Low/Slow Questions for a Kamado (Vision)

[spaceboy]

So picked up a Vision on clearance - had to... it was calling my name all season long on every visit to Costco.... Don't care what any Primo/BGE owners say... this is a GREAT cooker at a GREAT price (it is made in china though).... Im sure there are some upsides to the other cookers that justify the extra cost - but for your first entrance into the ceramic grill market - this is a no-brainier.

Now for my question...

Been reading around and have heard that kamados, in general, hold the temp so well that it may cook meat too fast. Is this true/something I should be concerned with? (I have only tested it holding temps and grilled - no long cook yet)

From what I gather - I would attribute that to people overshooting their temp and not being able to bring it back to the range needed.

Have been CRAVING a brisket but think I'll start with a butt for the first long cook on the Vision. Have a 14" iron pizza pan for a deflector - plan to load the fire box with lump and add 1/2 chimney of briquettes to get it started (should get the temp going very slowly) I also plan to use the water bowl from my Bandera (have never smoked without it so Ill go with what i know).

Any other suggestions for my first go at it?

Also - this will be my first smoke on something other than my Bandera... can someone explain to me why I feel so bad? Its like I'm cheating on my wife (ok... not really... but I think you know what I mean... )

 

[ssv3]

Congrats on the Vision kamado. I have the PRO from HD myself and they're awesome cookers. Kamados do hold temps well but the food wouldn't come out any faster than the other grills so that's false.

As far as overshooting temps, just bring it up slowly and you wouldnt have any issues. My method is to open the bottom and tops vents, light the fire and within 50* of my target temp adjust the vents to accomodate the type of the cook I'm going to do.

Do not use briquttes. These cookers are designed for and work really well with lump. As far as starting the fire what you can use cotton balls with 91% rubbing alcohol.

Also, no need for a water pan. I just use a disposable aluminum pan to catch the drippings but that's it.

I would say go with a pork butt on your first cook to get your feet wet. Room for error on it is next to nothing.

Btw check out http://kamadoguru.comfor indepth tips, tricks and discussions on kamado cooking. There is sub category for VISION kamados only with a ton of info. Otherwise you'll have me typing all night:mrgreen:.

Good Luck!!

 

[big_weight]

I too have a Vision from Costco and love it. Smoked two butts Saturday night - took 14 hours, and taste great.

Agree on not using briquettes to start it. I use lump charcoal (Cowboy Brand), start fire with fire starters and bring it up real slow. Biggest issue I have had is keeping temp at 180 for smoking, and then 225 for cooking. I use a BBQ Guru DigiQ with fan. I barely, and I mean barely, crack the top vent, otherwise it gets too hot. Even worse if I try to use mesquite lump charcoal.

 

[spaceboy]

I too have a Vision from Costco and love it. Smoked two butts Saturday night - took 14 hours, and taste great.

Agree on not using briquettes to start it. I use lump charcoal (Cowboy Brand), start fire with fire starters and bring it up real slow. Biggest issue I have had is keeping temp at 180 for smoking, and then 225 for cooking. I use a BBQ Guru DigiQ with fan. I barely, and I mean barely, crack the top vent, otherwise it gets too hot. Even worse if I try to use mesquite lump charcoal.

I will take the advice on the briquettes....

That said - have not had an issue holding temp at 225/250.... But I have also not tried to keep it there for longer than 3 hrs...

I thought the major upside to these cookers was negating the need for a guru/fan device? Guess the only way to learn is to get cooking!

Thanks for the advice.

 

[ssv3]

I will take the advice on the briquettes....

That said - have not had an issue holding temp at 225/250.... But I have also not tried to keep it there for longer than 3 hrs...

I thought the major upside to these cookers was negating the need for a guru/fan device? Guess the only way to learn is to get cooking!

Thanks for the advice.

You said it best. Only way to learn is to cook yourself with a few pointers here in there to help. You def wont have a problem holding temps steady for a long time. I've cooked 16 hrs straight at 250 consistenly without a guru. I used my grill for a year to be able to completely control it manually and learn it through and through. Just recently bought the cyberq wifi myself to be able to set it up for smoking and free myself by physically not being there and still control my q "just in case" something happens. The guru is just perfect for those 10,12,14 hour cooks. So much can be done in the meantime.

