeaways from this one.
One other thing, I wonder if using the junior basket sat in the big joe basket would build a better fire for smoking. The theory is if the smaller amount of charcoal held together would burn better, not sure how long it would last for though.
@@SmokingDadBBQ any difference do you think to running the jnr basket in the big joe terms of efficiency or quality of the cook this way? Or just dumping the same amount in the big Joe basket, I migh have expected it to flatten out this way, hence wondering if the jnr basket keeps it together and a hotter, better quality burn.
I'm on my 4th cook on my new classic joe 2, this is very helpful. And FYI, was looking at a pellet grill until I found your channel and you helped change my mind. Cheers!
Hope you enjoy! I feel pellet grills are like my minivan.. I enjoy the destination / where they take me, but gosh is the journey boring lol. Thats why I love cooking on a Kamado so much, the involvement is more rewarding
@@SmokingDadBBQ couldn't agree more. It's got to be one of the most versatile BBQs, and you really earn it which feels good (especially when you get it right!). Keep up the good work!
Hey James, super informative video. I love new cookers and trying to get them nailed down to produce great food. Thanks for sharing your experience... and... I could not take my eyes off that shirt! LOL... just kidding with you.. hey, take care James.
Very usefull information. I am also in the process of learning my BJ3 and doing the same approach by logging data with my Meater+ and soon a Fireboard 2 drive to ensure a stable cook throughout the night. Love the BJ3 coming from a Weber Classic. Which I still have and use.
Good video, an interesting behind the scenes. Video idea for you, compare what happens to the smoke flavor when you have a larger opening up top and smaller in the bottom.
Thanks for the idea! In general I try to promote good convection of sucking in air and clearing out the top vs. promoting a fire that is constantly choking out on itself and smoke
@@SmokingDadBBQ No problem. I think you will be surprised with the results. I actually use my vents completely opposite of you, unless I want extra smoke. The vacuum created by a larger opening in the top clears it out fine in my experience. I haven't done side by side though and we know how you like to experiment! :)
@@SmokingDadBBQ do you use it for your internal temp readings or do you use something else? i have been losing internal temp probes more often than i like and was looking to replace the system that i have, i just found you today on the tube and have not looked yet on your channel to see if you have a video on your set up to mentoring your internal pit temp thanks for the very quick answers!.
These videos are helping me a ton. Ive been bbqing for a couple years now but just recently bought a grilla grills kong. Very informative thanks a ton.
I would find it helpful if you could measure/estimate the amount of charcoal you’re using in kilograms (or, for those of us in the US, pounds) on a kitchen scale. Even with the video it’s really difficult to get a feeling for how much charcoal you’re actually using. This would also let you measure more precisely how much you actually used by weighing what remains at the end of a cook.
@@SmokingDadBBQ What, you're getting a classic as well? 3 KJs? Didn't you just sell off 2 classics? I'd be interested to know when you use each one...ie: do you decide based on how many to feed or what you're cooking? What situation favours the small, medium or large kamado?
I found thqt lighting charcoal from the top helps me keep more stable temps. Not too sure why but when using the electric charcoal starter from KJ that lights the coals from the bottom constantly left me with runaway temps or the coal got snuffed out.
Given that you found too much charcoal leftover for the 14 hour cook. Next time how would you do the charcoal different but also ensure that you get enough coverage over the wood log?
Hi James, Could you talk abit about timing cooks, working backwards from serving time. For example targeting a lunch or dinner serving - can you by changing the temperature by say 50F/20C vary the cook time from 15 hrs to 10 hrs without affecting results. Also how much does the size of the meat piece matter for these long term cooks? BR Stephen Odgaard (Copenhagen DK)
Insanely slow-paced, way too much talking and not nearly enough information. Everything you covered could've been summarized in one or two minutes. Can't say this was a complete waste of time, but 95% of it was.
@@SmokingDadBBQ Absolutely. As you know I have the Classic and Junior. I thought it was super helpful to see how you dialed in the temp control on the BJ3 (no longer the 2 two finger method. I really liked the tips on oak wood and covering of lump charcoal around it to produce great smoke rings and clean burn. I have to admit, I haven't use a wood log yet on my cooks. I am still using wood chunks and love pecan. Where do you get your oak wood from?
Please help me with this problem . All over the internet there is talk about dirty smoke produced by smoldering lump charcoal this is the method used for slow cooking in the kamado . This creates acidic and creosote taste in the food. Lump charcoal only makes clean smoke when it is completely lit. add to that some dry wood wait till it stops burning when smoldering now put food on grille . So will you please tell me why the low and slow charcoal burn is used .
this is true, I have used grills that are TOO efficient (Keg) where they retain heat so well you get dirty smoke and the food doesn't taste as good. On the series 3 Joes, having the 4" extra height allows for a cleaner burning / hotter fire while maintaining low and slow temps. Don't over fill charcoal, place wood under vs. on top, bottom draft door barley open and the top vent with more air all are things you can do to promote great clean combustion at lower and slower temps. That being said, the Joe does best at 250f plus vs. trying to hold 200f
I own a Big Joe 3 my son bought me a few months ago, started using it more but still prefer the Big Green Egg. But nothing beats the good old American Weber.
last year there was some black Friday deals when getting a grill accessories were on sale ... not sure this year when they seem sold out most places if there will be big sales
James, I have a good one for you, please help. I bought a bag of BGE Brazilian hardwood to try. Nice size lumps. First attempt at jerky I could not get the temp to stablize and I had the vents a little too open and left it for ten minutes. came back and it was pumping at 350 deg so 75% of the jerky was lost. I did salvage some. After using the same lump coal on roasted chicken and smash burgers on my Joe Jr. I attempted jerky again on my Joe Classic II. I let it settle at around 190 for a while and then put the jerky on. It stayed good for 15 to twenty minutes so I closed down to attempt 170-160. deg It slowly dropped and continued to drop. At 150 I opened the vents up wide open and nothing. Fire was basically out. I added 2 starters, got it pumped back up and finished cooking the jerky at around 190-210 deg. After 3 1/2 hrs. Jerky was perfect and I had 75% of the charcoal still in the basket. My question is has anyone had this issue of fire going out with a low and slow cook? Is it this particular brand of lump. I've done jerky multiple times and never had this issue at all. I love the BGE Brazilian lump because it burns hot and does not burn out fast. Any input appreciated
sub 200 is really hard as you have to starve the joe of air, the only way i've found that works is get a small bed of coals going with the dome open so its not heat soaking the ceramics, add a piece of coal so essentially you are running your joe on a single to max 2-3 pieces of coal. this will give enough air to keep the fire going, but small enough source of fuel to not run away to high temps
Hi James, I am waiting on the arrival of my KJ Classic 2. Is there any accessories you would say are a must for that model? I seen your video on the soapstone but was also wondering if I should get the charcoal basket to help with setting up for indirect? I don’t think the 2 comes with one. Any recommendations you have would be much appreciated!
