I got an acorn from Char-Griller a couple of weeks ago for our anniversary. I've been struggling to get the temperature to hold without putting the fire out. This afternoon I've been trying one of the methods from one of the sticky posts up at the top about how to get a feel for the kamado. It seems like my temperature comes up too fast and when I crank down on the air vents I kill the fire. I started cranking down when I got to 200 degrees and really crank down even further at 225 it shot up to about 2:35 and now it's dropping. Can anybody give me an idea of what I'm doing wrong?
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You won't have a rip roaring fire in it at low temps. When you get to about 200 make small adjustments on your top vent your bottom vent should only be about 1\4 inch,small adjustments on the top wait to see what it will do and continue from thereLast edited by customtrim; June 17, 2018, 05:21 PM. -
And don't be worrying about exactly 225. 250 works just fine.
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It would be helpful to know know how you made your fire. How many lit coals and how many unlit. How were the coals placed in the Acorn?Comment
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Welcome from IndianaComment
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Jackson Wyoming welcomes youComment
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Akorns are decent cookers and good value. They also benefit from some inexpensive modifications that seal up leaks and make keeping temp easier:
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/th...kooker.137719/
because they aren’t ceramic, they don’t have that big heat sink making them relatively immune to temp swings: they are better than a kettle, not as good as a ceramic. But almost everyone experiences what you are going through now, it took me several tries with my BGE to get it down pat.Last edited by Mosca; June 17, 2018, 07:27 PM.Comment
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I managed to get it back up and it stabilized around 250 and left it there for a few hours. Got it raised up to 300 and left it there for about an hour. It seems it was kinda fiddly. The previous cook, I lost it completely about two hours in.
Previously, I dumped lump in a pile in the center of the cooker and lit it with one of those wax starters. The first time I used three starters but got it waaay too hot. This time I built the pile with large chunks and then a layer of the smaller stuff filling in. One wax starter in the middle and one chunk of hickory after the fire was started.
About how long does it need to burn before I close the lid with the vents open?Comment
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I have one of these cookers and I like it but I have found the thermometer that comes with it to be slow to react and inaccurate, I bought a Maverick ET733 and that helped a lot as it indicated temperature much better/faster. I adjust the top vent only to control temperature, I leave the air inlet open about an inch. Cooking on one of these is all about control, you have to slow the fire down early. If I was wanting to cook at 225F I would start closing the top damper at 175F. If you over shoot open the lid as it will dissipate some of the heat. I also ran some tests at first with no food so I could practice controlling the fire/temperature. Overall I like this type of cooker because it very versatile.Comment
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Howdy from Kansas Territory, Welcome to Th Pit
Glad to have ya here with us, sorry to say I cain't help ya none with yer Akorn....
There'll be plenty folks come along, what can, though.
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First of all, welcome to the Pit! My first question is: Do you have the Smoking Stone, or other similar heat deflector for your Akorn? If not, I would get one. It not only serves as a heat deflector for high heat cooks, but it also provides a lot of thermal mass to help keep temps stable. IMHO, it is essential for kamado cooking. I also modified mine slightly by adding a felt gasket around the bottom, where the ash pan attaches. This seems to be a regular culprit for letting in excess air.
I always fill my firebox with charcoal. I light one starter cube for low and slow, two starter cubes for up to 350-375, and 3 if I am going all out for pizza temps. (450 and above)
Experiment with your vent settings to find where your sweet spots are. Get an adult beverage or 3, light it up, and see what settings work for you. Be patient. Make small adjustments; temps don't change too quickly in a kamado. You may be tempted to over-adjust.
Do not trust the dome thermometer. I have found that mine actually reads about 60 degrees COOLER than the grate temp.
VERY IMPORTANT: Use a cover! You do not want water getting into your Akorn! It will rust. (Don't ask how I know this.)
Most importantly: HAVE FUN!! You will love the Akorn. I have had mine for a year, and I use it a lot. I love that fact that I can bake bread in it. I hate heating up my house in the summer time making bread.
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I did get the deflector. I've been doing a few inches of lump for one cook (level), and a pile that I knocked down for the others. Now I really want to try a pizza on it. I've done them before on the gas grill. I've been stashing it in the garage, but I will need to move it to the deck and I'll get a cover when that happens. Thanks for the advice on the starters, that is really helpful!
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