 

[spaceboy]

Plan is to start and keep an eye on it for the first 5 hrs ... If I can keep it stable that long - I'm going to take my chances and go to sleep... Figured if I don't try it from the jump - I never will...

End of the day - that's why I purchased this -all for the hopes of getting some sleep on my long cooks. (Did I just say that?? I must be getting old)

 

[ssv3]

Plan is to start and keep an eye on it for the first 5 hrs ... If I can keep it stable that long - I'm going to take my chances and go to sleep... Figured if I don't try it from the jump - I never will...

End of the day - that's why I purchased this -all for the hopes of getting some sleep on my long cooks. (Did I just say that?? I must be getting old)

You'll do fine and nothing wrong with getting some sleep. Keep us posted.

 

[Kathy's Smokin']

Kamados do hold temps well but the food wouldn't come out any faster than the other grills so that's false.

As far as overshooting temps, just bring it up slowly and you wouldnt have any issues. My method is to open the bottom and tops vents, light the fire and within 50* of my target temp adjust the vents to accomodate the type of the cook I'm going to do.

Do not use briquttes. These cookers are designed for and work really well with lump. As far as starting the fire what you can use cotton balls with 91% rubbing alcohol.

Also, no need for a water pan. I just use a disposable aluminum pan to catch the drippings but that's it.

ssv3 has given some very good advice, I agree with all of it. I've been using my Vision Kamado Pro about 14 months now and it is fabulous. I was lucky that my Pro came with the lava stone (pizza/smoking) so I didn't have to figure out modifications or how to buy one. I do put a cheap cookie sheet above the pizza stone/below the first grill to cut back heat to the sides of what I'm cooking, I like the finished product better. Add at least one more cookie sheet on top of the grill if you're baking pies, pastry or a souffle. I see no reason to add a water pan.

I smoke a lot of whole shoulders and whole legs overnight while I sleep. It takes about 2 to 2.5 hours to clean out and set up my kamado, light the chimney, get to the temp I want, keep it steady and then go to bed. I use crumpled newspapers in the bottom of my chimney and an upright half paper towel cardboard tube in the top with lump around to start my chimneys, takes about 15 minutes from lighting to dumping in the kamado. I fill the chimney about 1/3 full, just need about a dozen embers to get her started. I used to use more charcoal and let the chimney burn longer before dumping until I realized I was wasting time and charcoal so I stopped doing that. Kamado food is awesome, anything you can make in an oven you can make in a kamado.

Here's the pork leg I smoked last week but it's not an "on the grill" shot.

 

[Kathy's Smokin']

I forgot to talk about winter use -- which I should since you live in Chicago. I'm an hour west of Toronto in Canada and I smoke in winter, too. The charcoal will burn faster in winter but I'm not sure how that affects an overnight smoke, I don't do those in the dead of winter. I may this year if I can stockpile enough clearance charcoal, too hard to find it December to March. With colder temperatures I do find that I need to take a long spoon or rod, should be around two feet long, and scrape the edges of the fire bowl through the ash drawer to move the outer charcoal towards the burning middle. Don't have to do that in spring, summer or fall so I think it's a 'below freezing winter' thing.

 

[spaceboy]

Kathy... Um... I ..um... Think I love you!!!

That is some incredible cooking you do... And that's for the tips.. I'm going to do exacty as you said with the chimney and that paper towel cardboard tick is a GREAT idea!!

Also looking forward to winter cooking - thanks for info on the charcoal positioning for cold weather!

 

[Kathy's Smokin']

^ :laugh:

Why don't you join us in the Throwdowns? I've only been smoking since June last year and I've learned a ton about it just from entering throwdowns most weeks. Use the link in my signature, starts with the word "Inspiration". The only reason I made a souffle is because we had a Julia Child TD. Right now we are in the middle of a pickle TD. Last week was a T-bone and surf TD. We are voting on a Viking TD right now. By stretching yourself cooking for different themes every week or most weeks, you'll be surprised what kind of great cook you turn into after a year. Anything you can make in an oven you can make in a kamado.