Can I experimenting with just charcoal without cooking anything, to be able to know the amount of charcoal to use and vent settings to set before cooking or it is not the same without any food cooking. Don't want to burn or ruin the food. I just want to follow your instructions which I know will work but I am unsure about myself. I have learned a lot from your videos because you have already made the mistakes and you teach us to avoid them in order to boast our confidence to increase our arsenals of things to cook. Thank you and keep those videos coming.
Mr. James....first off....thank you for all your hard work and time in putting these video's together for all of us!! You'll never know just how helpful they are!!! Since this one was made, I know you have moved down to one finger at the bottom....my question is this, when setting up to use the slow roller and the heat deflectors, how do you let the Kamado heat up? I have found using the chunk wood my wood is half used up by the time I get to temp. I usually light my lump in several places to get a good fire going, put in the dividers and let it all heat up. Once I get right at my cooking temp, I will put the top on the slow roller, put my deflectors together and fine tune my temp. This process may take 45 minutes!! What am I doing wrong here? Again, thank you for all you do and for taking time to answer questions!!
Awesome video James agree about using data and better controlled cooks using same techniques. I would like to try a fan system one day just to see how it compares.
Thanks Tim, you read my mind.. this is the one that broke the camels back... or my bank account lol. I am now using a Rhode wireless go on newer videos and it seems much better to me (welcome your feedback)
Thanks for all your videos, those are very helpfull!! I Just received my kamado, I have a question for you. I light my charcoal, follow the step you often mention, open every vent, when you have your temperature, adjust your vents. When I do that, My kamado start doing a lot of white smoke. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong?
this video has some more on that to help you out - ua-cam.com/video/x3nvkwmwuFw/v-deo.html white smoke is oxygen starved combustion either from (1) left over wood, (2) charcoal both of which need to dehydrate and then combust and put off white smoke at first. you just need to wait it out
Hi James, Thanks for the very informative videos!!! Have you cooked a brisket on the Classic 3? I’m trying to determine whether to buy the Big Joe 3, for the extra space, or the Classic 3. There’s only two of us most of the time, but occasionally have friends come over. I’m leaning towards the Classic 3, because I only smoke about three briskets in a year and it has plenty of room for a pork butt. We cook ribs, chicken and salmon the most, but not sure if it will handle four or five racks of ribs. Any insight would be appreciated.
Good question Ron, here is a brisket I did on the classic just fine - ua-cam.com/video/Nco-3gEUj6w/v-deo.html I can do 5 racks flat (with a grid extender), more if you stack them on the side
Here is the link in the description they give me a save 10% link / code now so even better Save 10% on MEATER wireless probes - bit.ly/SSDBBQMEATER (CODE: “SmokingDadBBQ10” works site wide)
about 1/2 pound per person usually is light for some fellas but way to much for the ladies and kids… I’ve never ran out budgeting for 1/2 pound per head
Hi James, thanks for the video, my question today is: How clean should I leave my grates? I see you only brush easy, not clean perfect, I normally will remove grates and put it on soap, and leave them almost like new? is that too much?
Just got my first joe but have a stick burner and gravity fed. What is the rationale for not leaving the top vent wide open? Despite the fact that stick burners and gravity feds have adjustable baffles, no one uses them to control the temp. Is the joe airflow different in a way that makes it make more sense to try to use the top vent?
yes unlike your stick burner the form factor of the Kamado needs the vent cap for consistent control below 350f otherwise the heat retention and fire management spiral out of control into hot and fast territory quickly
What do you normally set your bottom vent at for normal grilling temps, like for steaks or burgers, etc (not for the low and slow cooking). Wide open? Two finger ?
the two fingers with the top open but not swung open caps out around 375-400 so if you want more heat I open the bottom vent. for hot and fast I usually have it all the way open
One of things I did with both my Kamado Joe Jr and Vision Classic B was do temperature profiling for settings. Example on my Vision Classic B for 225 to 245 I would either use bottom vent at setting 1 and top at 3 or bottom at 2 and top at about 3/4 of way to setting 1. For my Joe Junior I use set bottom vent to 1/2 “. Daisy wheel (inner small hole) to 1/2 to 3/4. If I have fully open to goes to 290 to 300 F, but if I keep daisy wheel 1/2 to 3/4 it hits 250F. Mapping took weekend. I have the settings written in my log book. I will have to try smoking wood on bottom of basket, I have been wrapping wood chunks in aluminum foil and poking a couple holes in it.
every grill has its strong suits.... Kamado's are like sports utility vehicles. they can do many things like off roading or city commuting but that doesn't mean they are the single best product for a specific cook. You'd need a dedicated pizza oven for pizza, offset for brisket, grill for steak or chicken, gas grill for quick dogs, tandoori oven, fire pit etc. etc. etc. If you can afford each of those to cover the best of every category all the power to you... but for many people, myself included it makes sense to have a single bbq that can do many things. While I can't touch franklin, i'd put my kamado brisket against what 99% of the offset cooks can consistently produce for taste and texture
For low and slow cooks I open my bottom vent the size of the ash tool width, not length, so about 3/4 of an inch or so and control heat with the top vent only. 250 degrees is easy to lock in and it never moves from there once set. For 400 degrees both vents open about 3 inches each.
This one one was somewhat long for a tips and tricks, but I did appreciate the in depth coverage. One thing I was surprised to learn was how much temps can very between the built in thermometer and just above the coals.
Hey, James - just saw an ad for your channel pop up on UA-cam, and I am so glad! I appreciate your knowledge and efforts. i have a question about smoking brisket that makes me crazy and that no one has yet been able to answer for me. I anticipate you will have an answer - but no pressure! Whenever I do a cook with my big ceramic grill, I maintain a slow and low steady temperature for many hours, and things go great all the way through the stall. But then late in the cook, with the same steady temperature at 225-250, when the meat gets up to about 180-185 degrees F (82-85 degrees C), the smoker temperature remains steady, but the meat temperature starts to drop. My meat thermometer is the the right spot, I haven't opened the lid and there is no leak in the system, but the meat temperature starts to drop! And then it just doesn't seem to ever get done, and I give up in frustration. By that time, the meat has been in the smoker for well beyond 1 1/2 hours per pound. Any idea what causes it? And how can meat temperature drop when the smoker temp is higher than the meat temperature? Thanks in advance!!
thanks so much for clicking into my page. great question. this is sometimes called the stall which means far is turning into liquid and actually cools your temp and or it stops moving. two things you can do, first is to just wait it out and check other parts of the brisket for feel. second option is cooking at 240-270 gives the brisket enough momentum to power through the stall and you hardly notice this effect
Great content as usual. Getting comfortable with low and slow now, but having issues in reverse sear cooking to getting a grill up to high temps following 30 to 60 minutes at low and slow. Struggle to get it up to 350. Any tricks in a future video would be appreciated.
