The lesson learned for me is to not regret getting an egg over a Joe! I had my heart set on a Joe but just couldn’t front the full cash at the time. Love my egg though and glad to know they are basically the same with very few differences. Love the video man, and even tho I’m an egghead I watch your videos for everything!
This is a late comment but may help others. Had to sell my BGE after I had an accident & couldn't manage the heavy lid. 3 years later I can lift the lid on my Traeger 1300. Have fond memories of managing all the pieces & parts of ceramic cooker but at age 70, no longer want to fiddle. Use my non-stick griddle and Timberline w super smoke. Plus for a crowd of 15-20 with just immediate family, I need real estate. Still watch all brands of grill & smoker vids as I am always looking for a perfect set-up for my limitations. But, there ain't one yet. Pellet smokers still best choice for me. Tx for your videos.
Love your videos. I really appreciate how you explain how the KJ works in truly scientific ways but also how you use everyday analogies to put the information into layman’s terms. Just got my KJ Classic 3 delivered yesterday and set it up last night. Thanks for sharing so much of the knowledge that you’ve gained from your years of experience!
The temperature dail is crooked on the big green egg. Big green egg is smaler than the joe. Big green egg is promoted by big green egg. Joe is promoted by itself.
If the BGE used less fuel AND cooked the brisket a bit quicker that seems to indicate that it is more efficient. This would mean that combustion is cleaner, not the other way around…. A few extra variables at play (before and after mass of the fuel, mass of the brisket, length of time each dome was open…), but the slightly better flavour, even if splitting hairs, is a Dr Seuss thing!
I never use a binder. Some liquid binders mess with smoke absorbtion. Even after dry brine and pat dry, the rub sticks fine. Cheap coffe grinders work great for making rubs. I keep one only for cracked black and another one for misc.
Interesting results. I was wondering how much of a difference there would be. When I had my KJ V2, I remember noticing more lump being used as soon as I bought an aftermarket fire basket. All the extra surface area seemed to use more lump, even though the temps were similar. Good vid!
Really enjoyed this comparison James.I'm a BGE user and would switch to a KJ but I'm too far invested in my egg and a new KJ would not go over well with the head of the war department. Perhaps I should consider selling my egg. The comparison are a great learning tool in that differences or adjustments between the cooker styles are highlighted. Thanks for this
i wouldn't switch for taste alone... i was guessing and my neighbours said the same so taste shouldn't be the reason. A lot of the utility differences can be addressed with modifications and accessories so this video isn't about trying to get people to switch from one to the other, but understand what modifications help improve the result and using the tools you have to get even better results. The KJ just makes that easier out of the box and if you were starting with nothing i think it makes more sense if you're not already well invested in the other
@@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks James. I'm not considering changing for the tase. I'm quite happy with the performance of my BGE. I am considering change because of the "technology" more than anything. I am sold on the slo-roller concept and its ease of use with the KJ. I will be buying a ceramic cooker larger than my Large BGE and it will be red. Just a matter of convincing the wife! You know the saying "happy wife happy life"
Hi James, thank you for making such great content on kamado style cookers. It's really helpful for us all. One suggestion for future blind taste tests, is to make your conclusion on taste preference before revealing the cookers to yourself. You first guessed the KJ was the smokier result, because that is what you expected to be the case. You later said the lighter smoke flavor was preferable because it was cleaner. By that point you were already biased with knowing which cooker each brisket came from. I can't help but think you would not have said the BGE had a nicer clean smoke flavor if your initial guess was correct.
Had a BBQ joint for 10 yrs. You owe it to yourself to try a Cook Shack smoker. Cook the brisket at 195 for 10-12 hours. No need to foil wrap, it won't dry out.
Great video James! Without having an ash drawer on the bge, I usually try placing the wood chips in the bottom with a set of long tongs to try and get the best placement.
Very interesting. I have no want or need to have a ceramic cooker, but always enjoy watching your videos. I own all Webers. WSM, Smokefire and kettle. They are very versatile and I like the subtle differences of each.
Seen where some folks put pellets in the coal basket to have longer smoke. Mixed in they tend to smoke intermittently. Your method works too. I don’t own either the egg or the joe so I wouldn’t really know. Like the video.
Really enjoyed the video. I have a large BGE and have been using your double indirect method for lower temperature cooks. I purchased a slow roller for use with the BGE, and then bought a divide & conquer to go with it. That didn’t work out well without the extra 4 inches of the KJ, but I ended up cutting off the top 2 layers with a hack saw and use the KJ half moon heat deflectors which are a little smaller diameter than BGE half moons. I put the modified divide & conquer on the fire ring and the half moons then sit below well the top of the fire ring. This allows the BGE basket for the conveggtor deflector to sit on top of the modified divide & conquer and that combo works very well for double indirect. I recently cooked some jerky with this set up and the BGE maintained a very stable target temp of 225F. Thank you for the great videos, I’ll keep watching and learning.
Double indirect uses a lot more coals. In my case I leave all the components in after the cook. Maybe if I removed them all it might cool down more quickly.
I have done cooks with KJ series 2 with double indirect and I still tend to get the crispier bottom around the perimeter where the heat comes thru from the slow roller past the deflectors. Could the height difference between the KJ series 2 to the 3 make that much of a difference? Have you tested how much of a heat difference at the grate it would be with the double indirect method on your BJ series 1 versus the double indirect on your BJ series 3?
love the practical egg vs joe videos. there are so many that come to mind. I'm curious about the charcoal consumption. as a classic 3 owner, I wonder how efficiency compares between doing a slo roller cook vs a deflector plate cook
Awesome video! My large BGE is really difficult to get below 300 degrees for a long cook, seems like no matter what the temp will eventually creep up to 300. Looking forward to seeing a similar blind test comparing your KJ to the offset.
this video reminded me of the creep, especially if you peak with the egg thats absent in the Joe... i had significant intervention with the vents to keep things close whereas i didn't touch the joe all day. Looking forward to those as well, will start them next month
This is interesting. I for one thought there was going to be a distinct difference due to the claim of the slo roller. Now I want to know how effective is the slo roller at this point? Was there a visual difference in smoke ring between the two?
Whoops, more smoke taste from the Egg. While a good test, it was flawed in some aspects of the testing. You cut both of them on the same cutting board, used the same pair of gloves to handle both pieces. This allowed mixing of the juices, which contain smoke flavor, from each piece. I think bringing in a third party to do the taste test would be a better test. Both of these fine pieces of equipment are outstanding. I wouldn't be ashamed to cook on either product. Thank you for doing this test.
Hi. I’m new to your channel. I like your videos. I have a old Large BGE. Thanks to you and other research I am 99% sure I will purchase the KJ for my new second home. If I love it I will upgrade my BGE to KJ at my primary residence. I’d like to suggest going to 2 to 1 pepper to salt in your rub. I have found it to be the perfect amount of salt for most people. Maybe give that a try. It’s easy to add. Cannot take away. Thank you for your great videos! Very informative and you make the subjects accessible.
I have to say I’m a bit surprised! Although you really can’t go wrong with either one, I thought the slow roller would give the KJ an edge on the smoke flavor. Great video again James. Thanks for the review we’ve all been waiting for!
If you evenly space multiple wood chunks in the bottom of the Kamado and just light one side, it will light each wood chunk as the fire spreads during the cook. I believe this is called the Minion method. It works well for me and no need to add wood chips and no bad smoke as each chunk ignites. Perhaps you can compare to your method?
i can give it a go, i found if you get too much it impacts stability of your temps and or you can over smoke the chamber and choke out the fire which is why i opt for adding either a small chunk or chips this way but a head to head would be good
That’s be great! I really appreciate all the comparisons you do for us. It has increased my overall enjoyment of my Kamado Joe as well as the delicious food we make.
