First Cook on the new Bubba Keg

[Star-B-Que]

Bought a new Bubba Keg last week at the Home Depot closeout price. Brought it home using the trailer hitch. After reading about all the mods people had to make to control this cooker, I decided to make one too. I made it before the first cook. I took a piece of stainless sheet metal (20 ga.) and made a disc to restrict the top vent and allow gradual adjustments for more air. The slots were cut using a rotary table and a 3/16 endmill. The slots were made progressively shorter so that some would remain covered until more air flow was needed. I decided not to modify the bottom vent until I tested the top one.
Here are some pictures of the modified vent. (after the first smoke)

All the way open.

Closed

I used these settings to keep it at 350 for about 3 hours.

I didn't have to make any changes to the bottom vent.

The first cook was a baked chicken covered with a garlic, mushroom and herb paste. A potato, celery root, squash and onion gratin (with havarti cheese and cream between the layers) and puff pastry later to be filled with goat cheese and a port wine and nectarine glaze.
I used a very small amount of lump coal and the Bubba Keg performed perfectly. It held an even heat and kept the food moist. I didn't have any problems keeping it at the temp I wanted. It used very little of the coal.

 

[Captain Dave]

Clearly, I'm out of my league with gourmet chefs such as yourself, but i don't understand the theory of controlling temps by regulating exhaust. Does the fact that there are several smaller holes for exhaust instead of one large exhaust port allow some to become intakes? Can restricting exhaust give food a stale smoke or creosite taste? How does that work?

 

[Star-B-Que]

Clearly, I'm out of my league with gourmet chefs such as yourself, but i don't understand the theory of controlling temps by regulating exhaust. Does the fact that there are several smaller holes for exhaust instead of one large exhaust port allow some to become intakes? Can restricting exhaust give food a stale smoke or creosite taste? How does that work?

I have been using ceramic kamados for several years. This is my first metal one. If you look at the total vent opening on a large round ceramic, which is similar in size to this keg, you will notice that the vent on the Bubba Keg is huge. It passes much more air than necessary for a kamado this size. Add to this, the fact that as shipped, it does not allow for gradual adjustment, it's all or nothing. When using a ceramic kamado, small adjustments of the upper vent yield big changes to the temp. This bbq was designed to work like a kamado. It takes in air from the bottom vent only. The exhaust vent on top controls the amount of air flowing through the bbq. The more air that goes through it, the hotter it gets. Unless the top vent is shut off, there will always be air flow through it for smoke to escape. When both vents are shut off, the coals go out.
By the way, I was just doing my homework for French cooking school.

 

[BBQ Bandit]

Very nice on the modding the upper exhaust. Its definitely a multi-function grill.

Still playing with mine... tweaking the vents...

The hard part (for me) is getting it down below 300. Been trying different temps for steaks, chuckies, chicken, and now dino bones, today.

What would you charge for cutting another set of vents for my Bubba Keg,... shipped to 17055?

 

[Star-B-Que]

Very nice on the modding the upper exhaust. Its definitely a multi-function grill.

Still playing with mine... tweaking the vents...

The hard part (for me) is getting it down below 300. Been trying different temps for steaks, chuckies, chicken, and now dino bones, today.

What would you charge for cutting another set of vents for my Bubba Keg,... shipped to 17055?

I will send you a pm tomorrow.

 

[Strike BBQ]

I like that vent mod too. If you are cutting some I'd be willing to buy on from you too.