it could be too much fuel blocking air, the type of fuel you’re using, or another airflow restriction like ash behind your firebox etc that’s causing the problem. i would start with less charcoal and use either big block or Jealous devil and if that doesn’t sort you out then move to a deep clean
Thanks so much for these videos. So different than the normal video, you teach how to use the kamado versus actual cooking times and directions. Makes us think and learn what's going on. I really appreciate it. And I also love the way you say 'out' I'm a southerner and I hear ooot. lol
hahaha glad to help you oooot 😂 Much appreciated, I found nobody was really showing the "how" and "why" vs. just mentioning we're cooking on ____ today etc. and jumping right into the recipe assuming everyone is comfortable with how to get there, and control the fire throughout which a decade ago... were things I struggled with and assume others just getting started might as well
I really enjoy your videos and learn from most of them but the adverts drive me mad. Do you add the ads or are they added on your behalf because I’ve just had 10 adds, no, not an exaggeration! It’s just too much and ruins the video! 😕
Nemesiss372 I don’t pick the ads, the duration, placement or quantity. Sorry to hear this. I can block them but this is one of the only ways to get some income to pay for the supplies / videos themselves
I appreciate that, I really do. I get that it’s not your fault but it kinda puts ya off watching after the 6th forced add, not even the option to skip them. I genuinely enjoy your videos (more on the Joe Jnr please, I’ve just ordered one to add to my Classic II) but not sure I could sit through another batch like that, 😳! Keep em coming, with less Ads 😉!! 👍
As an engineer I agree with you, in principle, about keeping variables to a minimum when making adjustments. However, in each of the three slow cooks I've done on my Classic Joe II I've found myself in situations in which it seemed I couldn't get the temperature to go down without nearly shutting both the top and bottom vents. I always start with your "two fingers" setting on the bottom but, when the temp is seemingly stuck at 260ºF and the top vent is nearly closed, where do you go from there? I always start my fire with two fire starter cubes which look to be the same size and composition of the ones you use. Is that overly aggressive?
you can always move to a single finger to make sure you have an ok gap on the top vent if that works better for you. conditions like brand, quantity, temperature and humidity etc can make any generic vent setting off for some users
You can’t be more stable than a fan system in my opinion. There are too many variables to contend with. Eg. the natural ebbs and flow of the stack, wind, external temp, and as you saw water.
So interestingly I saw similar issues, bought my Big Joe back in April. When it was brand new the vent settings were very aggressive, I hardly had it open at all and the temperature would get quite high for what I expected, similar to what you are seeing. After a few months though its started to relax a little where my vents are open more than what they used to be, my smoking setting is now on the vertical line above the K, I'm putting this down to various parts gumming up over time and the vent settings changing over time for the same setup. Maybe you will see the same, would be interesting if you did, I shall carry on watching to find out!
Thanks James..... interesting, I have yet to notice the line position change since early July when I did this brisket but I will keep my eye out for it knowing your experience
either way works. I have found you can run into some more sensitivity with the wind for example when running at something like a pencil where it works fine all afternoon but then changes significantly in the evening which makes the grill more susceptible to burn outs.
When you're adjusting your top and bottom vents do you open the vents wide open when starting the fire and then adjust let's say the bottom vent two fingers or do you start your fire with two fingers bottom vent and top vent slightly open? I've been starting with both vents wide open and then ajust as I'm getting close to my target temperature. I'm still learning on my Big Joe II so any help would de appreciated. I enjoy and look forward to your videos.
Thank you James for this video. I'm still struggling with my KJ Classic II, but this will help. I was at Sam's Club last week and found a brisket for a great price. I bought it and put it in the freezer until such time as I feel confident enough to do an overnight cook. I have a lot of problems with the temperature swings, so I think using the same type and size of wood will be my next step to try to nail this down. I want brisket SO badly! Well done my smoking friend, well done.
Hi from Austin. Your wisdom / insights on fire management, optimal type of smoke (& how to achieve it in this type of smoker), & learning after cooking is absolutely golden & rarely discussed elsewhere. Specifically (& what stopped me in my tracks) was your discussion / explanation of the importance of wood chunks placement beneath coals to get thin blue smoke. Nailed it. Quick question - I use a UDS (55 gal drum- vertical smoker). It's not as efficient as a JOE so it will require bit more charcoal for longer cooks like brisket or pork butts. Regarding placing wood chunks undeneath coals. How far down can you place chunks beneath the coals & still get that blue smoke? All the way on bottom of basket still? Can the burning coals 4 or 5 so levels above fall down & reach that wood to smolder? Or should I consider 2 levels of wood chunks (bottom & mid level). I know the smoke needs to travel thru the heat to burn off the white smoke. Your results speak for themselves. The bark & smoke ring on your brisket is similar to good briskets on offset smokers. Impressive. Keep up great work. Watching all your videos now. FYI, I've watched alot of the top BBQ UA-camrs. Yours still stand out.
thanks so much for the kind words. love a good barrel smoker. I’d likely do a thin layer of charcoal. then your wood and then charcoal to cover so that you get the fuel you need but also don’t have the wood so far away from the heat source it never smoulders
@@SmokingDadBBQ Right on. Thanks. I am smoking 3 briskets right now for a wedding today in 3 different UDS with 3 different wood chunk setups to experiment. The one with wood chunks on bottom probably not delivering enough smoke so bark & smoke ring may not be optimal. We will see on other two. I believe having the wood chunks beneath a few layers of charcoal will be best. Thanks again for your great level of detail & explanation...
thanks David. good question... I feel that pellet grills are just like my minivan. I might like the places they take me... but the journey is way too boring for me to want one 😂
For sure in hindsight they really aren't that scary / complicated ... but man those first few times lol 😂 i talked myself into thinking I was launching a rocket
Hey I’m trying to learn how to use my kamado joe jr by following some recipes. Your video’s help a lot. Im now facing a recipe where I have to sear and put it on a lower temp zone afterwards (2 zone cooking). Any tips on how to accomplish this on a kamado joe jr?
I normally do the opposite where I cook low and slow first and then crank the heat to do the sear at the end. but if you have to do it the other way there are some options. leave the dome open and only install the grid so you can sear without heat soaking the ceramics entirely. then once seared shut it down almost completely for a few min and then install your indirect cooking plate and grid. set your vents to the right spot and your off. alternatively get a chimney starter and put your grid on top of that
@@SmokingDadBBQ little follow-up question: This sunday I will try your first option by reversing the order of cooking. The only thing is that the recipe says to what degree I should let it slow-cook after I have seared the meat. When reversing the order, I'm not quite sure when to take it of from the slow-cook to sear it. Recipe says to grill 3 minutes both sides of the Rib-Eye, but I'm not aware of what that will do with the temperature if you know what I mean.