I own Kamado joes and the ceramics and the warranty system need work. My dealer can’t replace parts like other brands and my replacement parts take forever from Kamado Joe. Plus the cleaning process of the slo roller is not ideal. Also I hate how my KJ grates fall when I scrape them. At the moment the new primo is the way to go.
Wait, your neighbor made you RENT the BGE???? Wow, Canada is a lot different than down here in the Southern US. A neighbor here would help you lug it over, drink a beer or two (which you would provide of course) while helping set it up, then ask you to fill them in on the result. NOTHING else would be asked for but then after the test is done, you would provide the neighbor with some brisket for dinner without being asked. That's how it would work here. The alternate ending would be having the neighbor's family over for dinner after the test so you could all have a nice talk about the result.
Hi James. Something to consider regarding smoke flavor intensity. Having had about half of the pellet smokers on the market, LOL. I have learned something interesting. The more deflector plates are in place, the more it tends to filter out smoke flavor. I have a weber smoke fire pellet grill. It has a better smoke flavor than my others. Biggest difference in design is that It has almost no deflectors comparatively. I also have a weber summit Kamado. And when I cook chicken 15” over the coals (no deflector in elevated rack), VS with the heat deflector and drip pan in place. Temp, chicken weight, brand of coal all same…. There is a noticeable difference in flavor. It seems that less efficient more convection & less smoke filtering obstacles tend to put cleaner smoke flavor to the food. Probably why offsets do such a good job. In your case with the Kamado’s (being so strong on smoke) having those extra filtering layers (on KJ) actually helps to make a cleaner less intense smoke flavor. I think the less efficiency that you’re seeing in the KJ, has to do with the basket versus the plated bottom in the BGE. The more vented bottom creates a cleaner but less efficient burn also adding to a softer cleaner smoke flavor. That’s my two cents. Very much enjoyed watching this!
Also, looking at the images, it seems to me that the KJ Classic 3 has a larger chamber than the Large BGE. BGE seems to be more tapered at the bottom, thus smaller, that could have a play on the amount of charcoal being used. The KJ seems heavier and bulkier and 4" taller?. Bang for the buck, considering the features, even the weight and size, KJ seems to have the better value.
Nice video! I'm really glad you did this test. I've seen comparisons between smokers and usually the second smoker just came out of the box. The reviewer is learning how to use it during the comparison. You're probably one of the few people who have had enough time on both to know how to use them and make a fair demonstration of both. You mentioned at the end about making an airgap with bolts and another ceramic for the Egg... you are on the right track. I used an air gapped, tin foil covered pizza serving pan along with your foil boat + butcher paper method. The bottom of the brisket was just fine. Another cook I totally forgot about the air gapped pizza pan, and got the over cooked bottom. Now that's part of my ever evolving recipe for brisket. Needs Air gap! 😊 🍖🍖🍖 🐄🐄🐄
Thanks, I am glad to hear confirmation that this 100% solved this minor issue as thats what I was thinking I would do if i had to do it again / owned one
Great video! Would you be willing to do a variation on this theme for us BGE owners? I have read that the slow roller will fit in a BGE. Could you "rent" your neighbors BGE again and do a comparison with a slow roller in it? If you find a difference, I would be compelled to grab one for my BGE. Thanks for the great content.
After a few years of grinding enough pepper by hand for my cooks, I broke down and got a $20 coffee grinder that takes less than a minute of grinding for 1/2 cup of pepper (2-3 fillings of peppercorns). Never going back!
Been on a Rekteq for about a year and addicted to smoking. Was gonna get a WSM graduating to a non pellet, but can't get away from the Kamado Joe. Thoughts? Great videos btw.
Iceberg. Which temp is hotter dome or grate, some say done is is hotter sometimes and have read some say grate is hotter sometime, Kindly advise thanks
@@abbsabbs8610 dome is reading higher. Grate is lower. Has to do with all the heat rises, but the temp in the meat is cooler. It does even out, over time, as the meat starts rising in temperature but it's not a quick thing.
@@IceBergGeo thanks for the prompt response, I also have lbge, and the issue with the double indirect in the egg , not sure about your set up, but with deflector plates lower in the egg with like a spyder accessory like some do will this not be actually suffocating the fire, I tried this and got lots of bellowing white smoke for lack of air, took ages for the ceramics to heat up,
@@abbsabbs8610 I have the split plates on bottom, eggspander legs down, I spent the $30 on the foil drip pans, and lined it with foil, then rack and second level on top. Worked fine for me. Just have to let it get some dome heat in, then the ceramic plates, and let it heat up for a while. Took about an hour to get it up to a decent dome temperature (250). I didn't have an issue with smoke levels. I did use a large block of wood, surrounded by charcoal. I lit it in several places. Fitting two pork butts on the top rack isn't ideal, as they can touch the dome, or the dome probe, if you're not careful. But, I did do the two butts and three racks of ribs on the lower rack. Turned out great.
I really think you'd be intrigued with using a Slow N Sear in either their (SNS Grills) kettle or their kamado. They created the slow n sear and the drip n griddle drip pan to work together side by side. You put the drip n griddle next to the slow n sear and it forces most of the air to travel directly through the slow n sear charcoal basket making the fire less efficient so it has to burn hotter to maintain temperature (versus being barely lit like it sometimes is in kamados) leading to a cleaner burning fire and better smoke production. Might be worth purchasing to test it versus the Kamado Joe Slo-Roller double indirect method you coined as your favorite!
Hey Smoking Dad, the last time I used the foil boat method. It took forever for the point to get done. Some of the point was probe tender, however the very end of of the point was tough, even though it was reading 210. Is that normal for the point taking that long, or should have pulled the brisket earlier because the rest of the brisket was very tender. Also, do you bump up the temperature when you foil boat the brisket?
Another winning video! I have learned so much from you! I would love to see a third grill test. I have a Vision Grill. A taste test among the three would be very interesting. As always, excellent work!
I also have a Vision grill (it was by far the cheapest kamado I could find). I’m less interested in seeing how it compares, and more interested in how to get a non-KJ double indirect method up and running on it!
@@benflannery7367 I use 2 of the half moon heat deflectors on the bracket that comes with the pizza stone and I put the pizza stone on the lower rack. Gets almost the same scenario.
James, loving your videos. Wondering how much time you dedicate to producing your content monthly. Would seem like it would be quite a bit, but certainly well worth it!
thanks, videos like this take a lot of time... recording a cook i am doing anyways on the weekend is no big deal, its the speciality head to heads that quickly take over your weekend free time
I think the stick burner would make a larger difference in taste tests. I like my steaks better off a campfire coals than my Kamado for just taste. Thanks for the tests on the two brands. I glad it doesn't really matter as it goes to technic of how you run the kamados.
It is a pity that I can't send you some of our Hardwood..Here in Australia we have a number of timbers that are as hard as diamonds when dry. I found that a mix of charcoal and Redgum or ironbark give a good clean smoke and give a great smoke ring and flavour. I just wished I had your cooker collection to cook more. Great videos and love the dog.
Love your videos! I have a SNS Grill Kamado and do you think the sloroller and the Kamado Joes plates for the double indirect smoke will fit in the SNS?
I have both as well as a pit boss and any difference is so minuscule that you have to really want there to be one. KJ definitely has the edge with accessories, the gasket and the hinge and for that reason alone KJ would be my choice if I could only have one. Having said that, there’s something about owning the OG the BGE, it makes me feel like I own something prestigious and yes I know what I sound like 😬😆.