 

[K80Shooter]

So picked up a Vision on clearance - had to... it was calling my name all season long on every visit to Costco.... Don't care what any Primo/BGE owners say... this is a GREAT cooker at a GREAT price (it is made in china though).... Im sure there are some upsides to the other cookers that justify the extra cost - but for your first entrance into the ceramic grill market - this is a no-brainier.

Well I was going to say congrats on the new Vision but....... seeing as I own a BGE I see you don't care.

Don't worry I wont hold that against you. :wink:

 

[spaceboy]

^ :laugh:

Why don't you join us in the Throwdowns? I've only been smoking since June last year and I've learned a ton about it just from entering throwdowns most weeks. Use the link in my signature, starts with the word "Inspiration". The only reason I made a souffle is because we had a Julia Child TD. Right now we are in the middle of a pickle TD. Last week was a T-bone and surf TD. We are voting on a Viking TD right now. By stretching yourself cooking for different themes every week or most weeks, you'll be surprised what kind of great cook you turn into after a year. Anything you can make in an oven you can make in a kamado.

I will have to keep an eye on the throwdowns... Just a little strapped for time right now (a 2.5 year old will do that to you!!!!)

 

[spaceboy]

Well I was going to say congrats on the new Vision but....... seeing as I own a BGE I see you don't care.

Don't worry I wont hold that against you. :wink:

Nothing personal k8... Its just that the vison seems to get a bad rap from most primo/bge owners. Not sure why but there is a market for people looking to give a kamado a try without breaking the bank...

Been on other boards where people are told to stay away from the viso causw its less suuperior to the other brands.... In my opinion - its a heck of a bargin at the $400 price point.

 

[K80Shooter]

Nothing personal k8... Its just that the vison seems to get a bad rap from most primo/bge owners. Not sure why but there is a market for people looking to give a kamado a try without breaking the bank...

Been on other boards where people are told to stay away from the viso causw its less suuperior to the other brands.... In my opinion - its a heck of a bargin at the $400 price point.

I for one do not judge by what cooker you have........ only by how your food tastes :biggrin1:

I was just :boink: at you.

I hope you enjoy your cooker.

 

[spaceboy]

I for one do not judge by what cooker you have........ only by how your food tastes :biggrin1:

I was just :boink: at you.

I hope you enjoy your cooker.

I know.... And to your point - its all how good it tsate!!

 

[early mornin' smokin']

i mean, come on, how different are all these different ceramics? They're all made of some form of ceramic, in 2 pieces with an internal firebox, 1 way for the air to get in, and one way for it to get out. The vision is nice, and if you've got the one that's stainless, it's very nice. I light my egg with a weed burner. From the top for low and slows, and from the top and thru the bottom intake for a higher temp 350+ burn. Key is to have a decent fire going, than choke it down. If you light too few of coals, you risk having it go out. All the ceramics are amazing efficient machines, and learning your individual ones behaviors is key to success.

 

[spaceboy]

i mean, come on, how different are all these different ceramics? They're all made of some form of ceramic, in 2 pieces with an internal firebox, 1 way for the air to get in, and one way for it to get out.

That is the million dollar question... I will say I do like the shape of the primo better - but can't justify the added cost.

 

[early mornin' smokin']

out of all the ceramics, the big joe is by far my favorite. HUGE is an understatement. I can cook 4 pork shoulders in my large egg, 2 briskets, around 8 racks of ribs. But for sheer interior volume, i vote big joe.

 

[spaceboy]

out of all the ceramics, the big joe is by far my favorite. HUGE is an understatement. I can cook 4 pork shoulders in my large egg, 2 briskets, around 8 racks of ribs. But for sheer interior volume, i vote big joe.

never realized how big it was untill you just made me look it up!

WOW.... that is big - 24" wide cooking surface is nice! Think my vision is somewere around 14".