James, thank you very much for doing this one. Answered my questions perfectly. For info I used your pizza pie technique with the half moons to bring my cooker to temp earlier. Worked perfectly 👌 rolling some short ribs smoked with cherry & pecan. Cheers buddy 🍻👍🔥
Yes, exactly... i often crank the heat up to 450f for a few min to burn everything off when done cooking and then shut it all down and you're reset and ready for the next time
Smoking Dad BBQ Thanks. While I’m commenting, do you recommend the Meater as an all purpose thermometer? I don’t have one yet and was looking at both wireless and wired probes. I don’t want to deal with wires if I can avoid them. Does the meater work with a vent air controller? I don’t have one yet, but for long term decisions.
Great video! Thanks for including the Celsius temperatures 👍🏼 When I got my BJ3 I realized that the vents need to be opened much less than with the Classic to go low and slow.
I did. I cooked overnight and then in the AM after the F1 race wrapped it around 180f for another 2 hours before putting it in the cooler to rest for a few hours before dinner
Thanks for the great content! I'm getting up to speed on my new Kamado. It cooks so differently than my WSM and this video is very much appreciated. One thing I noticed was your grill brush - those are kind of not safe and I'd recommend replacing it. Check out the consumer reports article on wire grill brushes.
more air is the main reason. easy clean up #2... and on the JR where its killer, you can remove the heat to cool down a hot Joe jr for transport in a vehicle WAY faster
Thanks Jeff. I found its best to try and keep it as clean as possible using a drip tray... then crank the heat at the end of your cook to 400-450f for 20min or so until the fat / white smoke clears out and then you're ready to shut it down and are clean / reset for next time
Must watch KJ videos:
KJ 101 (start here) - ua-cam.com/video/x3nvkwmwuFw/v-deo.html
Top 10 KJ beginner mistakes - ua-cam.com/video/gdcaOjQt_I0/v-deo.html
Dome alignment issue? - ua-cam.com/video/qWM6mFkfnmI/v-deo.html
Top 5 KJ maintenance tips - ua-cam.com/video/gphUQFW6uIo/v-deo.html
Don’t buy these accessories - ua-cam.com/video/ORcbo6fTHmk/v-deo.html
Smoke wood secret - ua-cam.com/video/2qtHrFjWY1U/v-deo.html
First 5 cooks for a new owner - ua-cam.com/video/JA84ZvYL47Y/v-deo.html
Just got a kamado joe classic 3 I'm learning from your videos !
Rock on! some updated tips in this one - ua-cam.com/video/x3nvkwmwuFw/v-deo.html
Great tips, I’ll keep those in mind today! My classic 3 arrived yesterday so went for a “I can’t possibly screw this up” steak and baked potato cook last night. Today is smoking ribs so I’m sure there will be takeaways from this one.
fantastic. congratulations
One other thing, I wonder if using the junior basket sat in the big joe basket would build a better fire for smoking. The theory is if the smaller amount of charcoal held together would burn better, not sure how long it would last for though.
Turns out this exact idea is about 6 hours - ua-cam.com/video/vdFsW7Q5VCs/v-deo.html
@@SmokingDadBBQ any difference do you think to running the jnr basket in the big joe terms of efficiency or quality of the cook this way? Or just dumping the same amount in the big Joe basket, I migh have expected it to flatten out this way, hence wondering if the jnr basket keeps it together and a hotter, better quality burn.
I'm on my 4th cook on my new classic joe 2, this is very helpful. And FYI, was looking at a pellet grill until I found your channel and you helped change my mind. Cheers!
Hope you enjoy! I feel pellet grills are like my minivan.. I enjoy the destination / where they take me, but gosh is the journey boring lol. Thats why I love cooking on a Kamado so much, the involvement is more rewarding
@@SmokingDadBBQ couldn't agree more. It's got to be one of the most versatile BBQs, and you really earn it which feels good (especially when you get it right!). Keep up the good work!
Hey James, super informative video. I love new cookers and trying to get them nailed down to produce great food. Thanks for sharing your experience... and... I could not take my eyes off that shirt! LOL... just kidding with you.. hey, take care James.
hahaha I do love me a good vacation shirt
18:20 James, is vincinity Canadian for vicinity? ;) Great video! Your channel has me using my Kamado confidently in just a few cooks. Thank you!
hahaha good catch. glad to help
You’re rule of thumb should be the rule of ‘thumbs’ though or rule of two fingers. Ha ha. Nice video as always!
hahaha love it
Dig the shirt, dig the video. your vids are smooth as smooth can be. Good stuff.
Appreciate it! Thanks Tommy
Glad to hear you are an F1 fan :) It's the only kind of racing I watch any more. Who is your favorite? #TIFOSI :)
I’ve always been a Ferrari man... but not much to cheer for this season
@@SmokingDadBBQ nope.. it's a sad state for them. hopefully it will turn around sooner rather than later.
Very usefull information. I am also in the process of learning my BJ3 and doing the same approach by logging data with my Meater+ and soon a Fireboard 2 drive to ensure a stable cook throughout the night. Love the BJ3 coming from a Weber Classic. Which I still have and use.
Glad it was helpful! Sounds like you are all set, these tools can really help shorten the learning curve
Good video, an interesting behind the scenes. Video idea for you, compare what happens to the smoke flavor when you have a larger opening up top and smaller in the bottom.
Thanks for the idea! In general I try to promote good convection of sucking in air and clearing out the top vs. promoting a fire that is constantly choking out on itself and smoke
@@SmokingDadBBQ No problem. I think you will be surprised with the results. I actually use my vents completely opposite of you, unless I want extra smoke. The vacuum created by a larger opening in the top clears it out fine in my experience. I haven't done side by side though and we know how you like to experiment! :)
Can the MEATER Plus | 165ft Long Range Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer give you both the meat and grill temp?
Yes it does both
@@SmokingDadBBQ do you use it for your internal temp readings or do you use something else? i have been losing internal temp probes more often than i like and was looking to replace the system that i have, i just found you today on the tube and have not looked yet on your channel to see if you have a video on your set up to mentoring your internal pit temp thanks for the very quick answers!.
These videos are helping me a ton. Ive been bbqing for a couple years now but just recently bought a grilla grills kong. Very informative thanks a ton.
I would find it helpful if you could measure/estimate the amount of charcoal you’re using in kilograms (or, for those of us in the US, pounds) on a kitchen scale. Even with the video it’s really difficult to get a feeling for how much charcoal you’re actually using. This would also let you measure more precisely how much you actually used by weighing what remains at the end of a cook.