James!!! Do the BGE - with sloroller comparison!, Maybe it'll help with the overcook, and I'm still debating if it is worth it to buy it as an addon to a BGE
i have overcooked the bottom on a KJ with just the sloroller (see hot and fast vs. low and slow brisket slicing chapter for the visual) so the SloRoller on its own doesn't 100% solve this... now thats before the boat so maybe that would have made the difference. but its almost more the tag team of the SloRoller (better top render) and deflectors (better bottom protection) in a tag team together that drive the result
Great comparison, extremely well executed. The larger smoke ring, and more burn of the coals seem to be indications of stronger convection in the KJ. I have noticed that you cooked at 250, less than what you had been doing. I can see watching the video, the bottom of the meat in the BGE would have crusted even more at a higher temp. Correct me if I am wrong then, the KJ has another advantage of cooking at a higher temperature that you had found optimal for even a cleaner smoke. And if one needs a heavier smoke, one can always add wood chips in the ash tray. I happen to believe that the burning charcoals filter out the smoke impurities from the burning wood chips below. One can add as often or less of chips as one desires.
i did near 300 on the grate and kept the dome temps around 250f to try and not have the gap between double indirect in the KJ vs. Egg where it wasn't possible not be the driving difference even though it turned out to be enough on its own at these temps which i think helps prove the difference in height / shape / utility
I think it’s the basket getting more air to the meat. You don’t want smoldering wood like he normally talks about you actually want it to burn. But smoke ring is never the indication of a good brisket
Smoldering of the wood between 450 F and 720 F allows the aromatic gases, carbonyls and phenols to be released. Burying the chunks of wood under the hot burning coals, such as James does, will allow the wood chunks to smolder at this range of temperatures, the hot coals will also filter out and burn other gases and fumes that are undesirable. Placing wood chunks above the coals, such as one may see many others do, makes the wood burn faster, and the smoke characteristics will be different. The wood will also release dirty smoke, but I see it being common practice on UA-cam videos. When people state, they don't want smoldering wood, they'd be referring to burning wood in offset smokers, which is another topic.
@@CoolJay77 if the wood is warming as the fire burns the wood should be warmed. A lot of acrid smoke comes during the ignition process hence why a lot of pitmasters will warm those logs
i do costco for most of mine unless getting a wagyu which i get from JNG meats in Aldershot. I get my Tomahawks, Beef Ribs, Waygu, Iberico pork etc. from there
Great content as always, and your briskets look amazing! If you ever get the chance it would be great to compare against a much, much cheaper kamado. For instance, in the UK, people rave about Aldis kamado, which is very, very cheap in comparison.
I think the results will all somewhat be the same, some of it is in our mind knowing if it's a cheap or expensive kamado. To me the purchase of a kamado depends on warranty, accessories and looks. Not really prisewise althoug when i bought my The Bastard Large Urban complete wich i liked the look the most, if i was to buy a green egg with the same specs and accessories it would have been double in price...
Hey James, whats up with your draft door on the KJ C3. I've seen it in a bunch of your videos but wondering if it serves any purpose in terms of upgrades
Great video! Just got a Kamado Joe Classic II (on sale) and also just received my two soapstones from Amazon... My question is: have you tried using two soapstones as heat deflector instead of the ceramic ones or the pizza plate? I'm thinking that it could speed up the searing at the end since the soapstone would sit lower (hotter) and could be used for searing quicker.
Thanks for another great video James! Really nice insight and a very close comparison. I'm looking to get a Classic Joe 3, don't have space for the Big one unfortunately. I am curious, do you ever soak your wood chips in water before adding them to the ash drawer, or do you think that would hinder their combustion too much? Thanks again, and best wishes from London, UK!
Thanks for watching! Nope, check out this article for why not - amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/more-cooking-science/myth-soak-your-wood-first/
Nice video! My barbecue reaches peak flavor on the third day after smoking - the spices and smoke continue to meld for the first few days. Have you considered comparing the Joe vs the Weber Summit Kamado and/or the Char-Griller AKORN?
yes i am looking to try and do those two this summer.... videos don't generate $100 very often so buying a $2k summit to lose 1900 on a video has been the only thing holding me back
It would be interesting to do the taste test not using the double indirect method since most don't use the double indirect method when they cook. More of a head to head comparison. Also I did manage to do a double indirect method on my BGE by placing a spider from ceramic grill and two half stones which set below the egg plate setter though could not tell much difference though did burn a hotter fire which should therefore give you a cleaner smoke similar to the Big Joe. Thanks for the great videos as I find them extremely helpful with use on my BGE.
the spider would have made this really easy.. i used to have one with my egg so i used the pizza stone and two CGS half moon deflectors when cooking on mine before the Egg spander was ever a thing I like the slider on the Egg version but given the choice i would support CGS still and get their version
Amount of smoke is so subjective. I prefer a heavier smoke flavor. I had a nephew that didn’t like any smoke flavor. I think the real question is did the potential cleaner smoke from the Joe improve the taste, or was the smokier flavor from the egg clean but just heavier? Love these tests. I wish you had a Primo in the test group. The oval shape is perfect for brisket.
i am also a fan of smoke so its not that, what i am trying to zero in on is the quality of the smoke itself where there is an ever so subtle difference between the two. They were very close so this is overly dramatic but imagine the difference between an ash tray smoke and a bonfire burning hot with 6ft tall flames... both are smoke yet impart completely different flavours. The egg was one degree to the ash taste and the joe was one degree towards the bonfire. Not so much more or less smoke per say but a subtle difference in the taste profile
You could probably do a double indirect cook on the large BGE by using 2 CGS spiders one low in the fire box with a 13" stone and one on top of the fire ring with a16" inch stone.
@@SmokingDadBBQ Since seeing your videos I'd like to try the double indirect method on my large BGE; all I need to do is get another spider and a smaller stone. Thanks for the inspiration.
With my observation I think you went with fat cap up and I understand why you personally did that from previous videos. However, I would have chosen fat cap down to protect the underside of the brisket as most pit masters do suggest. As I was watching your experiment, before I got to the end, I was already saying to myself I would have used my Big Green Egg 21 inch pizza stone with foil legs to hold it off the plate setter. I think a person really has to look at the type of grill being used and adjust methodology accordingly. I will always place fat cap in the direction of direct heat no matter if I’m using a plate setter or not. I think if the fat caps would have been down instead of up, the Big Green Egg brisket more than likely wouldn’t have had the over cooked bottom. I do think the overcooked bottom of the brisket on the Big Green Egg brisket could have been avoided if you accommodate to the situation a bit more. No two grills are going to cook identically and accommodations have to be made for proper cooks on each. Just my opinions.
A lot of making mole hills into mountains. Whole bunch of good food ideas, but how about letting someone independent with some formal training also judge to keep it honest? Love the creativity n personality. Afraid this is turning into full of himself. Again, instead of you being cook and Supreme Court. Validate your work by having real trained people validate your work. What to be afraid of?
I have a good feeling that your forgetfulness about the heating of the egg when it opens, and the spike in temp is what caused the egg bark on the bottom to get a little over done. Honestly, I've not experienced that, but I've been using the genius in order to be able to sleep while my food is cooking. Also, I've been cooking on the second tier, using the eggspander, with the conveggtor flipped legs up. I think I'll have to pick up two of the half moons to see if that makes a difference as well, to do the double indirect.
the MEATER chart shows there was never more than a 10f difference between the two at grate level. the difference is I had to clamp down the egg vents to stop a runaway whereas I didn’t touch the joe vents all day
@@IceBergGeo the grate temp but the joe was always around 10. I can go back and double check but a min or two at 10f isn’t going to cause the bottom issue. The domes were reading 250 ish
@@SmokingDadBBQ yeah with brisket it's hard to get rid of all of it lol. I just got my classic III Sunday and made a tomohawk last night probably gonna do ribs tonight. As nice as the joe Jr is I'm finding the classic III seems to be easier so far. Also the flavor and stability seems to be a lot better.
