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!
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.
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.
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.
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!!
@@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?
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
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 - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-eCU9yX_zJV8.html
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.
Hey, James - just saw an ad for your channel pop up on RU-vid, 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 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.
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.
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 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.
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! :)
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 🍻👍🔥
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
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.
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 RU-vidrs. 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...
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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?
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 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)
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?
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
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
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
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 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gdcaOjQt_I0.html
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
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 - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Nco-3gEUj6w.html I can do 5 racks flat (with a grid extender), more if you stack them on the side
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?
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 - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-x3nvkwmwuFw.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
Thanks for the video! I have a Big Joe 3. Still learning even though I’ve had it for over a year. What i don’t get is saying there’s too much charcoal left afterward? If you hold your preferred temp throughout the cook, having leftover charcoal isn’t a bad thing as you can use it on your next cook. Better to have too much than too little and have the kamado run out of fuel.
while I agree more often than not this is interpreted by many to fill the basket up to capacity in which case you do promote air flow problems. we all have that fear or running out, but realistically how often does it happen? I can’t think of the last time
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
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!
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.
Great video James. Just so you know, the wind can be heard roaring over you talking for most of the video. The smoldering wood is a good point. From my research it seems like Kamados excel at roasting (325+) but are "too efficient" at 225, to the point where the fire smolders and doesn't produce optimal smoke. The SnS Kamado with the Slow N Sear insert can do what they call "Turbo Slow" mode, where because of the slow n sear's walls and water reservoir you can safely burn the fire hotter than it would in the bottom of the kamado while still maintaining 225 at indirect grate level, supposedly producing better smoking results. I know my smoking has gotten a lot better in my kettle, but that is apples to oranges.
Sadly this is one of my last few videos to come out with my old mic, the new one that I used on the top 5 charcoal video for example is much better. Apologize for the quality, but soon all content will have the better audio. The SNS is more marketing IMO. An egg or a KJ with a half basket is the same idea of a small coal lump burning hotter (more inefficient)
Smoking Dad BBQ Could be. I know that they had to allow for extra airflow in the top vent to make it work. Even if it's all BS I think it's maybe the best deal for a starter Kamado, as with the Kickash Basket / Can / Divider it's the same price as a Classic Joe III while being 4" wider, just 2" shy of Big Joe diameter while costing about $800 less. Since it was designed around the Slow N Sear, basically anything designed to fit a 22" kettle will fit it, lime a Gabby Grill etc, so that's a bonus I guess. Still haven't pulled the trigger yet.
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.
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
How’s it going smoking dad BBQ I just received my Big Joe 3 about a week ago, btw before my question just wanted to say your videos are very good and very informational keep them coming ok on to question I saw a video on how to set up for using the heat defectors but if you could you think you could do a video on how to set up using the SlowRoller Hyperbolic system on a low and slow cook and once again appreciate everything you do and also got the jealous devil lump I saw off your video very nice charcoal
The slo-roller has been the most frustrating thing for me when trying to get my Big Joe to settle in at the right temp. Even when overshooting the target (per James' suggestion), as soon as I put the lid on the slo-roller, it tanks and takes forever to come back up. I guess I need to overshoot by more than 50deg or something.
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
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 Thanks for this video, very informative. What is interesting is your setting on the control top tower to maintain that 230 setting. When I have choked down the control top that low and the draft door at 2 finger width, I find the firebox partially reverse draft and send smoke out the draft door. I am still figuring out how the bj2 wants to breathe at those lower temps. Appreciate your feedback and experience on your bj3. Thanks for making this video! ~Mark
Good question! it might be a difference with the charcoal basket and shape of the 3 vs the two. if it’s reverse flowing then do the opposite with a pencil width on the bottom and more air up top to get the same results
Great video!! When starting as the greenest of green charcoal cookers, would you recommend going with just filling the charcoal basket and then seeing how your individual grill burns, or is there a way to measure your charcoal to start?
I am still shopping for my perfect knife. Next to try is Dalstrong on my list. I have bought some Victoriaknox, some craft knives, won a few on online contests and haven't found my perfect pairing (hahah knife dad joke) just yet 😂 Will let you know if I find one that I'd recommend, given I don't absolutely love any of my current knives i don't point them out much in videos to lead people the same frustrations I've encountered with some of them
Smoking Dad BBQ thanks for the reply. I ordered my Big Joe 3 in early July and was told by the local shop that it has shipped and should be here any day. Looking forward to putting some of your recipes & techniques to use!
@@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!.
@@SmokingDadBBQ I have a classic II with the new burning basket and I have trouble to keep temperature 225 steady for more than one hour ? what do you think is the problem '???
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
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 😂
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