Great suggestion! Once my classic arrives I will try this on all three
@@SmokingDadBBQ What, you're getting a classic as well? 3 KJs? Didn't you just sell off 2 classics? I'd be interested to know when you use each one...ie: do you decide based on how many to feed or what you're cooking? What situation favours the small, medium or large kamado?
Thanks James, every new Kamado Joe owner should watch this one! Great tips
Glad it was helpful!
I found thqt lighting charcoal from the top helps me keep more stable temps. Not too sure why but when using the electric charcoal starter from KJ that lights the coals from the bottom constantly left me with runaway temps or the coal got snuffed out.
I've learned from sous vide that even 126° over a long period of time still kills everything. Don't throw out your meat
💯
What are your favorite go to recipes for your family? Got a few picky eaters so trying to fine some grilling favorites.
same here. chicken usually makes everyone happy. same with ribs
Given that you found too much charcoal leftover for the 14 hour cook. Next time how would you do the charcoal different but also ensure that you get enough coverage over the wood log?
In hindsight the extra 2-3 large chunks I added on top once it was covered was the excessive amount that I didn't need to add
Hi James,
Could you talk abit about timing cooks, working backwards from serving time.
For example targeting a lunch or dinner serving - can you by changing the temperature by say 50F/20C vary the cook time from 15 hrs to 10 hrs without affecting results. Also how much does the size of the meat piece matter for these long term cooks?
BR
Stephen Odgaard
(Copenhagen DK)
sure thing. in the meantime check out 09:45 in this video for my work back schedule comments ua-cam.com/video/gdcaOjQt_I0/v-deo.html
Thank goodness for that rain cover! This was an awesome vid James, very informative, especially about the grill grate placement!
Thanks 👍
Insanely slow-paced, way too much talking and not nearly enough information. Everything you covered could've been summarized in one or two minutes. Can't say this was a complete waste of time, but 95% of it was.
so like the summary chapter that you could have skipped too? glad you loved 5% , cheers 🍻
Great instructional video helping others get started with a Kamado grill!
Thanks for watching! you're a pro as well, does this approach align with what you do?
@@SmokingDadBBQ Absolutely. As you know I have the Classic and Junior. I thought it was super helpful to see how you dialed in the temp control on the BJ3 (no longer the 2 two finger method. I really liked the tips on oak wood and covering of lump charcoal around it to produce great smoke rings and clean burn. I have to admit, I haven't use a wood log yet on my cooks. I am still using wood chunks and love pecan. Where do you get your oak wood from?
Please help me with this problem . All over the internet there is talk about dirty smoke produced by smoldering lump charcoal this is the method used for slow cooking in the kamado . This creates acidic and creosote taste in the food. Lump charcoal only makes clean smoke when it is completely lit. add to that some dry wood wait till it stops burning when smoldering now put food on grille . So will you please tell me why the low and slow charcoal burn is used .
this is true, I have used grills that are TOO efficient (Keg) where they retain heat so well you get dirty smoke and the food doesn't taste as good. On the series 3 Joes, having the 4" extra height allows for a cleaner burning / hotter fire while maintaining low and slow temps. Don't over fill charcoal, place wood under vs. on top, bottom draft door barley open and the top vent with more air all are things you can do to promote great clean combustion at lower and slower temps. That being said, the Joe does best at 250f plus vs. trying to hold 200f
You are definitely the OFFICIAL Spokesperson for Kamado Joe, somebody from corporate needs to call you already!
hahaha thanks brother
I own a Big Joe 3 my son bought me a few months ago, started using it more but still prefer the Big Green Egg.
But nothing beats the good old American Weber.
Cooking with fire for the win
Nothing can beat BGE!
Haven't even bought a Classic III yet and have watched most of your videos. Any chance they go on sale this time of year?
last year there was some black Friday deals when getting a grill accessories were on sale ... not sure this year when they seem sold out most places if there will be big sales
Would you still have two fingers on bottom vent set for roasting temp of 400f/200c?
I think you could pull that off with one finger on the bottom Max open on the top
Love your videos so detailed, so easy to follow and most of all SOOOOOO helpful
Thanks so much!
Nice shirt 😉
hahaha Thanks! 😁
James, I have a good one for you, please help.
I bought a bag of BGE Brazilian hardwood to try. Nice size lumps. First attempt at jerky I could not get the temp to stablize and I had the vents a little too open and left it for ten minutes. came back and it was pumping at 350 deg so 75% of the jerky was lost. I did salvage some.
After using the same lump coal on roasted chicken and smash burgers on my Joe Jr. I attempted jerky again on my Joe Classic II. I let it settle at around 190 for a while and then put the jerky on. It stayed good for 15 to twenty minutes so I closed down to attempt 170-160. deg It slowly dropped and continued to drop. At 150 I opened the vents up wide open and nothing. Fire was basically out. I added 2 starters, got it pumped back up and finished cooking the jerky at around 190-210 deg. After 3 1/2 hrs. Jerky was perfect and I had 75% of the charcoal still in the basket. My question is has anyone had this issue of fire going out with a low and slow cook? Is it this particular brand of lump. I've done jerky multiple times and never had this issue at all. I love the BGE Brazilian lump because it burns hot and does not burn out fast. Any input appreciated
sub 200 is really hard as you have to starve the joe of air, the only way i've found that works is get a small bed of coals going with the dome open so its not heat soaking the ceramics, add a piece of coal so essentially you are running your joe on a single to max 2-3 pieces of coal. this will give enough air to keep the fire going, but small enough source of fuel to not run away to high temps
@@SmokingDadBBQ Sounds like a good idea, but is that enough coal to do a 3-4 hour cook at even sub 200?
Whenever I get a new grill I just modify it so it has a rifle rack onto the grill, That is like the icing in the cake ✔️
hahaha i'd love to see this
@@SmokingDadBBQ I can send a tag a picture on Instagram!
I can't seem to get my big joe 3 over 300 deg, should i try more lump charcoal?
either an airflow restriction, too much charcoal, not enough charcoal and or bad/wet/not carbonated charcoal
Hi James, I am waiting on the arrival of my KJ Classic 2. Is there any accessories you would say are a must for that model? I seen your video on the soapstone but was also wondering if I should get the charcoal basket to help with setting up for indirect? I don’t think the 2 comes with one. Any recommendations you have would be much appreciated!
thanks Todd, i love the basket upgrade. Either KJ or the Kick ash basket are good baskets
@@SmokingDadBBQ thank you!!
Wow. Long painful video. Should have been 5 minutes.
it has chapters so you can skip.
Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn. NERD! But so am I and I love it. Keep it up, I learn with you every video.
haha cheers
Can I experimenting with just charcoal without cooking anything, to be able to know the amount of charcoal to use and vent settings to set before cooking or it is not the same without any food cooking. Don't want to burn or ruin the food.