Good experiment. I am wondering if the wood chunks were burned too early while you were heating the cooker. BGE is more efficient, so is it possible that the meat was smoked longer? I discovered when I used your method to heat my KJ, it would burn the chunks that I put at the bottom while heating the dome. Few months ago, I started a different method, I now heat my KJ with just half basket of coals. After the dome passes the hand test, I rake the hot coals to the front near the bottom vent, lined up the chunks, and then pour more fresh coals to fill the basket. I get clean smoke, and the chunks are not wasted heating the dome. It will be interesting to see if the chunks were consumed too early in KJ. Is there a difference in the depth of the coals?
That's an interesting idea. That way you'd also get fresh coals and their benefit to the meat, as well as the smoking wood. All things said, I've been using a full split of smoking wood in the bottom of my egg. It's going to become charcoal anyways, and it helps delay the smokey flavor, and lasts almost the whole cook.
@@IceBergGeo So far, the result has been good. I put three chunks on my last cook, and I still saw a partially burnt chunk at the end of a six hour cook. Thin smoke is present most of the time. I like it because I can use used coals to heat up the ceramic, and while raking the hot coals to set up the chunks and the fresh coals, I removed ashes from the basket. What is your temperature? I am concerned to use a split in a higher temp cook (275-300), because I heard it may cause a fluctuation in temperature.
@@erwiengmailcom I've done 275. I've also had temp spikes, but that was when I was using several smaller pieces. I use basically a full split you get, straight from the package. And get it burning, right away. That way you know what your airflow and rate of burn will be. Keep in mind, I've only been doing this a few months, and mostly in the winter, so your results may vary. I think it also has to do with the kinds of wood you choose to use. I've found hickory to be very ashy. Oak, not so much, and as a result, that's what I've used with the full splits. It's definitely worth a try, if you've got the time and patience to be able to watch it relatively carefully, or just not be afraid of something cooking faster/hotter than expected. As an aside, James did do a full stick burn inside the KJ. Very carefully, and slowly, but it seemed to work pretty well.
OK, "more smoke" on the BGE, "Nice clean smoke" on the KJ... Which one tasted better??? If you asked your neighbor (he rented his BGE to you?) "Which one tastes better?" what would he say? At the end you said "not much difference", but in your next test please just ask, "Which one would you want a full plate of for a meal?"
if you had 100 people the day it was cooked line up i think 50 would pick one, and 50 would pick the other on taste. On texture, i think 90 would pick the KJ unless you shred off / lose the bottom in which case you don't have the texture on the egg and it would be back to 50/50
I would say the taste was indistinguishable. I had my wife do the blind test, she couldn’t tell the difference. I haven’t experienced the same tearing texture on the bottom when smoking a brisket, but I’ve never tried using the deflector plates instead of the conveggtor, which is a little thicker than the plates.
@@Citymats good point on the thickness. 250 at the dome with the boat I thought would have been safe … my guess was to prioritize coverage area vs thickness but that’s a good point
Not sure this was apples to apples. You let the temp fly on the egg which clearly affected the bottom which could happen on the joe as well which made the results seem a bit biased to me. Be nice to see it with temps being even. Great video nonetheless.
i managed the temps and got them back in check so that the delta between the two didn't become a difference maker... my comment was more i had to manage it vs. had i not it would have taken off
Please scour your network of friends, family and colleagues to find a Weber Summit Kamado. Then repeat this experiment please! I have the Weber Summit and it’s so easy to use and responsive, it’s almost telepathic.
i have been trying, will keep looking. videos earn ~$30 in ad revenue so its just not feasible to buy everything but it makes it really hard tracking down units to borrow for these but i have been wanting to do it for over a year
@@SmokingDadBBQ as you say, it really helps with cleaner smoke and less burnt bottoms. I don't have a slow roller, so I use the rack with an extra stone.
i used to think this way, but using less fuel doesn't taste better. A broil king keg uses even less fuel than the egg/joe and doesn't taste better for it whereas you go to an offset which i need to add a log or 2 every 20min is by far the least energy efficient and tastes the best
i debated showing any brisket prep but left it in with chapters. If you’ve seen any of my prep jump to the slicing and taste test chapters for the difference. i left it in if new people were curious
The lesson learned for me is to not regret getting an egg over a Joe! I had my heart set on a Joe but just couldn’t front the full cash at the time. Love my egg though and glad to know they are basically the same with very few differences. Love the video man, and even tho I’m an egghead I watch your videos for everything!
This is a late comment but may help others. Had to sell my BGE after I had an accident & couldn't manage the heavy lid. 3 years later I can lift the lid on my Traeger 1300. Have fond memories of managing all the pieces & parts of ceramic cooker but at age 70, no longer want to fiddle. Use my non-stick griddle and Timberline w super smoke. Plus for a crowd of 15-20 with just immediate family, I need real estate. Still watch all brands of grill & smoker vids as I am always looking for a perfect set-up for my limitations. But, there ain't one yet. Pellet smokers still best choice for me. Tx for your videos.
I think Bella has eaten more and better brisket than I have .., cheers! Thank you for all the great videos ... keep it up !
Love your videos. I really appreciate how you explain how the KJ works in truly scientific ways but also how you use everyday analogies to put the information into layman’s terms. Just got my KJ Classic 3 delivered yesterday and set it up last night. Thanks for sharing so much of the knowledge that you’ve gained from your years of experience!
I appreciate that!
The temperature dail is crooked on the big green egg. Big green egg is smaler than the joe. Big green egg is promoted by big green egg. Joe is promoted by itself.
Your editing quality keeps getting better with each video! Thanks James for all your help!
I appreciate that!
Super interesting! Cant wait to see another comparison video. Great job!
Glad you liked it!
If the BGE used less fuel AND cooked the brisket a bit quicker that seems to indicate that it is more efficient. This would mean that combustion is cleaner, not the other way around…. A few extra variables at play (before and after mass of the fuel, mass of the brisket, length of time each dome was open…), but the slightly better flavour, even if splitting hairs, is a Dr Seuss thing!
I never use a binder. Some liquid binders mess with smoke absorbtion. Even after dry brine and pat dry, the rub sticks fine.
Cheap coffe grinders work great for making rubs. I keep one only for cracked black and another one for misc.
Good call on the grinders
Interesting results. I was wondering how much of a difference there would be. When I had my KJ V2, I remember noticing more lump being used as soon as I bought an aftermarket fire basket. All the extra surface area seemed to use more lump, even though the temps were similar. Good vid!
Really enjoyed this comparison James.I'm a BGE user and would switch to a KJ but I'm too far invested in my egg and a new KJ would not go over well with the head of the war department. Perhaps I should consider selling my egg. The comparison are a great learning tool in that differences or adjustments between the cooker styles are highlighted. Thanks for this
i wouldn't switch for taste alone... i was guessing and my neighbours said the same so taste shouldn't be the reason. A lot of the utility differences can be addressed with modifications and accessories so this video isn't about trying to get people to switch from one to the other, but understand what modifications help improve the result and using the tools you have to get even better results. The KJ just makes that easier out of the box and if you were starting with nothing i think it makes more sense if you're not already well invested in the other
@@SmokingDadBBQ Thanks James. I'm not considering changing for the tase. I'm quite happy with the performance of my BGE. I am considering change because of the "technology" more than anything. I am sold on the slo-roller concept and its ease of use with the KJ. I will be buying a ceramic cooker larger than my Large BGE and it will be red. Just a matter of convincing the wife! You know the saying "happy wife happy life"
Hi James, thank you for making such great content on kamado style cookers. It's really helpful for us all.
