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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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02-27-2012, 10:15 AM | #1 |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 01-12-12
Location: Felton, MN
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Char Griller "Big Red Kooker"
This is my first new thread. Thought I'd give my first impressions of the "King Griller, Big Red Kooker" by Char-Griller. I'm loving it. Plain and simple. I did some research on this grill grill/smoker prior to putting my $289 down on it. I as unable to find much about it online. I don't know if its to new on the market or if because its so inexpensive, no-one in the smoking community want to waste the hard earned cash on a could be an ok grill. Well, I'm glad I did.
Assembly was a snap. I assembled it in about 45 minutes on my front drive in about 30 degree weather. Using my wifes tools. which consisted of a Phillips head, a flat head,screw driver and a cressant wrench. So easy. The grill is amazingly sturdy. Puts the green Egg and BSK stands to shame. Fired up the grill oild the grates to season hem andlet it go for about two hrs. Monkey with the vents avigo getting used to the opperation of them. Had a hard time bringing the heat down once it got to high. I pulled half he coals and it stabiilized right in at 250 degrees and stayed there. I threw on a whole 5# chicken on a beer butt rack. Tossed on some apple chips. And had smoked/grilled beer but chicken for supper that night. All seasoned and grilled in 30 degree weather on 1/2# of lump charcolal. Going to great seeing what it will do on a low and slow long cook. The next weekend I did up 3 full racks of baby backs all cut in half and skinned. The temp outside was hanging right in at 0 degree mark so I put in about a pound of lump fired up yhe smoker and brought the temp up to 250. Had a hard time balancing the temp. Determined I needed to make a baffle/slash water pan before I attemped another low and slow. But the ribs turned out wonderful. I just had o baby sit the smoker a lot more then I wanted to. Esspecially since it was 0 degrees out side. I bought a roll of small BGE lid sealling felt for $13 put it on the back of the sliding vent mechanism, that sealed the vent nicely. Can now control the air properly. So for $289 + $13. You can have a smoker that will do anything a BGE or a BSK will do. And have $400 - $500 dollars left over for meat and charcoal. I'll admit I'm new to the smoking scene, but I can't imagine gettin a better rig then the Big Red Kooker, for $300. I'm thinking we're going to have to start calling it the BRK. Cause it won't be to long before the quality of the grill/smoker makes it into a big seller for Char-Griller. IMHO. |
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02-29-2012, 08:05 PM | #2 |
On the road to being a farker
Join Date: 03-17-11
Location: Yorkville IL
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You can hang it out around 250 for a long time... I always fill the fire box up all the way to. I usually use one starter cube and keep my vents barely open... Like maybe a nickles width. That seems to be the sweet spot for mine at least.
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02-29-2012, 08:16 PM | #3 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 01-26-10
Location: Virginia
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Congrats on the cooker! Got a pic?
__________________
Operation BBQ Relief Founding Member - I am Obsessive Compulsive about BBQ. Google it. |
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03-02-2012, 01:08 AM | #4 |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 01-12-12
Location: Felton, MN
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A couple of lucrative for my new toy.
A couple of pics of so.e if the food she's worked her manic on. |
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Thanks from: ---> |
03-02-2012, 01:17 AM | #5 |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 01-12-12
Location: Felton, MN
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Silly phone and its auto correct. That's supposed to read, some pics. Above the photos of het. And magic.. above the photos of the food.
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03-02-2012, 01:54 AM | #6 | |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 01-12-12
Location: Felton, MN
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Quote:
I love the recovery time on these Big Reds too. Way better then my other Char-Grilled with the side box. Have you done a Boston Butt on yours yet? Was wondering if you thought you could get two 7 - 8 #ers o. The Big Red or not. |
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03-02-2012, 10:05 AM | #7 |
is Blowin Smoke!
Join Date: 02-17-10
Location: San Antonio, TX
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I would suggest filling your BRK with more lump, that way you don't have to keep adding more. I've never had to add any lump to my kegs when doing briskets or butts. I notice the red cookers have a grated removable CI piece in the middle, while the ones at Lowes have a solid CI removable piece instead.
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Thanks from:---> |
03-02-2012, 01:52 PM | #9 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 05-10-06
Location: Overland Fark, KS
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Thanks for the review!
__________________
Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified? Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards! Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh. |
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Thanks from:---> |
03-02-2012, 07:20 PM | #12 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 03-29-11
Location: Hyannis, MA on Ol'e Cape Cod
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Serious question to the vets...could you bring that to an Eggfest
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[U]The Basic BBQ Team[/U] FEC100 Basic Blue Gateway Drum Smoker Yoder YS640 & Traeger Texas 075 26.75 Weber OTG & 22.5 WSM Camp Chef Pro 60 Wicked Pissah Super Fast Basic Blue Thermapen 30' Puma Palomino Toyhauler & 10' SGC Cargo Trailer. NEBS, KCBS, KCBS CBJ, KCBS CTC, ICP "Rub Some Sunshine on Your Face"--Richard Pryor |
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03-03-2012, 12:13 AM | #13 |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 01-12-12
Location: Felton, MN
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The chicken was great. I've done a lot of chickens on the grill and on My chargriller outlaw with the rottiserie, but that one was by far the best yard buzzard, I have ever done.
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03-03-2012, 12:39 AM | #14 | |
Knows what a fatty is.
Join Date: 01-12-12
Location: Felton, MN
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Quote:
Hoping that Char-griller realizes they have a good thing and starts making some accessories for it like a good diffuser and the like. I set up my own diffuser. Out of a webber 17" coal rack and a 15" CI skillet. Thanks for the advice on topping of the lump coal. When u fire up your keg for a low and slow do you pile the coals then light the top with a cube or how do you keep the heat down? From what I've been reading that seems to be the way to do it. Then adjust heat up and down with inlet vent. Thanks |
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03-03-2012, 12:57 AM | #15 |
is One Chatty Farker
Join Date: 07-23-11
Location: Ontario, Ca
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hmmm interesting....
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UDS, Smokey Joe |
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Tags |
best value smoker, bge, big red kooker, bsk, char griller, char-griller |
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