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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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10-05-2012, 10:25 AM | #1 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 10-20-11
Location: Omaha
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Ceramic Diffuser Plate
New to the Kamado world, I have a question about the diffuser plate. Is it intended to spread the heat across the area of the smoker evenly, or is it more to keep the temp of the cooker down?
My first cook i used the minion method with 1/4 chimney of lit charcoal using the diffuser plate, then i choked the smoker way down and it maintained 250*. 2nd cook same thing, no diffuser plate, grilled burgers. 3rd cook, last night, pizza. I got creative and bought a looftlighter, lit 2 spots in my charcoal, put in the diffuser plate, and opened the smoker all the way up to really get some fire and heat generated. I could only get to about 275*. It looked, as far as i could see, that there was a nice fire burning. Now i'm all confused. did i not get enough fire initially with the looft? Did the diffuser plate keep the temp down? Do i kick my own @ss for buying the looft? I really loved my chimney, just wanted something new to play with.
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Kamado Saffire Yoder Cheyenne Weber Kettle 22.5" Weber Summit Weber Performer Weber Go-Anywhere Weber Jumbo Joe |
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10-05-2012, 10:34 AM | #2 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 09-22-12
Location: Austin, TX
Name/Nickname : John
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The looft is fine and you should be able to reach high temps with the ceramic plate in. I can get well over 700 with mine in my BGE. The plate is to shield food from the direct heat of the lump- essentially turning your kamado into a wood burning oven instead of a grill.
My guess is that since you are new to the kamado world is that you had air flow issues stemming from your earlier cooks. You probably had ash clogging some of the airflow holes in the bottom of your fire box. If you are going to do a pizza cook or a long low and slow, I suggest you clean out your fire box to ensure good airflow. Once you get a a few more cooks under your belt you'll get a better feel or it but you are fine. |
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10-05-2012, 10:56 AM | #3 | |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 10-20-11
Location: Omaha
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Quote:
Thanks for the response, i had almost worked myself into a tizzy about the diffuser.
__________________
Kamado Saffire Yoder Cheyenne Weber Kettle 22.5" Weber Summit Weber Performer Weber Go-Anywhere Weber Jumbo Joe |
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10-05-2012, 11:55 AM | #4 |
Got Wood.
Join Date: 10-13-10
Location: CT
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When I use a diffuser in my drum, I have to start with more charcoal than without it. A full chimney with diffuser in gets me about 275.
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Thanks from:---> |
10-05-2012, 12:06 PM | #5 | |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 04-05-12
Location: Escondido, CA
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Quote:
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Thanks from:---> |
10-05-2012, 01:55 PM | #6 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 10-20-11
Location: Omaha
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my problem is, i was shooting for 500*, vents wide open. i could see the 275* if i had it all choked down.
__________________
Kamado Saffire Yoder Cheyenne Weber Kettle 22.5" Weber Summit Weber Performer Weber Go-Anywhere Weber Jumbo Joe |
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10-05-2012, 02:40 PM | #7 | |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 09-22-12
Location: Austin, TX
Name/Nickname : John
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Quote:
So if you have plenty of fuel, you are clogged if you cant get up to temp. Simple as that. |
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Thanks from:---> |
10-05-2012, 02:41 PM | #8 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 04-05-12
Location: Escondido, CA
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Something wasn’t right. One of my last cooks I walked away for 10 minutes and came back to 600 degrees. This wasn't the temp I was looking for as I was going to do a pork butt and some ribs. I had to work fast to get it to cool back down in hurry. My point is there should be absolutely no problem getting it up to 500 degrees.
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Thanks from:---> |
10-05-2012, 02:52 PM | #9 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 07-01-07
Location: Southeastern Pa
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Yep - you probably had ash built up restricting the air flow.
Something to think about when doing pizza... I use a plate setter, then a spacer, then a pizza stone on top of the spacer. I like the air gap between the plate setter and the pizza stone. Helps keep the crust from burning. Also - let your cooker and stones get warmed up for a while - a hot stone will make for a better crust.
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L-M Official Pennsylvania MOINK Ball maker 1 Large BGE - 7/5/08 1 Large BGE and table - 8/29/12 1300 Timberline 5/26/17 1 18.5 WSM Super Fast BLUE and REDThermopen 1 - Fantastic hubby - the original Big Al Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. - Robert Brault |
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10-05-2012, 04:14 PM | #10 |
is one Smokin' Farker
Join Date: 03-05-10
Location: Kansas City, MO
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You want a Kamado that breathes? http://www.nakedwhiz.com/productrevi...-que/highq.htm
Oh yeah, it'll breathe! |
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10-05-2012, 04:32 PM | #11 | |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 09-22-12
Location: Austin, TX
Name/Nickname : John
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10-05-2012, 05:25 PM | #12 | |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 10-20-11
Location: Omaha
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Quote:
i can't wait to dig in tonight and see how clogged i am.
__________________
Kamado Saffire Yoder Cheyenne Weber Kettle 22.5" Weber Summit Weber Performer Weber Go-Anywhere Weber Jumbo Joe |
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10-05-2012, 05:40 PM | #13 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 09-22-12
Location: Austin, TX
Name/Nickname : John
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make sure to clean out your ash bin while you are in there. I do it every time I do a pizza or a low n slow. I like to sleep way too much to worry about my fire on a low and slow
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