One suggestion for future blind taste tests, is to make your conclusion on taste preference before revealing the cookers to yourself. You first guessed the KJ was the smokier result, because that is what you expected to be the case. You later said the lighter smoke flavor was preferable because it was cleaner. By that point you were already biased with knowing which cooker each brisket came from. I can't help but think you would not have said the BGE had a nicer clean smoke flavor if your initial guess was correct.
Had a BBQ joint for 10 yrs. You owe it to yourself to try a Cook Shack smoker. Cook the brisket at 195 for 10-12 hours. No need to foil wrap, it won't dry out.
I am eyeballing one cook shack smoker now thanks to you. Can they handle being outdoors with a cover?
Great video James!
Without having an ash drawer on the bge, I usually try placing the wood chips in the bottom with a set of long tongs to try and get the best placement.
Very interesting. I have no want or need to have a ceramic cooker, but always enjoy watching your videos. I own all Webers. WSM, Smokefire and kettle. They are very versatile and I like the subtle differences of each.
Seen where some folks put pellets in the coal basket to have longer smoke. Mixed in they tend to smoke intermittently. Your method works too. I don’t own either the egg or the joe so I wouldn’t really know. Like the video.
Really enjoyed the video. I have a large BGE and have been using your double indirect method for lower temperature cooks. I purchased a slow roller for use with the BGE, and then bought a divide & conquer to go with it. That didn’t work out well without the extra 4 inches of the KJ, but I ended up cutting off the top 2 layers with a hack saw and use the KJ half moon heat deflectors which are a little smaller diameter than BGE half moons. I put the modified divide & conquer on the fire ring and the half moons then sit below well the top of the fire ring. This allows the BGE basket for the conveggtor deflector to sit on top of the modified divide & conquer and that combo works very well for double indirect. I recently cooked some jerky with this set up and the BGE maintained a very stable target temp of 225F. Thank you for the great videos, I’ll keep watching and learning.
Double indirect uses a lot more coals. In my case I leave all the components in after the cook. Maybe if I removed them all it might cool down more quickly.
i am not in a rush to cool it down but yes removing heat soaked gear does help speed it up
I have done cooks with KJ series 2 with double indirect and I still tend to get the crispier bottom around the perimeter where the heat comes thru from the slow roller past the deflectors. Could the height difference between the KJ series 2 to the 3 make that much of a difference? Have you tested how much of a heat difference at the grate it would be with the double indirect method on your BJ series 1 versus the double indirect on your BJ series 3?
love the practical egg vs joe videos. there are so many that come to mind.
I'm curious about the charcoal consumption. as a classic 3 owner, I wonder how efficiency compares between doing a slo roller cook vs a deflector plate cook
Thanks James, excellent honest comparison. 👍
Glad you enjoyed it
Awesome video! My large BGE is really difficult to get below 300 degrees for a long cook, seems like no matter what the temp will eventually creep up to 300.
Looking forward to seeing a similar blind test comparing your KJ to the offset.
this video reminded me of the creep, especially if you peak with the egg thats absent in the Joe... i had significant intervention with the vents to keep things close whereas i didn't touch the joe all day.
Looking forward to those as well, will start them next month
This is interesting. I for one thought there was going to be a distinct difference due to the claim of the slo roller. Now I want to know how effective is the slo roller at this point? Was there a visual difference in smoke ring between the two?
Great grill test but the blindfold was on backwards ;-}... LOL... Love your shows!!!!
Whoops, more smoke taste from the Egg. While a good test, it was flawed in some aspects of the testing. You cut both of them on the same cutting board, used the same pair of gloves to handle both pieces. This allowed mixing of the juices, which contain smoke flavor, from each piece. I think bringing in a third party to do the taste test would be a better test. Both of these fine pieces of equipment are outstanding. I wouldn't be ashamed to cook on either product. Thank you for doing this test.
definitely a close one. thanks
Hi. I’m new to your channel. I like your videos. I have a old Large BGE. Thanks to you and other research I am 99% sure I will purchase the KJ for my new second home. If I love it I will upgrade my BGE to KJ at my primary residence. I’d like to suggest going to 2 to 1 pepper to salt in your rub. I have found it to be the perfect amount of salt for most people. Maybe give that a try. It’s easy to add. Cannot take away. Thank you for your great videos! Very informative and you make the subjects accessible.
I’ll give it a try. Thanks Glen
I have to say I’m a bit surprised! Although you really can’t go wrong with either one, I thought the slow roller would give the KJ an edge on the smoke flavor. Great video again James. Thanks for the review we’ve all been waiting for!
it was closer taste wise then I would have guessed. the result is clearly better but the taste was near identical
If you evenly space multiple wood chunks in the bottom of the Kamado and just light one side, it will light each wood chunk as the fire spreads during the cook. I believe this is called the Minion method. It works well for me and no need to add wood chips and no bad smoke as each chunk ignites. Perhaps you can compare to your method?
i can give it a go, i found if you get too much it impacts stability of your temps and or you can over smoke the chamber and choke out the fire which is why i opt for adding either a small chunk or chips this way but a head to head would be good
That’s be great! I really appreciate all the comparisons you do for us. It has increased my overall enjoyment of my Kamado Joe as well as the delicious food we make.
I own Kamado joes and the ceramics and the warranty system need work. My dealer can’t replace parts like other brands and my replacement parts take forever from Kamado Joe. Plus the cleaning process of the slo roller is not ideal. Also I hate how my KJ grates fall when I scrape them. At the moment the new primo is the way to go.
Wait, your neighbor made you RENT the BGE???? Wow, Canada is a lot different than down here in the Southern US. A neighbor here would help you lug it over, drink a beer or two (which you would provide of course) while helping set it up, then ask you to fill them in on the result. NOTHING else would be asked for but then after the test is done, you would provide the neighbor with some brisket for dinner without being asked. That's how it would work here. The alternate ending would be having the neighbor's family over for dinner after the test so you could all have a nice talk about the result.
we became friends and shared the brisket and never did end up having to formally rent it after all
Hi James. Something to consider regarding smoke flavor intensity. Having had about half of the pellet smokers on the market, LOL. I have learned something interesting. The more deflector plates are in place, the more it tends to filter out smoke flavor. I have a weber smoke fire pellet grill. It has a better smoke flavor than my others. Biggest difference in design is that It has almost no deflectors comparatively. I also have a weber summit Kamado. And when I cook chicken 15” over the coals (no deflector in elevated rack), VS with the heat deflector and drip pan in place. Temp, chicken weight, brand of coal all same…. There is a noticeable difference in flavor.
It seems that less efficient more convection & less smoke filtering obstacles tend to put cleaner smoke flavor to the food. Probably why offsets do such a good job.
In your case with the Kamado’s (being so strong on smoke) having those extra filtering layers (on KJ) actually helps to make a cleaner less intense smoke flavor. I think the less efficiency that you’re seeing in the KJ, has to do with the basket versus the plated bottom in the BGE. The more vented bottom creates a cleaner but less efficient burn also adding to a softer cleaner smoke flavor. That’s my two cents. Very much enjoyed watching this!