I just want to follow your instructions which I know will work but I am unsure about myself.
I have learned a lot from your videos because you have already made the mistakes and you teach us to avoid them in order to boast our confidence to increase our arsenals of things to cook. Thank you and keep those videos coming.
yes you can learn your grill well with a practice fire for sure, great way to learn without the stress of managing the food
@@SmokingDadBBQ Thank you.
You learn, I learn. Thanks!
Glad to help!
Mr. James....first off....thank you for all your hard work and time in putting these video's together for all of us!! You'll never know just how helpful they are!!! Since this one was made, I know you have moved down to one finger at the bottom....my question is this, when setting up to use the slow roller and the heat deflectors, how do you let the Kamado heat up? I have found using the chunk wood my wood is half used up by the time I get to temp. I usually light my lump in several places to get a good fire going, put in the dividers and let it all heat up. Once I get right at my cooking temp, I will put the top on the slow roller, put my deflectors together and fine tune my temp. This process may take 45 minutes!! What am I doing wrong here? Again, thank you for all you do and for taking time to answer questions!!
saw your other comment, glad to help
Awesome video James agree about using data and better controlled cooks using same techniques. I would like to try a fan system one day just to see how it compares.
Great idea, I would love to see how my temp charts compare
Great vid! Would advice another mic though, the noise of the wind is crazy :/
Thanks Tim, you read my mind.. this is the one that broke the camels back... or my bank account lol. I am now using a Rhode wireless go on newer videos and it seems much better to me (welcome your feedback)
@@SmokingDadBBQ Oh sweet! Looking forward to new content, really like your channel
My Kamado grill is arriving today
yay congratulations
Thanks for all your videos, those are very helpfull!!
I Just received my kamado, I have a question for you. I light my charcoal, follow the step you often mention, open every vent, when you have your temperature, adjust your vents. When I do that, My kamado start doing a lot of white smoke. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong?
this video has some more on that to help you out - ua-cam.com/video/x3nvkwmwuFw/v-deo.html
white smoke is oxygen starved combustion either from (1) left over wood, (2) charcoal both of which need to dehydrate and then combust and put off white smoke at first. you just need to wait it out
Hi James,
Thanks for the very informative videos!!! Have you cooked a brisket on the Classic 3? I’m trying to determine whether to buy the Big Joe 3, for the extra space, or the Classic 3. There’s only two of us most of the time, but occasionally have friends come over. I’m leaning towards the Classic 3, because I only smoke about three briskets in a year and it has plenty of room for a pork butt. We cook ribs, chicken and salmon the most, but not sure if it will handle four or five racks of ribs. Any insight would be appreciated.
Good question Ron, here is a brisket I did on the classic just fine - ua-cam.com/video/Nco-3gEUj6w/v-deo.html
I can do 5 racks flat (with a grid extender), more if you stack them on the side
Where do I get the meat monitoring software and probe?
Here is the link in the description they give me a save 10% link / code now so even better
Save 10% on MEATER wireless probes - bit.ly/SSDBBQMEATER (CODE: “SmokingDadBBQ10” works site wide)
Hi James,
For these long term cooks - how much trimmed meat do you calculate per person?
Br
Stephen Odgaard
(Copenhagen, DK)
about 1/2 pound per person usually is light for some fellas but way to much for the ladies and kids… I’ve never ran out budgeting for 1/2 pound per head
Hi James, thanks for the video, my question today is: How clean should I leave my grates? I see you only brush easy, not clean perfect, I normally will remove grates and put it on soap, and leave them almost like new? is that too much?
I don’t do much other than an occasional brush
Just got my first joe but have a stick burner and gravity fed. What is the rationale for not leaving the top vent wide open? Despite the fact that stick burners and gravity feds have adjustable baffles, no one uses them to control the temp. Is the joe airflow different in a way that makes it make more sense to try to use the top vent?
yes unlike your stick burner the form factor of the Kamado needs the vent cap for consistent control below 350f otherwise the heat retention and fire management spiral out of control into hot and fast territory quickly
What do you normally set your bottom vent at for normal grilling temps, like for steaks or burgers, etc (not for the low and slow cooking). Wide open? Two finger ?
the two fingers with the top open but not swung open caps out around 375-400 so if you want more heat I open the bottom vent. for hot and fast I usually have it all the way open
One of things I did with both my Kamado Joe Jr and Vision Classic B was do temperature profiling for settings. Example on my Vision Classic B for 225 to 245 I would either use bottom vent at setting 1 and top at 3 or bottom at 2 and top at about 3/4 of way to setting 1. For my Joe Junior I use set bottom vent to 1/2 “. Daisy wheel (inner small hole) to 1/2 to 3/4. If I have fully open to goes to 290 to 300 F, but if I keep daisy wheel 1/2 to 3/4 it hits 250F. Mapping took weekend. I have the settings written in my log book. I will have to try smoking wood on bottom of basket, I have been wrapping wood chunks in aluminum foil and poking a couple holes in it.
it’s so good you did that. great reference to have now for temp settings
Brisket needs to be cooked on a real smoker not a kamado
every grill has its strong suits.... Kamado's are like sports utility vehicles. they can do many things like off roading or city commuting but that doesn't mean they are the single best product for a specific cook. You'd need a dedicated pizza oven for pizza, offset for brisket, grill for steak or chicken, gas grill for quick dogs, tandoori oven, fire pit etc. etc. etc. If you can afford each of those to cover the best of every category all the power to you... but for many people, myself included it makes sense to have a single bbq that can do many things. While I can't touch franklin, i'd put my kamado brisket against what 99% of the offset cooks can consistently produce for taste and texture
How does a Kamdo work in 20-30 F range, Im from Sweden, can have the kamado out all of year, but under a roof ?
I am in Canada, works just fine in these low temps.
I love the way you break down your cook’s it’s using the new gadgets and plain old common sense! Well. done 👍
Thank-you, cheers
James, any reason your not using the IKamand? It’s literally set it and forget it and it gets your dome temps up to the target temps much quicker..
I don’t have one 😂... but outside of that i like learning how to do it without relying on fans
For low and slow cooks I open my bottom vent the size of the ash tool width, not length, so about 3/4 of an inch or so and control heat with the top vent only. 250 degrees is easy to lock in and it never moves from there once set. For 400 degrees both vents open about 3 inches each.
right on
This one one was somewhat long for a tips and tricks, but I did appreciate the in depth coverage. One thing I was surprised to learn was how much temps can very between the built in thermometer and just above the coals.
thanks for going back into the catalogue
Very nice. Just got the Joe 2 and put it together yesterday. I just subscribed. Thank you.
