After assembling the Judge, it must be properly cured and seasoned to protect against rust and create a good cooking environment. I explain the process as I actually go through it. Jealous Devil Lump Coal: amzn.to/3pqVbld
Awesome video! Watched and clicked buy. Had a bad fire about a week ago and lost my Weber and pellet smoker. I wanted to stay with charcoal and get something that I could potentially do both with (90% grill / 10% smoke). This I think fits the bill nicely. It's crazy how little reviews there are out there. Can't wait for my Judge!
Awesome! I'm excited you! I can't believe the Judge isn't more popular. Too bad about your Weber and pellet. I hope nothing else was damaged/lost. I'll be getting some more Judge videos up soon. Thanks for your comment!
One thing that I've found works great for seasoning grills like this is 100% avocado oil spray. Avocado oil is not only healthy, it has a ridiculously high smoke point (~500F) which is great for seasoning grills. It doesn't smell/taste like avocado either, so it's great for cooking in general. Only downside is that it's a bit more expensive than canola or peanut oil, but you can find it for a good price at the warehouse stores (Costco/Sams/etc).
Great video. I followed your exact instructions and got the same results. Just bought it yesterday, now it's seasoned. Can't wait to cook on it tomorrow.
Jody! That's awesome! You're gonna love The Judge. I need to get my first cook video uploaded. Been too busy cooking on it! Congrats and have fun! Thanks for your comment!
Awesome! Best of both worlds! You're going to love The Judge. I like setting the fire grate to the lowest position and cooking chicken directly over lump coal. The direct heat is just right to crisp the skin perfectly while getting the inside perfect. I'm excited for you! Thanks for watching and I appreciate your comment!
Great review, I have the same bbq. Nice that you corrected the smoke stack and placed it through the inside of the lid. Not to be nit picky, but your lower wood shelf on the legs is upside down. It should actually be a basket and cradle the wood. Also it relieves the stress on the tack welds that will eventually fail. Let the angle iron cradle the metal screen. It’s a excellent bbq for smoking btw. I’ve done a 24 lb. Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas prime rib on my judge.
Thanks for tip! Yes, I love the Judge and use it all the time. A 24-pound turkey is a huge bird! Did you spatchcock it or leave it whole? Stuff it or no? I see a turkey on my Judge in the near future. Thanks again for the tip and thanks for watching!
@@TonyToneBBQ I left the turkey whole and it fit fine on the judge. I view the judge more as a hybrid grill/smoker because it’s large enough to offset smoke. Great smoker for the price. It’s sort of a do it all bbq. I didn’t stuff the bird during the cook, but I probably would say a 25 pound bird is the biggest I’d try smoking on this bbq.
Excellent Video! This exactly what I was looking for. I agree on the small leaks of smoke. It's insignificant. I also agree that the offset smoker is just for that...smokin'. I have the Oklahoma Joe offset and I love it. I've been using it for about 5 years now. It's rusting out a bit on the coal side but still holding strong. It has not failed me yet. Sometimes I want that BBQ type of equipment and this appears to be the one. You got my sub and Oklahoma Joe just got a new customer. I hope to have it the back yard by end of month! Let's share recipes and techniques!!!!!
You're going to love it, Lou! I'm excited for you! Oklahoma Joe makes some damn good tools for money. It's nearly impossible to keep the firebox from collecting a little rust but I think it would take decades for the rust to eat through with the proper care. I've got my offset and the Judge side-by-side and the combo is just perfect. You're in for some backyard barbeque bliss. I've got to that first cook video I promised edited and uploaded. I'm also planning one minor mod to the intake. Thanks for watching!
Thanks Tony, Best Cure & Season Video I've Seen. The Crisco Brick Is A Good Suggestion. Oh, Crisco is a solid Vegetable Lard. Great to use in Cast Iron Dutch Ovens if you don't want to use Bacon Grease/Butter.
Thanks! I appreciate that! I recorded the seasoning of my new Grand Champ XD. I'll get that edited and uploaded ASAP. Would love to know what you think. Thanks again for watching!
Is there any reason to or not to spray the pull out ash pan?...just don't want any of it to rust...would it be OK to spray the outside as well? Thx,cant wait 2 get mine!
Hi William! That's a good question and thank you for asking. There's no reason that you should not. The more oil coating all parts, the better. Depending on your environment, extra oil might be a good idea. The ash pans normally take a lot of abuse from the hot coals landing directly on the surface. To prevent rust, the best thing you can do clean out the ashes after each cook. I wait until the next day to make sure the coals are burnt out, but clean out the ash as soon as you can. I use a putty knife and a brush to make sure nothing loose gets left behind. Ash attracts moisture and will cause rust. I hope that helps. Thanks for watching!
Thank you! Yes, I do and I use it all the time. Love it! It's holding up very well, it's been two years and still like new. Actually recorded a video about a month ago to show how it's holding up along with how it does cooking a tomahawk and chicken leg quarters. Just haven't had time to edit and upload. I'll get that done as soon as possible. Thanks for watching!