Thanks, i agree with your insights makes sense
Also, looking at the images, it seems to me that the KJ Classic 3 has a larger chamber than the Large BGE. BGE seems to be more tapered at the bottom, thus smaller, that could have a play on the amount of charcoal being used. The KJ seems heavier and bulkier and 4" taller?. Bang for the buck, considering the features, even the weight and size, KJ seems to have the better value.
Nice video! I'm really glad you did this test. I've seen comparisons between smokers and usually the second smoker just came out of the box. The reviewer is learning how to use it during the comparison. You're probably one of the few people who have had enough time on both to know how to use them and make a fair demonstration of both.
You mentioned at the end about making an airgap with bolts and another ceramic for the Egg... you are on the right track. I used an air gapped, tin foil covered pizza serving pan along with your foil boat + butcher paper method. The bottom of the brisket was just fine. Another cook I totally forgot about the air gapped pizza pan, and got the over cooked bottom. Now that's part of my ever evolving recipe for brisket. Needs Air gap! 😊 🍖🍖🍖 🐄🐄🐄
Thanks, I am glad to hear confirmation that this 100% solved this minor issue as thats what I was thinking I would do if i had to do it again / owned one
Great video! Would you be willing to do a variation on this theme for us BGE owners? I have read that the slow roller will fit in a BGE. Could you "rent" your neighbors BGE again and do a comparison with a slow roller in it? If you find a difference, I would be compelled to grab one for my BGE. Thanks for the great content.
I like the test! Interesting results for sure.
Thank you! Cheers!
After a few years of grinding enough pepper by hand for my cooks, I broke down and got a $20 coffee grinder that takes less than a minute of grinding for 1/2 cup of pepper (2-3 fillings of peppercorns). Never going back!
thats all you need, i was using my yaro kanto grinder for a while before the burr mill died
Great video! What was the overall time in the kamado/bge please?
the last thing you want to hear on a blind taste test: “I think I mixed them up” 😜😜😜😜👍
lol family was there to keep them straight. no mixing but close in results
Been on a Rekteq for about a year and addicted to smoking. Was gonna get a WSM graduating to a non pellet, but can't get away from the Kamado Joe. Thoughts? Great videos btw.
you used double heat deflection on the joe. Probably why didnt have as much smoke flavor
I'm currently trying out double indirect with the egg. It's crazy the difference in dome temp and grate temp.
Iceberg. Which temp is hotter dome or grate, some say done is is hotter sometimes and have read some say grate is hotter sometime,
Kindly advise thanks
@@abbsabbs8610 dome is reading higher. Grate is lower. Has to do with all the heat rises, but the temp in the meat is cooler. It does even out, over time, as the meat starts rising in temperature but it's not a quick thing.
@@IceBergGeo thanks for the prompt response, I also have lbge, and the issue with the double indirect in the egg , not sure about your set up, but with deflector plates lower in the egg with like a spyder accessory like some do will this not be actually suffocating the fire, I tried this and got lots of bellowing white smoke for lack of air, took ages for the ceramics to heat up,
@@abbsabbs8610 I have the split plates on bottom, eggspander legs down, I spent the $30 on the foil drip pans, and lined it with foil, then rack and second level on top. Worked fine for me. Just have to let it get some dome heat in, then the ceramic plates, and let it heat up for a while. Took about an hour to get it up to a decent dome temperature (250). I didn't have an issue with smoke levels. I did use a large block of wood, surrounded by charcoal. I lit it in several places.
Fitting two pork butts on the top rack isn't ideal, as they can touch the dome, or the dome probe, if you're not careful. But, I did do the two butts and three racks of ribs on the lower rack. Turned out great.
@@abbsabbs8610 I've got some footage I'll probably post, sooner or later regarding how it's worked for me.
I really think you'd be intrigued with using a Slow N Sear in either their (SNS Grills) kettle or their kamado. They created the slow n sear and the drip n griddle drip pan to work together side by side. You put the drip n griddle next to the slow n sear and it forces most of the air to travel directly through the slow n sear charcoal basket making the fire less efficient so it has to burn hotter to maintain temperature (versus being barely lit like it sometimes is in kamados) leading to a cleaner burning fire and better smoke production. Might be worth purchasing to test it versus the Kamado Joe Slo-Roller double indirect method you coined as your favorite!
Hey Smoking Dad, the last time I used the foil boat method. It took forever for the point to get done. Some of the point was probe tender, however the very end of of the point was tough, even though it was reading 210. Is that normal for the point taking that long, or should have pulled the brisket earlier because the rest of the brisket was very tender. Also, do you bump up the temperature when you foil boat the brisket?
Another winning video! I have learned so much from you! I would love to see a third grill test. I have a Vision Grill. A taste test among the three would be very interesting. As always, excellent work!
Great suggestion! I will try and find one
I also have a Vision grill (it was by far the cheapest kamado I could find). I’m less interested in seeing how it compares, and more interested in how to get a non-KJ double indirect method up and running on it!
@@benflannery7367 I use 2 of the half moon heat deflectors on the bracket that comes with the pizza stone and I put the pizza stone on the lower rack. Gets almost the same scenario.
James, loving your videos. Wondering how much time you dedicate to producing your content monthly. Would seem like it would be quite a bit, but certainly well worth it!
thanks, videos like this take a lot of time... recording a cook i am doing anyways on the weekend is no big deal, its the speciality head to heads that quickly take over your weekend free time
@@SmokingDadBBQ so do you have a closet dedicated to your plaid shirts? 😆
I think the stick burner would make a larger difference in taste tests. I like my steaks better off a campfire coals than my Kamado for just taste. Thanks for the tests on the two brands. I glad it doesn't really matter as it goes to technic of how you run the kamados.
what brand plaid shirt are you rocking here?
Eddie Bauer
It is a pity that I can't send you some of our Hardwood..Here in Australia we have a number of timbers that are as hard as diamonds when dry. I found that a mix of charcoal and Redgum or ironbark give a good clean smoke and give a great smoke ring and flavour. I just wished I had your cooker collection to cook more. Great videos and love the dog.
Love your videos! I have a SNS Grill Kamado and do you think the sloroller and the Kamado Joes plates for the double indirect smoke will fit in the SNS?
I have both as well as a pit boss and any difference is so minuscule that you have to really want there to be one. KJ definitely has the edge with accessories, the gasket and the hinge and for that reason alone KJ would be my choice if I could only have one.
Having said that, there’s something about owning the OG the BGE, it makes me feel like I own something prestigious and yes I know what I sound like 😬😆.
lol
James!!! Do the BGE - with sloroller comparison!, Maybe it'll help with the overcook, and I'm still debating if it is worth it to buy it as an addon to a BGE
i have overcooked the bottom on a KJ with just the sloroller (see hot and fast vs. low and slow brisket slicing chapter for the visual) so the SloRoller on its own doesn't 100% solve this... now thats before the boat so maybe that would have made the difference. but its almost more the tag team of the SloRoller (better top render) and deflectors (better bottom protection) in a tag team together that drive the result
Great comparison, extremely well executed. The larger smoke ring, and more burn of the coals seem to be indications of stronger convection in the KJ. I have noticed
that you cooked at 250, less than what you had been doing. I can see watching the video, the bottom of the meat in the BGE would have crusted even more at a higher temp.
