Hooray! I'm so happy for you. Enjoy using that little baby. So cute. I just know you'll be putting out some amazing food with it. I look forward to those posts. 
Kathryn
Kathryn
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Congratulations on your new addition, many happy cooks in your future.Comment
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SheilaAnn with it being new (I thought you bought it used), wash the cooking grate(s) with soap water, let them dry, and then fire it up with some lump. Never wash the inside of the kamado itself is my understanding. You don't want moisture or soap getting into the ceramic.
I've found that Kamado's basically act as their own chimney pretty well, and I've yet to use my actual chimney to light charcoal for the kamado. I don't think there is any problem doing so if you want to do a hot and fast cook - I just haven't. I just rake any old ashes down through the cast iron grate, add new lump as needed, and light 1 starter cube in the center if doing low and slow. If doing hot, I'll do 2 or 3 lighter cubes spread around. I nestle the start cubes and any wood chunks I will be using down into the lump, then set the deflector in place if doing indirect, and then the cooking grate in place. I run with the bottom vent wide open and the top open or the top vent wide open for 10-15 minutes, then start choking them down about 100 degrees before I reach my desired temperature. For 225, that means closing them down a bit after the first 10-15.
Anyway, there are a ton of resources out there, and every brand kamado is different. I am sure there are a lot of KJ folks with good advice for you on specific vent settings and setups for your cooker.Last edited by jfmorris; November 8, 2021, 08:29 AM.Comment
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I love my Kamado Joe Jr. I use it all the time for small, personal cooks. I built a little table for it a while ago.
I would get a Kick Ash basket for it. Especially for the KJ Jr. where there is even smaller amounts of air going through the cooker, the KAB makes a big difference. It also makes clean up really nice. Get rid of the cast iron grate. (I use it for a place holder actually) Then just use the basket.
Also, having a torch to light the charcoal is great. They are so much better than a chimney or cubes, cause you are not awkwardly pouring the coals into the relatively small fuel box. You cause the torch to light the fire right away and where you want it. (Plus, you will use the torch in other spots too) The tanks last forever and they are really handy to have around.
This is what I like to use. Benzomatic TS8000.
But anything from Benzomatic works well.
Congrats on the purchase!
Make sure to check out this thread on Taming the Savage Kamado.Comment
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@ShielaAnn I’ll respond here rather that in the show us thread…
I assume that was a Boston butt you smoked today? I’ve never seen a butt smoked at 225 to 240 degrees done that quickly. Either it was super small, or from the shape might it have been a pork loin instead? I got a 8 pound butt done in 6 hours last week, but that was at 300 degrees cooker temp, and I wrapped in foil when the meat reach 170. It was very moist and tender. At 225 to 250, a 8 pound butt takes 10, 12 maybe even 14 hours.
Only things that come to mind is that it really did not reach 203, and your probe was contacting bone or not in the center, or that this was not a pork shoulder/butt? If it was a butt, the description sounds like it wasn’t done. If it was a loin, it was dramatically overcooked.
Last thing - don’t rest the meat on the counter like that before smoking, the colder the better for building bark and attracting smoke. Go straight from fridge to smoker if possible.Comment
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I’m guessing it was a fresh ham, not a butt. The meat looks really lean and I think I see a ham bone in the pic. Ham doesn’t have enough fat and collagen to take it to 203, it’ll be much too dry.Comment
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So it was a leg chunk. I should of known better, but I already thawed it. I should have grinded for sausage.
but, cup half full, I got to learn more about controlling temp on a Kamado. And I am in love!
BF loved the Lexington dip recipe from AR. It’s a winner!
jfmorris it was super small. Maybe 2#. And like I said above, it was leg, not shoulder. So yes, leaner than what it should have been.Comment
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One thing to note is that these small Kamados run a little hotter, but it sounds like you maintained temps pretty low, which is great. A little hotter is just fine when you are smoking butts or ribs.
My guess here is that you over cooked the meat. 203 F is a guideline and not always set in stone. I start probing at about 190 or so. Then feel for probe tenderness. Sometimes you can feel that it is there jsut by how the thermo feels when testing it for temp. Some are done at 200, some at 199 some at 205 or anywhere in-between.Comment
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Beyond the pork leather, the kamado is very nice. Congrats!!!Comment
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What a great looking little cooker! I'm looking forward to reading about your cooks on this little guy/gal, especially when your posts include lines like "Oh f*ck y’all made wine come out my nose."
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I’m looking for a bit of advice here. I currently have a nice gas grill and a GMG pellet grill but I am beginning to get interested in a Kamado style grill, be it a Kamado Joe Classic or Jr., or a Weber Summit Kamado. Does anyone have a recommendation on what would be best as I’m only cooking for two people?
Thanks!Comment
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BTWESTFALL
I have the Weber Summit Charcoal Grilling Center (Kamado as you call it) and often cook for just us two. It's a wonderful cooker--you can use it as a kettle or as a kamado. It has plenty of real estate for entertaining in kamado mode, and with the SnS in kettle mode, it's great for just 2-4 people. It's like having two great BBQ toys in one. Two toys, which, BTW, you don't already have. You'd have a great stable of cookers with the addition of a WSCGC. Just saying.
If you need any more convincing, watch this Baby Back Maniac video:
KathrynLast edited by fzxdoc; March 8, 2022, 03:23 PM.Comment
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