Thanks for the sub! congrats on your Joe
Hey, James - just saw an ad for your channel pop up on UA-cam, and I am so glad! I appreciate your knowledge and efforts. i have a question about smoking brisket that makes me crazy and that no one has yet been able to answer for me. I anticipate you will have an answer - but no pressure! Whenever I do a cook with my big ceramic grill, I maintain a slow and low steady temperature for many hours, and things go great all the way through the stall. But then late in the cook, with the same steady temperature at 225-250, when the meat gets up to about 180-185 degrees F (82-85 degrees C), the smoker temperature remains steady, but the meat temperature starts to drop. My meat thermometer is the the right spot, I haven't opened the lid and there is no leak in the system, but the meat temperature starts to drop! And then it just doesn't seem to ever get done, and I give up in frustration. By that time, the meat has been in the smoker for well beyond 1 1/2 hours per pound. Any idea what causes it? And how can meat temperature drop when the smoker temp is higher than the meat temperature? Thanks in advance!!
thanks so much for clicking into my page. great question. this is sometimes called the stall which means far is turning into liquid and actually cools your temp and or it stops moving. two things you can do, first is to just wait it out and check other parts of the brisket for feel. second option is cooking at 240-270 gives the brisket enough momentum to power through the stall and you hardly notice this effect
Had a new Classic 3 delivered today.....been binge watching your videos for the. past couple of weeks..THANK YOU for so much great information!
Rock on!
@@SmokingDadBBQ she's all fired up as www speak..LOL. The house is still standing..woohooo!
Great content as usual. Getting comfortable with low and slow now, but having issues in reverse sear cooking to getting a grill up to high temps following 30 to 60 minutes at low and slow. Struggle to get it up to 350. Any tricks in a future video would be appreciated.
it could be too much fuel blocking air, the type of fuel you’re using, or another airflow restriction like ash behind your firebox etc that’s causing the problem. i would start with less charcoal and use either big block or Jealous devil and if that doesn’t sort you out then move to a deep clean
What happened to your awesome custom built organizational setup?
thanks 🙏. I couldn’t fit the big Joe in it so I have a new project for spring
Thanks so much for these videos. So different than the normal video, you teach how to use the kamado versus actual cooking times and directions. Makes us think and learn what's going on. I really appreciate it. And I also love the way you say 'out' I'm a southerner and I hear ooot. lol
hahaha glad to help you oooot 😂 Much appreciated, I found nobody was really showing the "how" and "why" vs. just mentioning we're cooking on ____ today etc. and jumping right into the recipe assuming everyone is comfortable with how to get there, and control the fire throughout which a decade ago... were things I struggled with and assume others just getting started might as well
Great video James! You explications are very well done! Cheers!
Many thanks!
I really enjoy your videos and learn from most of them but the adverts drive me mad. Do you add the ads or are they added on your behalf because I’ve just had 10 adds, no, not an exaggeration! It’s just too much and ruins the video! 😕
Nemesiss372 I don’t pick the ads, the duration, placement or quantity. Sorry to hear this. I can block them but this is one of the only ways to get some income to pay for the supplies / videos themselves
I appreciate that, I really do. I get that it’s not your fault but it kinda puts ya off watching after the 6th forced add, not even the option to skip them. I genuinely enjoy your videos (more on the Joe Jnr please, I’ve just ordered one to add to my Classic II) but not sure I could sit through another batch like that, 😳! Keep em coming, with less Ads 😉!! 👍
Hi James, I always obtain a temperature a flat curve if I use my Flame Boss device . This temp control is great. Temp stability is remarquable
haha that’s cheating... but awesome 👏
As an engineer I agree with you, in principle, about keeping variables to a minimum when making adjustments. However, in each of the three slow cooks I've done on my Classic Joe II I've found myself in situations in which it seemed I couldn't get the temperature to go down without nearly shutting both the top and bottom vents. I always start with your "two fingers" setting on the bottom but, when the temp is seemingly stuck at 260ºF and the top vent is nearly closed, where do you go from there? I always start my fire with two fire starter cubes which look to be the same size and composition of the ones you use. Is that overly aggressive?
you can always move to a single finger to make sure you have an ok gap on the top vent if that works better for you. conditions like brand, quantity, temperature and humidity etc can make any generic vent setting off for some users
You can’t be more stable than a fan system in my opinion. There are too many variables to contend with. Eg. the natural ebbs and flow of the stack, wind, external temp, and as you saw water.
Nice video though
challenge accepted lol 😊
So interestingly I saw similar issues, bought my Big Joe back in April. When it was brand new the vent settings were very aggressive, I hardly had it open at all and the temperature would get quite high for what I expected, similar to what you are seeing. After a few months though its started to relax a little where my vents are open more than what they used to be, my smoking setting is now on the vertical line above the K, I'm putting this down to various parts gumming up over time and the vent settings changing over time for the same setup. Maybe you will see the same, would be interesting if you did, I shall carry on watching to find out!
Thanks James..... interesting, I have yet to notice the line position change since early July when I did this brisket but I will keep my eye out for it knowing your experience
2 fingers? Too much! A pencil max for low and slow.
either way works. I have found you can run into some more sensitivity with the wind for example when running at something like a pencil where it works fine all afternoon but then changes significantly in the evening which makes the grill more susceptible to burn outs.
When you're adjusting your top and bottom vents do you open the vents wide open when starting the fire and then adjust let's say the bottom vent two fingers or do you start your fire with two fingers bottom vent and top vent slightly open? I've been starting with both vents wide open and then ajust as I'm getting close to my target temperature. I'm still learning on my Big Joe II so any help would de appreciated. I enjoy and look forward to your videos.
good question Joe. wide open when lighting. I only move to 2 fingers once I am at temp
@@SmokingDadBBQ Thank you for your quick response. I guess I must be doing something right. I enjoy your videos and keep them coming!
Thank you James for this video. I'm still struggling with my KJ Classic II, but this will help. I was at Sam's Club last week and found a brisket for a great price. I bought it and put it in the freezer until such time as I feel confident enough to do an overnight cook. I have a lot of problems with the temperature swings, so I think using the same type and size of wood will be my next step to try to nail this down. I want brisket SO badly! Well done my smoking friend, well done.