Correct me if I am wrong then, the KJ has another advantage of cooking at a higher temperature that you had found optimal for even a cleaner smoke. And if one needs a heavier smoke, one can always add wood chips in the ash tray. I happen to believe that the burning charcoals filter out the smoke impurities from the burning wood chips below. One
can add as often or less of chips as one desires.
i did near 300 on the grate and kept the dome temps around 250f to try and not have the gap between double indirect in the KJ vs. Egg where it wasn't possible not be the driving difference even though it turned out to be enough on its own at these temps which i think helps prove the difference in height / shape / utility
I think it’s the basket getting more air to the meat. You don’t want smoldering wood like he normally talks about you actually want it to burn. But smoke ring is never the indication of a good brisket
Smoldering of the wood between 450 F and 720 F allows the aromatic gases, carbonyls and phenols to be released. Burying the chunks of wood under
the hot burning coals, such as James does, will allow the wood chunks to smolder at this range of temperatures, the hot coals will also filter out and burn other gases and fumes that are undesirable. Placing wood chunks above the coals, such as one may see many others do, makes the wood burn faster, and the smoke characteristics will be different. The wood will also release dirty smoke, but I see it being common practice on UA-cam videos. When people state, they don't want smoldering
wood, they'd be referring to burning wood in offset smokers, which is another topic.
@@CoolJay77 if the wood is warming as the fire burns the wood should be warmed. A lot of acrid smoke comes during the ignition process hence why a lot of pitmasters will warm those logs
@@bucketlist2016 Correct, that is the case when burning logs in offset smokers, where it is not desirable to smolder the logs.
Thanks for the video James. Where are the best places in Burlington to get a brisket?
i do costco for most of mine unless getting a wagyu which i get from JNG meats in Aldershot. I get my Tomahawks, Beef Ribs, Waygu, Iberico pork etc. from there
Great content as always, and your briskets look amazing! If you ever get the chance it would be great to compare against a much, much cheaper kamado. For instance, in the UK, people rave about Aldis kamado, which is very, very cheap in comparison.
I think the results will all somewhat be the same, some of it is in our mind knowing if it's a cheap or expensive kamado. To me the purchase of a kamado depends on warranty, accessories and looks. Not really prisewise althoug when i bought my The Bastard Large Urban complete wich i liked the look the most, if i was to buy a green egg with the same specs and accessories it would have been double in price...
Hey James, whats up with your draft door on the KJ C3. I've seen it in a bunch of your videos but wondering if it serves any purpose in terms of upgrades
its the door for the iKammand which I never use
@@SmokingDadBBQ gotcha, thanks.
Great video! Just got a Kamado Joe Classic II (on sale) and also just received my two soapstones from Amazon... My question is: have you tried using two soapstones as heat deflector instead of the ceramic ones or the pizza plate? I'm thinking that it could speed up the searing at the end since the soapstone would sit lower (hotter) and could be used for searing quicker.
yes i have used one but never two this way, especially when i am searing something as it pre heats... brisket wouldnt need that
Thanks for another great video James! Really nice insight and a very close comparison. I'm looking to get a Classic Joe 3, don't have space for the Big one unfortunately.
I am curious, do you ever soak your wood chips in water before adding them to the ash drawer, or do you think that would hinder their combustion too much?
Thanks again, and best wishes from London, UK!
Thanks for watching! Nope, check out this article for why not - amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/more-cooking-science/myth-soak-your-wood-first/
Nice video! My barbecue reaches peak flavor on the third day after smoking - the spices and smoke continue to meld for the first few days. Have you considered comparing the Joe vs the Weber Summit Kamado and/or the Char-Griller AKORN?
yes i am looking to try and do those two this summer.... videos don't generate $100 very often so buying a $2k summit to lose 1900 on a video has been the only thing holding me back
It would be interesting to do the taste test not using the double indirect method since most don't use the double indirect method when they cook. More of a head to head comparison.
Also I did manage to do a double indirect method on my BGE by placing a spider from ceramic grill and two half stones which set below the egg plate setter though could not tell much difference though did burn a hotter fire which should therefore give you a cleaner smoke similar to the Big Joe.
Thanks for the great videos as I find them extremely helpful with use on my BGE.
the spider would have made this really easy.. i used to have one with my egg so i used the pizza stone and two CGS half moon deflectors when cooking on mine before the Egg spander was ever a thing
I like the slider on the Egg version but given the choice i would support CGS still and get their version
Amount of smoke is so subjective. I prefer a heavier smoke flavor. I had a nephew that didn’t like any smoke flavor. I think the real question is did the potential cleaner smoke from the Joe improve the taste, or was the smokier flavor from the egg clean but just heavier? Love these tests. I wish you had a Primo in the test group. The oval shape is perfect for brisket.
i am also a fan of smoke so its not that, what i am trying to zero in on is the quality of the smoke itself where there is an ever so subtle difference between the two.
They were very close so this is overly dramatic but imagine the difference between an ash tray smoke and a bonfire burning hot with 6ft tall flames... both are smoke yet impart completely different flavours. The egg was one degree to the ash taste and the joe was one degree towards the bonfire.
Not so much more or less smoke per say but a subtle difference in the taste profile
@@SmokingDadBBQ that is what I wanted to know. Thanks!
You could probably do a double indirect cook on the large BGE by using 2 CGS spiders one low in the fire box with a 13" stone and one on top of the fire ring with a16" inch stone.
i will try and track one down again and do that as i think thats the main difference maker
@@SmokingDadBBQ Since seeing your videos I'd like to try the double indirect method on my large BGE; all I need to do is get another spider and a smaller stone. Thanks for the inspiration.
With my observation I think you went with fat cap up and I understand why you personally did that from previous videos.
However, I would have chosen fat cap down to protect the underside of the brisket as most pit masters do suggest.
As I was watching your experiment, before I got to the end, I was already saying to myself I would have used my Big Green Egg 21 inch pizza stone with foil legs to hold it off the plate setter.
I think a person really has to look at the type of grill being used and adjust methodology accordingly.
I will always place fat cap in the direction of direct heat no matter if I’m using a plate setter or not.
I think if the fat caps would have been down instead of up, the Big Green Egg brisket more than likely wouldn’t have had the over cooked bottom.
I do think the overcooked bottom of the brisket on the Big Green Egg brisket could have been avoided if you accommodate to the situation a bit more.
No two grills are going to cook identically and accommodations have to be made for proper cooks on each.
Just my opinions.
Looking to get Big Joe, thanks for all the videos.
You bet
If Joe is bigger in volume than the egg, then obviously it’ll use more fuel to maintain the same temperature.
A lot of making mole hills into mountains. Whole bunch of good food ideas, but how about letting someone independent with some formal training also judge to keep it honest? Love the creativity n personality. Afraid this is turning into full of himself. Again, instead of you being cook and Supreme Court. Validate your work by having real trained people validate your work. What to be afraid of?
Yeaaaaaa Bella!!!
😊
@@SmokingDadBBQ Great content as always!! And my kids loved the couple appearances of Bella!... is she a bernedoodle?
I would be curious to see fuel economy with vs without double indirect
Great video!
I have a good feeling that your forgetfulness about the heating of the egg when it opens, and the spike in temp is what caused the egg bark on the bottom to get a little over done.
Honestly, I've not experienced that, but I've been using the genius in order to be able to sleep while my food is cooking. Also, I've been cooking on the second tier, using the eggspander, with the conveggtor flipped legs up. I think I'll have to pick up two of the half moons to see if that makes a difference as well, to do the double indirect.
the MEATER chart shows there was never more than a 10f difference between the two at grate level.
the difference is I had to clamp down the egg vents to stop a runaway whereas I didn’t touch the joe vents all day
@@SmokingDadBBQ I thought the meater probe showed 328? Maybe I just misunderstood what you said during the video.
