Weber Jumbo Joe Experience?

[dpsphotos]

Well the Fam and I are off on a camping trip for the first time in years. I have two young daughters and the youngest just turned 2. We are figuring it's time to get in the camping groove and I want to cook some good food while we are out. Anyone have experience with the Jumbo Joe? What about size for a family? I was thinking to go with the jumbo rather than the regular just because I will be cooking for at least 4. May even try a reverse sear while I'm at it or maybe smoke a rack of baby backs.

It was a toss up between the Joe line or the Go Anywhere grills, but I'm leaning towards the Joe's just because they seem like they would offer a bit more flexibility.

Thanks,
Daniel

[Jerod Broussard]

I've cooked for 10 on the regular gold smokey joe with grillgrates. That Jumbo will be plenty.

[Huskee]

I vote get the Jumbo Joe. I've found the Smokey Joe to be adequate but it can be a bit cramped cooking at a campground/beach, doing 5 burgers indirectly. If you only cook 4 , or do direct heat cooking it'll likely be plenty for your family of 4. The thing I like about the Jumbo Joe though is the built-in lid holder/carry handle so you can snugly carry it wherever with one hand, and the fact that it's a bit bigger (18.5") should you need the size. Plus if you wanna do a rack of ribs that extra 4" is helpful. I was able to obtain a 6-hr cook @225 with the Jumbo Joe doing a fuse setup, Slow 'N Sear style. Advice- don't try to touch the bottom daisy wheel vent after the grill has been cooking a while. If you need to, use pliers or tunk it with a hammer.

[Jon Solberg]

Gee Huskee How you you know about the bottom vent thing hehehehehehehe

Not laughing at you but with you.

[Huskee]

Jon Solberg This my friend is how I know. They leave their mark on dummies like me. This was from Thurs night.

[fuzzydaddy]

I was given a Jumbo Joe over the winter and the "recent experience" I mentioned...well, that was me. I need to find some rubber/silicone pieces to cover the "tabs" on both Joe vents and the top vent of my 22". The 26" came with a tab cover. Ideas?

[richinlbrg]

Huskee , you've nailed it again! That split second hesitation. We know better. We do it anyway!

You have lotsa company!

[boftx]

There is a word for people like you. Unfortunately, I can't use it on a family website like AR.

[LA Pork Butt]

dpsphotos I like the Jumbo Joe ash pan setup better than the Joe, but I have not used it for travel. I set up this arrangement for dividing the charcoal made out of the top of one of those broiler pans comes with ovens that almost no one uses. I bent it so the top would be just below the grill and cut flat ends with tin snips so it would fit in the jumbo Joe. You can pick those things up fora buck at garage sales, and the bottom of the broiler pans make great meat prep trays.

[dpsphotos]

Huskee thanks for the tips and insight on the jumbo joe. I'll make sure to keep a set of gloves around, not that I always remember to use them. Did you have any problems with the bottom vent clogging with ashes on that 6-hr cook? Or did the SnS style setup help prevent that?

LA Pork Butt I like that idea as a setup. I'll have to look at a local thrift shop to see if I can find one, thanks!

[Huskee]

Huskee thanks for the tips and insight on the jumbo joe. I'll make sure to keep a set of gloves around, not that I always remember to use them. Did you have any problems with the bottom vent clogging with ashes on that 6-hr cook? Or did the SnS style setup help prevent that?

I had to stir the coals, tunk the ash off them at maybe 3 or 4 hrs in, or so. I didn't have the holes clogging up, but since there are no sweep arms like on the larger kettles the ash does tend to settle along the bowl under the charcoal grate. But the vents seem to remain clear through a cook.