Hi Joyce! Not sure. Since these come requiring assembly, I'm thinking it's more likely something happened during assembly. I've had no issues whatsoever with my Judge. I use it weekly and it's just awesome! Thanks for the question!
Hey Daniel! Thank you and thanks for asking! Yes, I totally love the Judge. The Judge is something I can cook on every day and there are weeks when I actually do. In fact, I'll be lighting up some lump to grill up a Tri-Tip later this afternoon. Do you have one or are you thinking about getting one?
Thanks for your question! Lava Lock for sure. Here's a couple of links. Lava Lock BBQ Gasket and RTV450 High Temp Silicone Combo amzn.to/3vkEGJO Lava Lock Smoker Gasket amzn.to/3GfTGxz
Well I'm putting my Judge together tonight and I have a 15lb brisket to smoke on it, maybe next weekend. I've never done a brisket so this will be a long adventure lol. What brand of Bluetooth thermometer is that you are using?
@@TonyToneBBQ Tony it's a beast of a grill!!! I Paid top price for it but I'm am totally happy with it!! I think I'm going to buy the smoker box for it before I do the brisket but I bought a whole ribeye loin and NY strip.. steaks this weekend for sure!!
@@Musicianized managing long smokes on that will be a little more difficult than it is with an offset, but it's totally doable. Even easier if you stick with charcoal or lump coal. It's going to be fun!
Hey Daniel! Good question! From looking carefully at the instructions, it doesn't seem to say that either way is correct. I prefer the flat sides of the grills to be face up and the points facing down. With the flat side up, smaller items are less likely to fall through the grill, and the grill is much easier to clean. I always leave my grill as greasy and dirty as possible after a cook, and then get it nice and hot the next time I use it before putting food on it, all I have to do is scrape it with a flat grill scraper. If the points are facing up, it's a pain in the neck cleaning all that crud out between each slot. So really it's just user preference. Thanks for watching and thanks for your question! Hope that helps.
Good question! No, grates that come with The Judge are made of Cast Iron, and Cast Iron should not be cleaned in the dishwasher. Personally, I intentionally leave the grates dirty until the next cook. Leaving grease on the grates actually protects them from rusting. Next cook before food goes on, I get the grates smoking hot and then give them a good scraping and scrubbing and I sometimes spray with peanut oil. That's one of the nice things about Cast Iron is that they are low maintenance and will last forever if you use them properly. Thanks for the question!
Hey Byron! Thanks for the question! I have a couple of Weber Kettles and a barrel grill, but I wanted something with a fire access door that would make adding fuel without lifting the lid possible. I considered the Char-Griller Legacy and the Masterbuilt 36-inch Charcoal Grill and although The Judge was 200 to 300 dollars more, I felt it was the best choice for me. Thanks for watching and please let me know if you have any other questions!
@@TonyToneBBQ I'm looking at all three right now I was just wondering what made you pick the judge all three have the middle opening was there something that made it stand out the most?
@@bmoc1925 the weight of The Judge really stood out. The metal is thick and heavy, which helps retain heat. The Judge also felt solid and tight, it a tank. One nice feature in the Char-Griller Legacy was the crank that can be used to adjust the fire grate, but the grate itself felt flimsy like it couldn't hold much weight. The fire grate in the judge is solid and heavy duty. I felt that the materials used in The Judge would make it last much longer and cook better.
I agree with you totally! Probably something I should have mentioned. I make seasoning part of every cook. At the end of each cook, I leave the grates dirty, sometimes adding peanut oil. At the start of each cook, I heat the grates, scrape clean and add more oil. They stay new forever! Thanks for watching and thanks for your comment!
@TonyTone BBQ I saw the Oklahoma Joe Offset model in Meijer about 5 years ago and knee immediately the next grill I owned would be this brand. I almost bought a Weber performer but I cook for a big family. 220lbs man it's a tank!! As long as the charcoal basket holds up it should last 10's longer than any others.
@@Musicianized yes, I totally agree! The judge is a freaking tank! I've been using the heck out of it and the charcoal grate still looks brand new. I just make sure to empty the ash pan after every cook. I usually just wait till the next morning. I emptied it too soon one time and burned my green waste can to the ground. It does such a nice job of holding heat that I don't have to use very much charcoal. I use lump cold most of the time and that's even lighter. The charcoal grill is strong enough that it's not bending and warping like other charcoal grates do. I'm sure this thing is going to last a long time.
There are aftermarket rotisseries that I'm sure would work. We'll just have to drill a couple holes. I don't think that Oklahoma Joe's sells a rotisserie made specifically for this but there's plenty of room for one. Great question! Thanks for watching!
Yup I’ve tried that, they don’t sell it in Europe. Only option would be to buy it in the US and import it, but the shipping and import taxes would be insane. :(
@@rotaman03 bummer. You're right, shipping that tank would cost more than having a custom build. Sorry my friend. Don't give up though, I'm sure you can find something just as good or a lot better right there at home. Good luck!