@@IceBergGeo the grate temp but the joe was always around 10. I can go back and double check but a min or two at 10f isn’t going to cause the bottom issue. The domes were reading 250 ish
@@SmokingDadBBQ I don't think we actually got to see the two meater probe charts either, or did I miss it?
@@IceBergGeo I thought I added them at two spots but I did the edit a while back and don’t remember
Your new Joe 1 vs. egg might have been a closer comparison
What's a "leftover"?
haha my family of 4 (2 small kids) doesnt polish off a packer brisket on our own in one sitting
@@SmokingDadBBQ yeah with brisket it's hard to get rid of all of it lol. I just got my classic III Sunday and made a tomohawk last night probably gonna do ribs tonight. As nice as the joe Jr is I'm finding the classic III seems to be easier so far. Also the flavor and stability seems to be a lot better.
Hi, how about some fish or a seafood paella.
Good experiment. I am wondering if the wood chunks were burned too early while you were heating the cooker. BGE is more efficient, so is it possible that the meat was smoked longer?
I discovered when I used your method to heat my KJ, it would burn the chunks that I put at the bottom while heating the dome. Few months ago, I started a different method, I now heat my KJ with just half basket of coals. After the dome passes the hand test, I rake the hot coals to the front near the bottom vent, lined up the chunks, and then pour more fresh coals to fill the basket. I get clean smoke, and the chunks are not wasted heating the dome.
It will be interesting to see if the chunks were consumed too early in KJ. Is there a difference in the depth of the coals?
That's an interesting idea. That way you'd also get fresh coals and their benefit to the meat, as well as the smoking wood.
All things said, I've been using a full split of smoking wood in the bottom of my egg. It's going to become charcoal anyways, and it helps delay the smokey flavor, and lasts almost the whole cook.
@@IceBergGeo So far, the result has been good. I put three chunks on my last cook, and I still saw a partially burnt chunk at the end of a six hour cook. Thin smoke is present most of the time.
I like it because I can use used coals to heat up the ceramic, and while raking the hot coals to set up the chunks and the fresh coals, I removed ashes from the basket.
What is your temperature? I am concerned to use a split in a higher temp cook (275-300), because I heard it may cause a fluctuation in temperature.
@@erwiengmailcom I've done 275. I've also had temp spikes, but that was when I was using several smaller pieces. I use basically a full split you get, straight from the package. And get it burning, right away. That way you know what your airflow and rate of burn will be. Keep in mind, I've only been doing this a few months, and mostly in the winter, so your results may vary.
I think it also has to do with the kinds of wood you choose to use. I've found hickory to be very ashy. Oak, not so much, and as a result, that's what I've used with the full splits.
It's definitely worth a try, if you've got the time and patience to be able to watch it relatively carefully, or just not be afraid of something cooking faster/hotter than expected.
As an aside, James did do a full stick burn inside the KJ. Very carefully, and slowly, but it seemed to work pretty well.
@@IceBergGeo Thanks, I am always interested in trying something new to get better or different food from my grill. Thanks!
@@erwiengmailcom likewise. That's why we watch and comment. ;)
I make an excellent brisket and it comes out juicy on the green egg. Not sure what you did wrong.. I’ve never had a dry one come out.
the half saved money but i don't think made for the best side by side
this is the rematch i did with another egg owner and we did a full packer each - ua-cam.com/video/v4LplZUI5CM/v-deo.html
Juat finished the previous video, thanks for another great video
Thanks for watching!
@@SmokingDadBBQ I have been watching a lot of your videos lately and it helped me make the decision to buy my BJ3
@@craig3205 congrats on your grill. That’s my favourite
Hi there I got quick question I live in the UK and I just want to now why do you not do lamb in your cooking me and the family love it
Lamb is a lot less common in the US, and not really a meat you think of when you think of barbecue.
ua-cam.com/video/7JZ6Iatohjc/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/_TqNIDPVRNo/v-deo.html
Thanks for your non biased opinion😂
Indistinguishable tarts test seems fair
Big Green Egg was the clear winner. Less fuel and better taste.
I am doing this again with an owner of the egg running the egg and not me deciding the taste test. Comes out Sunday
OK, "more smoke" on the BGE, "Nice clean smoke" on the KJ... Which one tasted better??? If you asked your neighbor (he rented his BGE to you?) "Which one tastes better?" what would he say? At the end you said "not much difference", but in your next test please just ask, "Which one would you want a full plate of for a meal?"
if you had 100 people the day it was cooked line up i think 50 would pick one, and 50 would pick the other on taste.
On texture, i think 90 would pick the KJ unless you shred off / lose the bottom in which case you don't have the texture on the egg and it would be back to 50/50
I would say the taste was indistinguishable. I had my wife do the blind test, she couldn’t tell the difference.
I haven’t experienced the same tearing texture on the bottom when smoking a brisket, but I’ve never tried using the deflector plates instead of the conveggtor, which is a little thicker than the plates.
@@Citymats good point on the thickness. 250 at the dome with the boat I thought would have been safe … my guess was to prioritize coverage area vs thickness but that’s a good point
Great comparison✌️ thanks
glad you liked it!
Cheers from BRANTFORD ONTARIO.
cheers neighbour
This is your best one. Good job
Wow, thanks!
From the taste test it seemed you enjoyed the more smoky taste of the egg
Ur dog also wants a piece of the beef! Lol
Every time lol
Not sure this was apples to apples. You let the temp fly on the egg which clearly affected the bottom which could happen on the joe as well which made the results seem a bit biased to me. Be nice to see it with temps being even. Great video nonetheless.
i managed the temps and got them back in check so that the delta between the two didn't become a difference maker... my comment was more i had to manage it vs. had i not it would have taken off
Please scour your network of friends, family and colleagues to find a Weber Summit Kamado.
Then repeat this experiment please!
I have the Weber Summit and it’s so easy to use and responsive, it’s almost telepathic.
i have been trying, will keep looking. videos earn ~$30 in ad revenue so its just not feasible to buy everything but it makes it really hard tracking down units to borrow for these but i have been wanting to do it for over a year
@@SmokingDadBBQ I understand and sympathize. We all appreciate your efforts!
After learning it from your channel I now do all my long jobs double indirect.
100%, glad its working for you too
@@SmokingDadBBQ as you say, it really helps with cleaner smoke and less burnt bottoms. I don't have a slow roller, so I use the rack with an extra stone.
Great out come James thank you so much for the comparison Cheers.
My pleasure!
Nice job James! I love that Kamado Joe!
Cheers Tommy
subbed
Cheers
$2,500 for either! I'd rather eat dirt. With the grill I made out of a 55-gallon drum, I can outcook either of these status symbols.
I don’t know about dirt but I do agree you can make fantastic bbq in a drum
@@SmokingDadBBQ Laughing. You get my drift.
BGE ALL THE WAY
Taste test was 50/50. They are very similar
It would be nice if the author answered some questions... ;)
such as
Green egg is simply the best of the best and in 20 years you will safe so much fuel…
i used to think this way, but using less fuel doesn't taste better. A broil king keg uses even less fuel than the egg/joe and doesn't taste better for it whereas you go to an offset which i need to add a log or 2 every 20min is by far the least energy efficient and tastes the best
No way in hell I'm paying 2500 for a ceramic grill
They start at 700 but agree they do escalate quickly
damn this is a long one
i debated showing any brisket prep but left it in with chapters. If you’ve seen any of my prep jump to the slicing and taste test chapters for the difference. i left it in if new people were curious
You are younger then I am. Tip don't use your wife's towels. Lol
cheers Wayne