You got this. If you didn't see it, this was the brisket done overnight in this video - ua-cam.com/video/eCU9yX_zJV8/v-deo.html
Hi from Austin. Your wisdom / insights on fire management, optimal type of smoke (& how to achieve it in this type of smoker), & learning after cooking is absolutely golden & rarely discussed elsewhere. Specifically (& what stopped me in my tracks) was your discussion / explanation of the importance of wood chunks placement beneath coals to get thin blue smoke. Nailed it. Quick question - I use a UDS (55 gal drum- vertical smoker). It's not as efficient as a JOE so it will require bit more charcoal for longer cooks like brisket or pork butts. Regarding placing wood chunks undeneath coals. How far down can you place chunks beneath the coals & still get that blue smoke? All the way on bottom of basket still? Can the burning coals 4 or 5 so levels above fall down & reach that wood to smolder? Or should I consider 2 levels of wood chunks (bottom & mid level). I know the smoke needs to travel thru the heat to burn off the white smoke. Your results speak for themselves. The bark & smoke ring on your brisket is similar to good briskets on offset smokers. Impressive. Keep up great work. Watching all your videos now. FYI, I've watched alot of the top BBQ UA-camrs. Yours still stand out.
thanks so much for the kind words. love a good barrel smoker. I’d likely do a thin layer of charcoal. then your wood and then charcoal to cover so that you get the fuel you need but also don’t have the wood so far away from the heat source it never smoulders
@@SmokingDadBBQ Right on. Thanks. I am smoking 3 briskets right now for a wedding today in 3 different UDS with 3 different wood chunk setups to experiment. The one with wood chunks on bottom probably not delivering enough smoke so bark & smoke ring may not be optimal. We will see on other two. I believe having the wood chunks beneath a few layers of charcoal will be best. Thanks again for your great level of detail & explanation...
Did you ever consider a pellet grill and the reported convenience they offer?
thanks David. good question... I feel that pellet grills are just like my minivan. I might like the places they take me... but the journey is way too boring for me to want one 😂
Curious if you will have any variances between slow roller and no slow roller.
Soon as my classic comes in I have some video tests in mind for this
Hey James, thanks for another great video. Who's your F1 team/driver?
I’m a Ferrari guy but not much to cheer for lately. hoping things look better next season when Sainz joins
Taking delivery of a Classic Joe tomorrow and I've been watching all your videos. Thanks for the great information/tips and tricks.
Rock on! Congrats
Yet again great video, could you comment on how long you get smoke from such an piece of oakwood? Keep up the good work 👍
Thanks so much, good question. Let me test that in a future video
Thanks for doing these videos! My smoked turkey on my Joe Jr came out great because of what I've learned from you!
That is awesome!
I think Kamado grills are really easy to learn, You have to know how to take care of it and make sure not to ruin it and you are set to go.
For sure in hindsight they really aren't that scary / complicated ... but man those first few times lol 😂 i talked myself into thinking I was launching a rocket
Love the shirt!!
haha thanks
Hey I’m trying to learn how to use my kamado joe jr by following some recipes. Your video’s help a lot.
Im now facing a recipe where I have to sear and put it on a lower temp zone afterwards (2 zone cooking). Any tips on how to accomplish this on a kamado joe jr?
I normally do the opposite where I cook low and slow first and then crank the heat to do the sear at the end.
but if you have to do it the other way there are some options. leave the dome open and only install the grid so you can sear without heat soaking the ceramics entirely. then once seared shut it down almost completely for a few min and then install your indirect cooking plate and grid. set your vents to the right spot and your off. alternatively get a chimney starter and put your grid on top of that
Smoking Dad BBQ Thank you for your response! I think I will try your first and easiest option!
@@SmokingDadBBQ little follow-up question: This sunday I will try your first option by reversing the order of cooking. The only thing is that the recipe says to what degree I should let it slow-cook after I have seared the meat. When reversing the order, I'm not quite sure when to take it of from the slow-cook to sear it. Recipe says to grill 3 minutes both sides of the Rib-Eye, but I'm not aware of what that will do with the temperature if you know what I mean.
Thanks James. Another fantastic video to help us learn how to get the most out of our Big Joe. Keep the videos coming!
thanks so much. will do
This in-depth video has really helped me (newbie). Charcoal amount is always my paranoia when I am starting a long, slow cook. Thanks!
Wonderful! So glad it helped
James, thank you very much for doing this one. Answered my questions perfectly. For info I used your pizza pie technique with the half moons to bring my cooker to temp earlier. Worked perfectly 👌 rolling some short ribs smoked with cherry & pecan. Cheers buddy 🍻👍🔥
Glad it was helpful! Cheers Jason
Where do you get your “vacation” shirts? Or what brand? I need some haha!
hahaha best part of summer lol .... wherever i can find them, all a mixed bag
Great information. Learned a lot from you. I have a KJ Big Joe 2.
Great to hear!
Thanks for another great video. Do you just knock the drippings off the top of the sloroller after a cook and store back inside like the grill grate?
Yes, exactly... i often crank the heat up to 450f for a few min to burn everything off when done cooking and then shut it all down and you're reset and ready for the next time
Smoking Dad BBQ Thanks. While I’m commenting, do you recommend the Meater as an all purpose thermometer? I don’t have one yet and was looking at both wireless and wired probes. I don’t want to deal with wires if I can avoid them. Does the meater work with a vent air controller? I don’t have one yet, but for long term decisions.
Great video!
Thanks for including the Celsius temperatures 👍🏼
When I got my BJ3 I realized that the vents need to be opened much less than with the Classic to go low and slow.
Glad it helped! Enjoy the BJ3
Thank you for this explanation vidéo. Very appreciate
Glad it was helpful!
Are you reading my mind? You must be! Very helpful as always, Thanks James :)
haha maybe lol 😂
Always great advice, cheers James.
Glad you enjoyed it
Great observations and tips. Thanks!
thanks so much
Did you wrap the brisket if so at what temp did you wrap?
I did. I cooked overnight and then in the AM after the F1 race wrapped it around 180f for another 2 hours before putting it in the cooler to rest for a few hours before dinner
Thanks for the great content! I'm getting up to speed on my new Kamado. It cooks so differently than my WSM and this video is very much appreciated. One thing I noticed was your grill brush - those are kind of not safe and I'd recommend replacing it. Check out the consumer reports article on wire grill brushes.
thanks Brett. I have read that, this is special one designed for that not to happen - www.cheffelton.com/about-chef-felton#
@@SmokingDadBBQ Oh excellent. I am very happy you are aware and that brush looks very solid. I might have to pick one up
Wow, nagado komado, that was very cool
thanks
why use an ash basket?
more air is the main reason. easy clean up #2... and on the JR where its killer, you can remove the heat to cool down a hot Joe jr for transport in a vehicle WAY faster
@@SmokingDadBBQ wow thanks for the fast reply and great explanation! I'll be getting one!
This deep dive and feedback is excellent. And woohoo f1!
hahah thanks Adam
This is such a great video! Love all of them since getting my Classic 3, quick question about your SloRoller...what're you using to clean it? Thanks!
Thanks Jeff. I found its best to try and keep it as clean as possible using a drip tray... then crank the heat at the end of your cook to 400-450f for 20min or so until the fat / white smoke clears out and then you're ready to shut it down and are clean / reset for next time
Smoking Dad BBQ awesome thanks! See you setting the drip try right on top of the Roller?
never mine smoking i just read the info on amazon. looks great!
Cheers