Crakaveli
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A stick burner would cover low and slow and with a cowboy grill firebox, direct heat.
Kamado Style Grill Recommendations
- Thread starter Bdsankey
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Back9Q
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Might be able find one used but still looking over $3k. I bought mine for $250 and rebuilt. Best all around cooker ever had
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The more and more research I do the more and more I am thinking the Summit is the proper choice. My RecTeq claims 590in2 of cooking space but actually measures 522in2 (27.5x19) but I only actually use 390in2 as I don't like touching the sides nor do I like letting my cooks overhang the gap between the body and the drip pan as that "gap" where the air comes around the drip pan is far hotter than the chamber temps.
It seems like the Summit at 24" is pretty much 100% usable space for low-n-slow cooks with the diffuser in place which would be great is I believe 3-4 pork butts would fit very nicely on one level let alone a second (with the RecTeq it would be a nightmare to have a second level).
Regardless of choice I've already ordered a Fireboard 2 Drive and a Pit Viper. It seems that the Summit does have a hole pre-drilled for this exact type of use. I do understand it likely won't be needed BUT in the off chance I do it's there.
Question: How do Kamado's do in super cold temps? IE if I start up a KJ/BGE/Primo in -20f weather will they crack/have issues or run just fine? That is one MAJOR selling point of the Weber. My only concern with the Weber is lifespan being non-ceramic but seeing how their kettles from the 70s etc are holding up I am not really concern.
It seems like the Summit at 24" is pretty much 100% usable space for low-n-slow cooks with the diffuser in place which would be great is I believe 3-4 pork butts would fit very nicely on one level let alone a second (with the RecTeq it would be a nightmare to have a second level).
Regardless of choice I've already ordered a Fireboard 2 Drive and a Pit Viper. It seems that the Summit does have a hole pre-drilled for this exact type of use. I do understand it likely won't be needed BUT in the off chance I do it's there.
Question: How do Kamado's do in super cold temps? IE if I start up a KJ/BGE/Primo in -20f weather will they crack/have issues or run just fine? That is one MAJOR selling point of the Weber. My only concern with the Weber is lifespan being non-ceramic but seeing how their kettles from the 70s etc are holding up I am not really concern.
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Fishwater2002
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Zero worries about the Weber holding up, top notch construction & steel is more durable than ceramics in any climate. The 24" size holds plenty of meat for smoking or grilling. With the included baskets a two zone fire is easy for grilling & you can move the charcoal grate up or down depending on what you're cooking. I've been grilling chicken lately over open coals with the charcoal grate positioned on the bottom, great taste from the fat dripping on the coals with no flare ups. It's a super versatile cooker & my only regret is waiting so long to buy it.
That's great to hear! How do you like it compared to your MB1050? The thing keeping me away from a MB is the build quality/long term lifespan. I think they're great products but until someone builds a crazy high quality model (IE a Yoder/Mak of the electric controlled gravity market) I think it's going to be almost impossible to beat a Kamado for my usage/climates. The Fireboard 2/fan combo essentially turns it into a MB style cooker with self regulating temp etc.
To me the big gain with the fan setup is recovery time after opening the lid as it will detect and turn the fan on/up to reach target temp then go back to low/off to maintain.
Question: How long have you been able to get your summit to go on one full load of fuel lighting only one side for say a brisket/pork butt? IE can I expect a 12-14hr cook at 225f to take a bunch of extra fuel? I usually used kingsford briquettes on my kettle as they're easy to get and I would then place a few good sized wood chunks for flavor on longer cooks.
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Fishwater2002
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I sold my MB since I stopped using it once I had the Summit. I couldn’t get past the build quality on the MB & while it’s a great cooker the Summit blows it away.
No need for the fan, recovery time is pretty quick on the Summit as is heat up & cool down. The Summit is ready to go in less than a half hour whether smoking or grilling, the dual wall design is incredibly efficient. I can typically cover the grill in about an hour after shutting down whether smoking or grilling.
How long can you get out of a full load of charcoal on the lower grate if it is packed full of briquettes on a low-n-slow?
Fishwater2002
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I've stopped counting after 16 hours, I've done a butt overnight & then ribs the next day on the same load of charcoal. It's extremely efficient like most Kamado's. I know other ceramic Kamado's can probably go longer but they suffer from a lack of airflow creating that stale smoke flavor, the Summit flows a decent amount of air so that keeps the smoke cleaner but means that it's not as efficient on a single load of charcoal as other's, I feel that it's a good blend of airflow & efficiency. Either way I can't ever see a scenario where I'd need to add charcoal or lump during a cook.
I haven't done that many long cooks on mine but I have never had to add fuel. There is always a lot left over.
That makes me much happier as that was always a complaint on my kettle for long cooks that was rectified with my pellet grill. Do the new models still maintain the fan port?
No issues with ceramic and cold weather. I'm in Minnesota and I've cooked in -29F with my BGE. It will do anything from low and slow to 1000+ degrees during any of the four seasons we get here. The Ceramic Grill Store is also a good place to look around for different setups with a ceramic cooker. Much better options then stock or accessories you'll get from the big Kamado names. Plus the owner is a top notch guy. If you give him a call and explain what you're looking for or an idea what kind of cooks you do, he'll sell you what you need and nothing more. His website is worth checking out. Most of the stuff these ceramic companies sell is junk. Everything Tom and his company makes is from Texas.
I haven't heard otherwise but definitely check the specs before you order if that's a concern.
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It's not a major deal if I had to drill a hole, just curious is all. From what I've read it looks like it still does, I will be checking when I go look at them tomorrow/Saturday.
Fishwater2002
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I use a Pit Viper fan so I bought the Weber adapter from them. I only used it twice on the Summit before leaving it permanently on my camping kettle.
https://bbqguru.com/storenav/Index?categoryId=&&productId=6
https://bbqguru.com/storenav/Index?categoryId=&&productId=6
Well made a call to a local hardware store and they happened to have the original Summit E6 with gas ignition in stock that hasn't sold in quite some time. They said it was ~$1500 but would sell it for $1199 to compete with the new model that doesn't have that option. I am happy because I think the old heat diffuser plate was a much better design than what they ship now in terms of keeping heat away from a drip pan etc.
Fishwater2002
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Absolutely the way to go, I got the same model & a similar deal. I ordered the new one & it came in damaged so they gave me the old one off the floor. I use the gas ignition all the time for weeknight grilling & would miss it if it wasn’t there.
I am indifferent on the gas lighter. It sure seems convenient but I would not have paid extra for it. I won't use it for low-n-slow cooks but it also will give me a great place to put my fireboard.
Will do! I'm planning on doing some ribs this weekend as a "break in" cook as well as probably some steaks.
Well went and picked it up tonight. Paid less than the current model and got the first gen which makes me much happier as I believe this heat diffuser is superior to the current gen.
Did some bbq chicken breasts tonight. They turned out good but I certainly used too little of charcoal. I was going to cook them indirect until the end then glaze but couldn’t as I was having a hard time breaking 325f due to lack of fuel.
I’ll be doing a butt this weekend as a long test cook. Tomorrow I’ll have it running most of the day just to try and get a feel for damper settings to get to 225-250 which is where I like to do my low-n-slows.
Did some bbq chicken breasts tonight. They turned out good but I certainly used too little of charcoal. I was going to cook them indirect until the end then glaze but couldn’t as I was having a hard time breaking 325f due to lack of fuel.
I’ll be doing a butt this weekend as a long test cook. Tomorrow I’ll have it running most of the day just to try and get a feel for damper settings to get to 225-250 which is where I like to do my low-n-slows.
