$299 Char-Griller Kamado First Looks

[sandiegobbq]

Originally Posted by Patrick C.

Sorry if I missed it, but what size is the grate? CharGriller's site doesn't like my ipad.

I believe it is a 19.5" diameter.

[JMSetzler]

Today, I'm hopefully gonna cook a pizza. I'm also going to do the 225° test since I'm getting a lot of questions about cooking at that magic number. The 225 test video will also show most of the mods I did to the air intake and ash pan with some RTV Silicone to help seal up the air leaks.

[certified106]

I have 2 5.5 lb chickens on right now and 5 people showing up at my house in 1 hour. Man I am sweating it right now seeing how this is the first time I have cooked whole chickens on the cooker. I just went back and reviewed your vids over and over and I am holding steady at 380 so I here is to hoping they turn out well! Thanks so much for all the videos and help you have provided!

[JMSetzler]

The 225° isn't going very well. I got up to 250 and got it settled in right there. I have received multiple questions on the videos and via email regarding being able to park this cooker at the magic 225° mark and it's proving to be difficult.

[certified106]

Originally Posted by JMSetzler

The 225° isn't going very well. I got up to 250 and got it settled in right there. I have received multiple questions on the videos and via email regarding being able to park this cooker at the magic 225° mark and it's proving to be difficult.

How fast did you bring it up to temp? Do you think it is possible with more practice and what kind of mods if any did you do to it? How did you start the smoker, Minion method or fire starter in the cooker? This news is kind of a bummer

[sandiegobbq]

Originally Posted by certified106

How fast did you bring it up to temp? Do you think it is possible with more practice and what kind of mods if any did you do to it? How did you start the smoker, Minion method or fire starter in the cooker? This news is kind of a bummer

Honestly why are you cooking at 225?

250 would not be much of a difference at all?

I think most people nowadays are cooking at 250 and higher.

[JMSetzler]

Originally Posted by sandiegobbq

Honestly why are you cooking at 225?

250 would not be much of a difference at all?

I think most people nowadays are cooking at 250 and higher.

I don't cook at 225 anymore but I have gotten a lot of questions about being able to do that after my Boston Butt cook at 270ish. I got it stabilized around 250 but not much lower than that. For a lot of folks, 225 is the holy grail of BBQ so they are probably going to have to spend $800+ to have that on a Kamado rather than the $300 for this one. As far as low and slow is concerned, I have been cooking for the last several months between 250 and 275 with no noticeable difference in results other than a slightly shorter cook time, which is really insignificant as well at those temps.

[JMSetzler]

Originally Posted by certified106

How fast did you bring it up to temp? Do you think it is possible with more practice and what kind of mods if any did you do to it? How did you start the smoker, Minion method or fire starter in the cooker? This news is kind of a bummer

I brought it up slowly using a minion method startup. I also probably made one mistake in the setup which will be shown in the video. I set my pizza stone on the cast iron grate and then set my temp probe on the pizza stone. I wasn't thinking that the pizza stone would take longer to come to temp than the rest of the pit, so that probably cause me to not slow down the air flow soon enough. I'm not gonna repeat this test though because it's irrelevant to me.

[JS-TX]

Originally Posted by JMSetzler

I brought it up slowly using a minion method startup. I also probably made one mistake in the setup which will be shown in the video. I set my pizza stone on the cast iron grate and then set my temp probe on the pizza stone. I wasn't thinking that the pizza stone would take longer to come to temp than the rest of the pit, so that probably cause me to not slow down the air flow soon enough. I'm not gonna repeat this test though because it's irrelevant to me.

Each cooker is different, I wouldn't be surprised if another identical cooker could zero in on 225*. But yea, there's nothing magical about 225*, too bad so many books and other references use this # w/out explaining that it's ok go higher like 250-275*.

[KingRanch450]

JM....I've been wanting an egg type cooker but didn't want to spend the big bucks for a BGE since I just bought a Gator. Your recommendation and videos for the Akorn was very appreciated. With all that being said, I went to my local Lowes today and bought the Akorn, put it together and seasoned it this evening.

[JMSetzler]

Originally Posted by JS-TX

Each cooker is different, I wouldn't be surprised if another identical cooker could zero in on 225*. But yea, there's nothing magical about 225*, too bad so many books and other references use this # w/out explaining that it's ok go higher like 250-275*.

In all fairness though, if I'm going to 'review' a product like this I need to include that information as my results show. I still think it could be made to cook at 225 by various methods, one of which would be to put a water pan underneath the grate on my diffuser rack.

[JMSetzler]

Originally Posted by kingranch450

jm....i've been wanting an egg type cooker but didn't want to spend the big bucks for a bge since i just bought a gator. Your recommendation and videos for the akorn was very appreciated. With all that being said, i went to my local lowes today and bought the akorn, put it together and seasoned it this evening.

awesome! :)

[Funky D]

Have you tried a water pan on the diffuser? That'll help keep temps stable, and absorb some of that powerful heat.

Got mine today, assembled, and am seasoning right now. Ribs tomorrow!

[LeThompson]

This is a great thread and great reviews Jim. You have me convinced. The wife is scared of charcaol, she likes propane becasuse of the supposed chemicals in charcoal.
I almost have her convinced and your videos are the reason why I am going to continue to work until I get to pickup this up. Hopefully this week. Thanks and keeps the videos coming

[KingRanch450]

JM.....I'm trying to find the digital thermometer you used in the videos. I found the Maverick Redi Check but it was only a single probe. Can you tell me the model number? Thanks.